Picture only tells 743 words

Journalists were shocked today by the publication of a picture that only told 743 words, well below the accepted industry standard of 1,000.

THE photo appeared in local newspaper The Bedford Bypass, supporting a story about the county's annual phlegm-swallowing contest.

"As soon as I saw the picture, I knew there was something very wrong," said picture editor Blanche Wolfman. "I did a quick calculation and, sure enough, came up some 257 words short. I asked one of the sub-editors to do a recount, then the editor, a random passer-by and sub-random-passer-by. Unfortunately, they all came to the same figure: 743."

This underperformance is seen by many as indicative of falling standards in the Drawing and Taking Pictures of Stuff industry. Members have been accused of hiding behind the increasingly powerful unions to get away with sloppy and inadequate work.

In light of this, The Bedford Bypass decided to make an example of the photographer, Oliver Maudlin (36), by suspending his artistic license.

~ A.M.

 

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