The other day, an item from one of my local TV stations popped up on my Facebook page. Let’s start off by getting a simple fact out of the way – I’m not a big fan of TV news. I have worked in newspapers all my professional life, either on staff or as a freelancer, and have seen the way my broadcast counterparts get the job done.

There are many great people in the industry, but laziness (see how many times a story they did is strangely similar to something you read in the newspaper that morning) and self-promotion are far too often the things I remember. To be fair, the over-aggressiveness of print types is often our calling card, so not everyone’s perfect. Luckily, in my second career in public relations, I have learned that there are lots of people behind the scenes in TV news who don’t fit the Ron Burgundy stereotype. Still, there are some people out there that need some help.

First of all, they posted a video of a small child getting excited every time the station’s news theme came on the air. Really? You’re posting a video someone sent you of their infant getting giddy over your news theme? Don’t hurt your shoulder patting yourself on the back, even for something as silly and random as that.

The second thing was what really raised my hackles. In the item, they said someone sent them a link “to a U-Tube video.”

U-Tube?

U-Tube?

U-Tube?????

I know the kids these days like to shorten things to make it easier when they text and IM their friends and stuff, but for crissakes, this is a “professional” news organization shortening the name of a business. For all we know, U-Tube is some ripoff of Youtube.

To top it off, you know how much work these “pros” saved themselves? One freaking key stroke. Youtube is seven characters. U-Tube is six. Bravo, kids.

Is it worth saving one keystroke to try and look hip? Is it worth one keystroke to show that people in the newsroom might not take accuracy and professionalism seriously? But I guess if you’re getting excited because a child gets distracted by random music, the whole notion of acting like an adult has gone completely out the window.

Maybe it’s just me, but if people are going to wail and gnash their teeth every time a newspaper doesn’t get things perfect (if you don’t think they do, check out the comment board on any newspaper site), they shouldn’t endorse a TV station further dumbing down its communication.