What my interview made me learn

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

As some of you know and it's stated on my profile, I have a position in a cultural organization in my province and I'm involved in a lot of initiatives.

Today came out the newspaper which reported our latest project, a poetry show on the lakeside with artistic performances, and the interview they did with me and other people involved in the project.

Here's an excerpt (translated) of the journalist's interview with me and her impressions.

The article in question. Notice how they used an old stock picture.

"[...] and finally Jean-Marie Céline (not my real name obviously), the youngest member of this municipal committee (I never said we were a municipal committee).

Fitted into a serious checkered suit, gold rimmed glasses and a Chaplinesque moustache, he resembles a tailored Gandhi (???) in a salesman suit.

His enthusiasm for the incoming season is contagious: "We are so happy the municipality gave us this beautiful beach (we paid it, it wasn't a gift) for our initiative. This is something really magical, we are bringing all sorts of arts and cultures in the lens of our beautiful lake, in the same places in which Manzoni (Alessandro Manzoni, great Italian novelist) wrote his masterpiece.".

At my question if he writes or if he's an artist of sort, he smiles in embarrassment and says he plays "just the piano". [...] with these premise, it's hopeful that more youths will be drawn to our territory and it's patrimony.".

Now, don't take me wrong. I like this little spotlight they gave me, although I couldn't not notice some things.

Leaving aside the jokes on my appearance, she made it look like our initiative, a private initiative, was funded and saw by the public administration. That's not true, we paid and made contracts to get the space for our work.

Also, I said I'd be playing as an accompany in some of these evenings, and she didn't write it.

I admit this made me think.

My case is really minor, but how many medias do modify or omit declarations and quotes in the way they see fit?

I chuckled reading my portion of the article, but also recognized that she focused more on my appearance and age than on what I actually said.

Is this the case too for real, actual important people?

My opinion is that the media can be and is a circus - they cut and make people into figures to fit their narrative.

Thanks for reading,

Jean-Marie

[Girther10]

Excellent narrative, as always. Your thesis has merit. I think the term “journalist” is a loose use, in this woman’s case. It seems the ethical standards worldwide is suffering. But you’re young, you have much to do and I have no doubt you will be a huge success no matter your endeavor. Thanks again for sharing. Point well taken.

[Girther10]

Maybe you should write a response to the article and point out its flaws, you’re an excellent writer, I think you should set the record straight. Stop them cold, or it will continue, and that’s not good.

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Thank you for you for your supporting words and points.
You are right.
I don't know if hers was incompetence or outright malice, but writing it to make it look like a public initiative while the authorities didn't do anything and only got money from our organization it's kind of insulting. It made it look like it's something that was concessed to us and not something we worked for, plus she used an outdated, unrelated photo.
Our president has decided that on the first evening of the events he'll make it clear in his introduction speech that we did it all by ourselves and received zero assistance, because the mayor's office really seems to want to take the merit.

[CocoMonika]

Once you get popular, people will start nitpicking and fitting you the way they prefer.
Ignore them and keep up your work!

[Logorithim]

Interesting example of how there are agendas on the part of journalists and the scope they have for distorting reality.

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Exactly.
I mean, they are literally made a private initiative pass for a public one.
It made quite an impression on me experimenting this directly.

[OlderAndWiser]

If all you know about a subject is what you read in a newspaper or an online source, you should be skeptical of the source and assume that you do not know the entire story of what happened.

[Secretgardenblood]

Good take

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Thank you!