Ruminations on Life, the Universe and Everything... But mostly, Pakistan and Pakistani media...
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Familiarity Breeds....
So, um, how many Express Tribune staffers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
Apparently all of them... since everyone was too busy doing that to realize that their paper was reprinting yesterday's entire op-ed pages today, dates and all.
Why is it that EVERY time there is a post poking fun at the Express Tribune, a lot of whiny fans start becoming defensive and accusing Cafe Pyala of bias? I mean when a paper actually REPEATS its editorial pages two days running is CP meant to laud its efforts for screwing up?
Do these ET trolls never read the other posts here, most of which (rightfully)rip the Jang Group and many others to shreds with unfailing regularity?
I know life is not easy for ageing adolescents on some obscure Khayaban in the wilds of DHA, but can you please, please grow up now and learn to shrug off criticism like all the rest?
its orq, omar qureishi who looks after the op-ed pages. wonder if he did it on purpose since relations between him and kamal siddiqi have been really bad lately.
No matter who does it on what (personal) grounds but it affects their credibility. as for as NEWS is concerned it also repeats news items. who cares!!!!
xyz -- with due respect -- this happened with FOUR (including two national pages) and NOT two pages -- something for which we issued an apology today -- because of a production error -- in lahore the pages were fine -- of course this can hardly be defended - but your readers should know the facts -- esp since some of you, by your admission, have been or are journalists
also, for the record, relations between me and Kamal are good -- he has been a friend for almost 15 years and prior to this we have been colleagues at Dawn and The News
Further, I think this has happened at least once with another Pakistani newspaper as well -- I dont want to get into names but it has -- and again, that is no defence -- but your readers should know the facts
Omar R Quraishi Editorial Pages Editor The Express Tribune
It does not matter that: a) similar gaffes have occurred before in other publications.
b) it was four and not two pages that were reprinted.
c) the pages were fine (or not) in other stations...
... a bhand is a bhand is a bhand is a bhand!
To paraphrase an old Pakistani ad for 'Emex fairness cream', "Kal kee nahin, aaj kee baat karo, Express Tribune ki baat karo!"
P.S. Although I'm beside myself with amusement, you have to feel sorry for the (not-so-)poor journos who are associated with ET and who have to take flak for the sins of their editors.
No one is denying that a grave error was committed -- and hence the front page apology -- zara post ko ghor say parhh liya karain Anonymous sahib.
Also, sir, sins -- by editors and others -- are committed in all news organisations -- so no point getting into that -- and often editors pay for them as well --
From what I know, many journalists associated with ET are quite happy, by and large, with their association -- it would be pointless to challenge the last point, anonymous sahib, since one doesn't know who you are -- so what you write here on the paper itself would be, as they say, 'khayalee pulao'
once again I fear the comments are about to descend into personal attacks, so let's just stop with that right now.
For what it's worth, personally, I was amused with the gaffe but I don't think anyone on the staff in their right minds would cause this to happen deliberately. It seems exactly what ET said in its apology the next day - a production error -and neither the editors or the publisher is directly responsible for it, though of course they end up taking the blame for it as overall heads of the paper. Ok, someone in the production chain should have picked up on it and that is all we were trying to point out.
Let's not make this into an excuse to bash up individuals.
I should take the opportunity to point out, not necessarily in defense of ET but just to put things in perspective, that i myself saw an edition of the venerable New York Times that committed an even more amusing blooper on its *front page*. It was back in the early 90s. There was the lead story under its headline, and right next to it, the second story's headline, underneath which was the un-edited version of the lead story. Was hilarious, but also quite instructive to see how the story was edited :)
I am not surprised that they ET would do shoddy journalism. HOWEVER printing the same FOUR pages on two consecutive days makes one wonder whether the editors and others at ET even read the "newspaper" they want others to pay money to read!
Mistakes happen but not of this EPIC magnitude. Maybe it is time to hire real journalists and not just fresh-from-A-Levels-with-3-Cs?
And yes while you are at it, remember as a PAKISTANI newspaper, most potential BUYERS of ET do not expect and like rabidly anti-Pak opinion pieces.
Express Tribune has a lot of potential but it can only do so if it does not indulge in dissing the country where it publishes its newspaper.
*waits for ET's op-ed head to give a 'as the op-ed head, i can tell you...' excuse*
ReplyDeleteWhy does Cafe Pyala never do snarky posts when The Dawn or The News reprints yesterday's entire op-ed pages dates and all, huh, why?
ReplyDeleteMaybe because they haven't done it yet?
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA. OMG. At least they made history.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a bias here, The News makes these sort of mistakes all the time.
ReplyDeleteIt's Groundhog day. Again.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen any other newspaper make any mistake of this sort..
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that EVERY time there is a post poking fun at the Express Tribune, a lot of whiny fans start becoming defensive and accusing Cafe Pyala of bias? I mean when a paper actually REPEATS its editorial pages two days running is CP meant to laud its efforts for screwing up?
ReplyDeleteDo these ET trolls never read the other posts here, most of which (rightfully)rip the Jang Group and many others to shreds with unfailing regularity?
I know life is not easy for ageing adolescents on some obscure Khayaban in the wilds of DHA, but can you please, please grow up now and learn to shrug off criticism like all the rest?
A truly FML moment in Bilal Lakhani and Kamal Siddiqi's life. EPIC FAIL!
ReplyDeleteits orq, omar qureishi who looks after the op-ed pages. wonder if he did it on purpose since relations between him and kamal siddiqi have been really bad lately.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't realize there were people actually paying attention
ReplyDelete@mukhi: Hahahahahah!
ReplyDeleteNo matter who does it on what (personal) grounds but it affects their credibility. as for as NEWS is concerned it also repeats news items. who cares!!!!
ReplyDeletexyz -- with due respect -- this happened with FOUR (including two national pages) and NOT two pages -- something for which we issued an apology today -- because of a production error -- in lahore the pages were fine -- of course this can hardly be defended - but your readers should know the facts -- esp since some of you, by your admission, have been or are journalists
ReplyDeletealso, for the record, relations between me and Kamal are good -- he has been a friend for almost 15 years and prior to this we have been colleagues at Dawn and The News
Further, I think this has happened at least once with another Pakistani newspaper as well -- I dont want to get into names but it has -- and again, that is no defence -- but your readers should know the facts
Omar R Quraishi
Editorial Pages Editor
The Express Tribune
wow, that is a pretty big gaffe, even for a technical failure, but that said, it happens....well thankfully not very often.
ReplyDeletebut yes, i expect Bilal Lakhani and Kamal Siddiqi did get rather pissed.
hahahaha
ReplyDeletethas something lol
Can i get my money back! I should not have to pay for the same news twice!
ReplyDeleteDear Omar R Quraishi sahib
ReplyDeleteIt does not matter that:
a) similar gaffes have occurred before in other publications.
b) it was four and not two pages that were reprinted.
c) the pages were fine (or not) in other stations...
... a bhand is a bhand is a bhand is a bhand!
To paraphrase an old Pakistani ad for 'Emex fairness cream', "Kal kee nahin, aaj kee baat karo, Express Tribune ki baat karo!"
P.S. Although I'm beside myself with amusement, you have to feel sorry for the (not-so-)poor journos who are associated with ET and who have to take flak for the sins of their editors.
Dear Anonymous sahib,
ReplyDeleteNo one is denying that a grave error was committed -- and hence the front page apology -- zara post ko ghor say parhh liya karain Anonymous sahib.
Also, sir, sins -- by editors and others -- are committed in all news organisations -- so no point getting into that -- and often editors pay for them as well --
From what I know, many journalists associated with ET are quite happy, by and large, with their association -- it would be pointless to challenge the last point, anonymous sahib, since one doesn't know who you are -- so what you write here on the paper itself would be, as they say, 'khayalee pulao'
Regards,
Omar R Quraishi
Poooorrr Kamal!
ReplyDeleteDear All,
ReplyDeleteonce again I fear the comments are about to descend into personal attacks, so let's just stop with that right now.
For what it's worth, personally, I was amused with the gaffe but I don't think anyone on the staff in their right minds would cause this to happen deliberately. It seems exactly what ET said in its apology the next day - a production error -and neither the editors or the publisher is directly responsible for it, though of course they end up taking the blame for it as overall heads of the paper. Ok, someone in the production chain should have picked up on it and that is all we were trying to point out.
Let's not make this into an excuse to bash up individuals.
I should take the opportunity to point out, not necessarily in defense of ET but just to put things in perspective, that i myself saw an edition of the venerable New York Times that committed an even more amusing blooper on its *front page*. It was back in the early 90s. There was the lead story under its headline, and right next to it, the second story's headline, underneath which was the un-edited version of the lead story. Was hilarious, but also quite instructive to see how the story was edited :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
ReplyDeleteHey Pyala,
ReplyDeleteHow about a post on ET's new move: an arbitrator and ombudsman. I would say it's a good move for the media.
I am not surprised that they ET would do shoddy journalism. HOWEVER printing the same FOUR pages on two consecutive days makes one wonder whether the editors and others at ET even read the "newspaper" they want others to pay money to read!
ReplyDeleteMistakes happen but not of this EPIC magnitude. Maybe it is time to hire real journalists and not just fresh-from-A-Levels-with-3-Cs?
And yes while you are at it, remember as a PAKISTANI newspaper, most potential BUYERS of ET do not expect and like rabidly anti-Pak opinion pieces.
Express Tribune has a lot of potential but it can only do so if it does not indulge in dissing the country where it publishes its newspaper.