Slang to learn and use: "parka journalism"

[mollyringle]

I thought for sure my husband and I got this term from somewhere else, so imagine my surprise when I did a Google search on "parka journalism" and turned up zilch. Maybe we adapted it from a similar term. Maybe we invented it whole-cloth. In any case, it's useful for hurricane season, so try it out and spread it around.

parka journalism, n.: A piece of television news reporting wherein the anchor, wearing a protective parka (a.k.a. "anorak," "raincoat," etc.), goes out into bad weather and delivers the news from there, to show his/her unshakable devotion to the story.

Ex.: "With this snowstorm on the way, we sure are seeing a lot of parka journalism."

Comments

[tenaya-owlcat.livejournal.com]

But polka journalism is much more amusing... XD

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you really only get that in Pennsylvania and Minnesota...

[raethe.livejournal.com]

Spoken like a girl that has never been to Ohio.


They may have more polka radio there per capita than any other state in the union.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hey, lurkerboy. :)

You are correct...I have never been to Ohio. Polka radio? Wow. I wouldn't think there could be much variation in the polka-music world; at least, not enough to merit a whole station. Or more.

[tenaya-owlcat.livejournal.com]

There's enough folk dancing groups around here to compensate. ;)

[dirae.livejournal.com]

Similarly, my mom, when she was addcited to the weather channel, always called to one guy (Jim Cantori or something) they sent out to cover hurricanes and tornados "Galoshes" [i.e. - "Dear me, they have Galoshes out in the rain, again!"].

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hee hee. Good one. We may have to borrow that too.
I wonder if the stations draw straws to determine who has to be Galoshes/Parka Journalist, or what.

[jennae.livejournal.com]

You should submit that to the Urban Dictionary and/or WordSpy...

[rachel2205.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for the journos. Sent out to stand all day in the rain, just in case their channel wants to show their 1 minute report, because being on location is seen to give it more authority... Whenever people report political stuff here, they either stand outside Westminster or No. 10 Downing St... Not for any good reason, just because it's seen to add an authentic edge, somehow.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hehe! They do the same here, with Anchor Standing Outside The White House (or the state capitol, or whatever), as if they've just been inside talking to the government and have rushed out to give us the details. Yeah, sure. :)

[wandererrob.livejournal.com]

You know, we get a lot of that here in Boston in the winter. We even had one lady, who as far as I know did nothing but this sort of coverage for bad snowstorms. They actually... I kid you not... pulled her out of retirement for one particularly bad storm a few years ago because "it wouldn't be a New England storm without Shelby Scott". LOL!