Tele-gaffe!!!!!!!!!!!!111111
"There is, then, an element of hype involved here, and it extends to the description of the competitors as "celebrities". In one or two cases we might concede the point: Craig Charles, for example, is fairly well known to fans of the extinct science fiction show Red Dwarf, and Mel Giedroyc may be recognised by those fortunate enough to have the time for lunchtime television."
There seems to be a certain joy in the reviewers use of the word "extinct"; and it's completely wrong. Whether Dwarf returns or not (and my bet is that it will - whatever form it takes), the fact remains that nothing is certain about the future of the show. So extinct is completely the wrong word to use.
It puzzles me why the word was actually used in the first place. Assumptions in journalism. Fun, eh?
Comments
To be fair, this is a sports journalist, not a TV journalist (I presume). As far as the world at large is concerned, Red Dwarf stopped broadcasting in 1999 and there's been no word of a series since then. Six years off the air? I think it's understandable that someone who wasn't completely immersed in telly might assume that a programme was "extinct" by then. Pre-Russell T Davies, I wouldn't have blamed a journalist for using the phrase in relation to Doctor Who, frankly.
By Seb on 31-03-05 @ 23:34
The thing is though that a journalist, sports or not, should never *assume* anything.
I've got a real thing about people, especially journalists, getting facts wrong; this is a ridiculously stupid example as there are a million things more important than things like this, but any excuse for me to have a rant.
I *despise* some of the stuff that's wrong on G&T. I hate it. We're a lot better now, but it still happens occasionally. It really annoys me, and it all comes through lack of checking facts and stupid assumptions.
By John Hoare on 31-03-05 @ 23:57
There's another thing, a niggly thing. Surely Charles is very, not fairly, well known to fans of Red Dwarf? He's fairly well-known to outsiders.
By Chris the Dolochimp on 01-04-05 @ 14:14
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