Spelling fines for Swiss journalists

BBC ^ | 02/04/02

[Arkle]

A leading Swiss newspaper is to fine journalists for bad spelling or grammar in an attempt to persuade sloppy writers to reform their ways.

Le Temps plans to fine journalists nearly three dollars for each mistake - whether it is an incorrectly spelled place name, a badly constructed sentence or missing punctuation.

"We are a quality newspaper, and our readers get annoyed when we make mistakes - which we do too often," deputy chief editor Jean-Jacques Roth told BBC News Online.

"This isn't about policing the staff, but making clear that spelling is important."

The measures are to be imposed for a month as a trial run.

If the fines pile up, journalists may find themselves discussing their mistakes over a couple of bottles of champagne, said Mr Roth.

He is confident that the exercise will be successful. Despite the promise of parties, some Le Temps staff are reported to be unhappy with the grammatical clampdown, describing it as overly authoritative.

But they are not the first to face fines for their poor spelling. A Norwegian daily, Bergensavisen, was last year reported to be charging its journalists more than one dollar for each mistake made.

And in Britain, journalists had a field day last year when it was revealed that Prime Minister Tony Blair had difficulty spelling the word tomorrow.

Downing Street initially suggested that it was Mr Blair's handwriting that made the word seem as though it were spelt as "toomorrow" three times in a letter, but the prime minister eventually admitted to having a problem with the word.

[Arkle]

I don't think this is severe enough. People who make spelling mistakes should be publicly lashed. Misuse of the apostrophe should be punishable by death, on a "three strikes and you're out" basis.

[Ron C.]

Ahhh... think we should enforce those rules here??

[wafflehouse]

not to discriminate against grammatically challenged people or anything,
but this is a good idea. if it is your job to write, you should at least
be able to spell and use punctuation.
is that so much to ask?

[TomGuy]

Capitalization is a great invention, as well.

[xm177e2]

Le Temps plans to fine journalists nearly three dollars for each mistake - whether it is an incorrectly spelled place name, a badly constructed sentence or missing punctuation.

So who still says Switzerland is a free country?

</kidding> Actually, this is an example of how free Switzerland is. If an American newspaper tried something like this, the employees would sue it or something... allege "civil rights" violations...

[Fraulein]

What happened to editors?

[Movemout]

Exactly. Fine them for factual inconsistencies but editors are responsible for format, spelling, and grammar.

[Arkle]

Then the editors should be lashed as well...and their families.

[Movemout]

Go ahead. I used to be an editor and I know their capabilities. Lashing the families may be a little over the top.

[riley1992]

They should both be held responsible for it. The majority of it should fall in the editor's lap but the fact that journalists are not even capable of stringing together a grammatically correct sentence is pathetic.

[Movemout]

If a reporter is incapable of constructing a sentence then he should not be hired. Of course, the pittance allowed a fledgling reporter doesn't guarantee a steady flow of talent in the journalistic pipeline.

[BlueLancer]

If JimRob did the same, he would be rolling in dough ... he would be able to BUY those papers that object to our usage here.

[hobbes1]

but the fact that journalists are not even capable of stringing together a grammatically correct sentence is pathetic.

Nice to see you in such fine fettle this A.M.

What do you suppose they would do with say.....Helen Thomas ?

[riley1992]

If journalists are coming into their careers without even a basic grasp of proper language usage, they deserve no more than a pittance.

[riley1992]

Put her out to pasture, I would hope.

[hobbes1]

Yes, with a 12 gauge.

[Otis Mukinfus]

not to discriminate against grammatically challenged people or anything, but this is a good idea. if it is your job to write, you should at least be able to spell and use punctuation. is that so much to ask?

Proper capitalization would be nice too...

[Jeremy_Bentham]

Well, aspiring journalists are not the brightest people in the world; I know a few, and believe me, they are as dumb as bricks (spelling and grammatical errors are the least of their worries).

[Movemout]

I don't particularly disagree with either of you.