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I hope this post will be taken for what it is. I am writing this because I would like to see some improvements here at opednews.com.
Where is the editing?
It is my opinion that there is a difference between being a real editor, and simply being a moderator who approves articles for release without correcting them.
I am not going to mention any author's names, because that is not important. All writers make mistakes and can miss them sometimes when going back over material- myself included. If it is handed in to opednews with those mistakes, it is my opinion that anyone who calls themself an editor should do the job of editing and not just moderating.
Here is an obvious example:
"SHALL WE REVISE THE SUPREME COURT LIFETIME APPIONTMENT?"
The above article was actually headlined as I recall at some point. Is this how this website wants to come across to the world? As though there is a problem with making corrections? How professional does this look? How does this come across to new readers who come here? Is anyone other than the writer concerned?
Whoever this author is could possibly be embarrassed by this kind of thing! I think when any author hands in his work, the least an editor can do is to make some simple corrections before publishing them. All I am saying is I think it would be a good idea to tighten up a little bit and try and do a better job so these kinds of mistakes don't happen.
It would only take me a few minutes to scan an article and pick out the most obvious of mistakes and correct them before approving them. Is this not important?
In the case above, not only was there a glaring uncorrected mistake with the title, but the polling feature was also incorrect, and before this one was approved I think it should have been held up a little bit and maybe someone ask the author if this was how it was intended to be before automatically approving it for release as is.
Because of this situation I am now pointing out, the writer who accidently made some errors with his article was not protected by the "editors" and he had to redo the article himself and send it out twice!
Is this how you want things around here, or is there any room for improvement in this area?
Here is another example of the problem I see here from time to time:
"I except the Black Congressional caucus who, to their everlasting credit, protested vehemently Bush's illegal appointment to the throne..."
Does he mean to say "I accept the..."
In any case, this kind of mistake in my opinion should be caught by anyone who wants to wear the title of editor. If they are not making corrections on the articles, then they are NOT editing, and they are not editors. They are merely volunteer moderators.
I am probably going to hear this is where the problem is- volunteers- not paid professional editors? Am I wrong? Am I right?
From time to time Rob has to ask for money to help pay for his costs to keep this great info website up and running. So if he has to do this just to keep the website operational, then I am guessing there is not a whole lot left over to pay anyone to be an official paid professional editor, and I completely understand this.
But please, don't call yourself an editor if you don't do any editing! Be honest about what you are doing! I think this is important, at least where I come from it is, or was at one time.
I know I am asking a lot, but I think it would be an improvement to this website if the editors could actually step up to the demands of the job and do some editing for the writers to help save them from the embarrassment of simple overlooked mistakes. Editors edit, and I think you gotta look out for your writers.
And I really hope that what I am pointing out is taken as a suggestion for improvement and nothing more. I Kall out for change!
KG
PS- I edited this one myself at least 7 times before posting, and now twice after posting it. My editing is more than correcting mistakes, I am also rewriting it trying to smooth it out and flow better.
