[HowardCohodas]

Be an activist. Assist writers and reporters write about firearms and ammunition. If you see anything in print, on television or on the internet and you see errors of omission or commission by the writer, stare this document with them. Some reporters/writers will actually want to do a good job and you can help them.

http://www.nssf.org/media/WritersGuide/

Introduction

Accuracy and fairness are key qualities in any story. To that end and in that spirit, we present to you the "Writer's Guide to Firearms and Ammunition."

Most journalists don't have the time or the inclination to become experts on firearms and ammunition. This guide has been written to help you understand them better. We've attempted to eliminate the technical jargon and put together a plain English glossary of firearms terms and at-a-glance fact sheets you can use when you need to do a firearms-related story.

Most members of the media strive to be accurate and fair in their reporting. Sometimes, however, an inaccurate word or phrase is used that can significantly alter the audience's impression. This usually occurs because the writer is unfamiliar with firearms themselves, firearms terminology or the firearms industry. One purpose of this resource is to provide plain-language, easy-to-access reference material about firearms. Another, and important, purpose of the booklet is to show that the occasional, seemingly insignificant inaccuracy can, and does, have an undesired impact on meaning.

 

[Sandy]

In my experience they are not interested in accurate reporting but in forwarding their agenda. Someone please tell me I'm wrong.

 

[HowardCohodas]

In my experience they are not interested in accurate reporting but in forwarding their agenda. Someone please tell me I'm wrong.

You're wrong.

Most reporters are hard working, usually overworked people who do what is required to get by. They do not have time to educate themselves about issues they write about, so they do what is easiest and report based on their general education, work atmosphere and general experience.

My wife is prominent in our community for the positions she has held in many non-profit and volunteer organizations. In the beginning she would conduct an interview at an event and then become upset about the quality level of the published results. She quickly learned that providing them with written resource material dramatically improved the results. It's not that they wanted to do a poor job, it's that people usually don't take the time to provide them the material to give them some perspective on the current event.

Last but not least... Like chicken soup when you are sick. It may not help, but it certainly wont hurt.