Can't the Media Agree on Terminologies ?

[my5cents]

I admit this is one of my "things". It drives me nuts.... or perhaps keeps me nuts.

If one had to be educated to be employed in an industry, one would expect that part of that education would be training on terms.

If you took courses to become a carpenter, I'm sure the term for the thing you hit a nail with is defined. The name of a board the is erected on its' edge spanning between the foundation walls that you then affix the floor to on the top and the ceiling to on the bottom is called a "joist" not a "thingy", or a "who's it", "that long board thing".

So shouldn't people being training in journalism be trained in the terms for events they will have to report ?

When a person sets fire to something, that is called ????

Right now we have the term "Robbery" or "Robbed". The media use it for just about anything except arson.

"A home at 123 Main Street was robbed over the weekend, while the owners were away"

Robbery is stealing something from someone by violence or threats of violence. So you have to be there.

If an unoccupied home is broken into and entered while nobody is home, that is a "burglary" or a "B & E" (Breaking and Entering), or "break-in" NOT a robbery.

Also the term "thief" is misused as a generic term used when a "journalist" feels they have used other terms too many times.

We hear so often "The Royal Bank was robbed today by two armed men who fled in a red car [everything correct so far]. The thieves are beleive to have...." NO NO NO they are "Robbers", perhaps "Suspects" or "Culprits" but a robber doesn't change to a thief.

A thief takes something without the knowledge of the owner.

Today's gem was the report of a B.U.R.G.L.A.R.Y in Penticton. The owner of the property was alerted by his alarm company at 4:00 AM. By the time police arrived at the location, about $10,000.00 in merchandise was missing from the Bike Barn.

In the first line, after a headline which correctly stated "Break-in at Bike Barn" the writer states : "Another downtown business was victim to a smash-and-grab early Monday morning......." What ???? "Smash and Grab" ????

A smash and grab is just that. The CULPRET, smashes a window and grabs merchandise, and runs off.

How come if you get into medicine, you have to learn all those long names for everything. If you are a cook you learn all those technical sounding terms (no cook ever says he "fried onions" they either sauté them or caramelize them)

Not only do many journalists not use technical names, they don't even use the correct basic name for an event.

Robbery - Obtaining something by violence or threats of violence, NOT a burglary, nor a theft
Robber - The person who commits the robbery, NOT a generic term for a thief or burglar
Burglary - The illegal entering of a unoccupied premises with the intent of stealing
Home Invasion - The illegal entering of a home with the knowledge that someone is in the home, with intent to rob.
Theft - The taking of something without permission, does not apply to taking something with violence or threats of same
Thief - The person responsible for a theft, NOT a generic term for the perpetrator of any and all crimes
Smash and grab - The act of smashing a window and grabbing goods and fleeing quickly, a type of burglary but one where the suspect does NOT enter the premises
Suspect - A generic term for someone who has or suspected or committing a crime
Culprit - A generic term for someone who has or suspected or committing a crime