Beaumont Crime Now Just A Numbers Game

[casingpoint]

Reporters have to cut stories short sometimes for lack of space, time or news value, but I have never seen anything quite as brief as this article:
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/ ... umont.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seamusTX]

Let me try to explain something about how newspapers work: The "police beat" is one of the absolute scut jobs, along with covering school board meetings and that sort of thing. These jobs usually go to the least experienced reporters.

In the old days, the reporter used to go to the police station and copy the police "blotter" or daily log. Nowadays they may get it electronically. I don't know.

They talk to the police about the more interesting cases. They rarely interview victims or witnesses.

Most of what you read in any crime story is taken from written reports or the statements of police spokespersons. A lot of weird statements like "the gun was registered to Mr. Doe" come from the police. I have no idea why they say things like that.

This type of news is not a moneymaker for papers, so they put minimum resources into it.

BTW, I have never worked for a newspaper. I've always been interested in the industry, and I picked up this information from talking to people and reading.

- Jim