Like other professional writers and editors, I can’t just “turn off” my editing hat when I’m not devoted to a work-related task.
Billboards, posters, disclaimers on pharmaceutical commercials—all of those platforms, and more–are fair game.
So two weeks ago, when I literally couldn’t help but notice Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s bio had a glaring omission in its opening sentence, I felt an obligation to alert her communications team.
She has an active Twitter account, so I figured sending a note there would be all it took to set things straight.
- My courtesy tweet to Toni Preckwinkle’s Twitter peeps.
Not quite, at least as of this writing. You can read more on this topic at my Examiner column.
It’s not a piece I set out to write. As you can see, I simply wanted to offer some collegial support. I know I appreciate it when others alert me to one of my own errors, so I can make the necessary fix.
Anyhow, for the oversight and their continued lack of action, President Preckwinkle’s communications team has earned a “Medill F”–that refers to my journalism school’s stringent standard of bestowing an “F” on even minor errors.
A post-script: by 11 p.m. July 3rd, the evening after the above-noted Examiner column had been posted, someone had corrected President Preckwinkle’s bio. Apparently, the chronic miscue had come to someone’s attention. Should I waive the Medill F?
