A few weeks ago word hit that The News, Mexico City’s longstanding English-language daily, had been bought by Grupo Mac, a company that publishes two Mexican newspapers. It was an ugly day: None of the News’ staff knew the sale was coming, and two-thirds of them were laid off in a single day. Fourteen were rehired, but most have since quit. Eight employees resigned this week, according to Mexico Reporter. Only two native English speakers remain.
I wouldn’t usually care so much about this — sadly, I’ve become kind of inured to the newspaper industry’s collapse, thanks to all the job-hemorrhaging going on in the U.S. — but the News has suffered a spectacular decline in quality. I used to enjoy their arts, city and world coverage, and the voices on their editorial page.
This, however, is a Reuters story that appeared in the paper today. A friend actually typed it out and forwarded it me because it’s so rife with translation errors, it’s almost laughable. (If you weren’t also cringing at the same time.) Remember, this used to be a good paper.
Scientists had modified genetically an odd Mexican salamander that the ancient believes of the Aztecs considerate a transformed god, in the hope of that its capacity to regenerate parts of its body someday help to people who have lost limbs by amputation.
This slimy little animal, about 15 centimeters length, crowned with some hairy gill [ed. note: WTF?], and with little eyes, as buttons, had become the best option for a lot of scientists, in spite of its capacity of regenerate its hurt extremities, jaws, skin, and parts of its brain and spine.
The salamanders can make regrow many parts of their bodies several times in his lifetime. -REUTERS
If you squint at the screen grab above, which I took just a few minutes ago, you’ll notice a headline mentioning how ICE agents “will boast arrest power” and the Lakers’ “unbelivable” win. Elsewhere on the site, there’s news of a possible meteor striking Nuevo Leon:
NL readies for hurricane season
The News NUEVO LEON – Authorities in the northern state of Nuevo Leon announced an enhanced contingency plan to fron the upcoming hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico, which has hit the state capital Monterrey very hard before. Governor Jose Natividad González Parás headed the first meeting of the Hydro Meteor Contingency Committee for the 2009 tropical cyclone season.
[snip]
“We are about to finish putting together the most complete High Risk Atlas that any other state in the nation has”, González said.
He added that it is of vital importance to continue working with municipalities and the federal government to take preventive actions before a meteor strikes the area.
I’m not just seeking to make fun here. It’s really, really sad that a formerly solid paper is now like a man who’s had his arms and legs cut off, and is walking around trailing blood everywhere.
It needs to either shape up, or shut down and save itself the misery. At this point I don’t know any English speakers who would read this paper and actually enjoy it.
Looks like translation software was put to work on those stories. So much cheaper than hiring an actual bilingual person!
Appalling… they’ll be learning their lesson sooner than they think. Time to un-bookmark the site.
It is sad. And even worse, society believes what they read on most blogs. “Everyone” has become an expert. I am truly hoping that this is just a phase, and society will soon REMEMBER the importance of well-written, accurate journalism and the proper English language.
That first excerpt was like a punch in the gut. I’m probably the only history nerd who actually gives a crap about the mighty axolotl. Those guys were one of Moctezuma’s favorite snacks 🙁
Seriously. This is amazing. I am reading today’s paper and counting the errors. Can you put together a competition to see who can find the most errors in The News. So far, I have counted well over 40.
I’ve heard that they don’t even consult the 2 lone native speakers on the editing or grammar.
Sad. Sad. Sad.
It is a shame, this was a great resource for english translations when my spanish couldn’t quite follow a newspaper story. I don’t know who is to blame.
Sad thing is that The News (while it was still a very decent newspaper) published a double page story on the Axolotl not over six months ago, from what I’ve heard one of the owners insulted the last remaining three editors blaming them for the crappy quality of the last editions and that led to the last wave of resignations, i can imagine they are used to having underpaid employees (read slaves) that work for 12 to 14 hours producing bad quality design and editorial content.
Who is accountable for the decline of printed media, well bean-counters/owners who have no idea regarding what journalism is other than printing bad quality reporting mixed with terribly edited wire copy.
Why not just kill it and get over it, rather than keep taking the virtue of a well established daily with a 50+ years history.
I agree with Jim. I too heard that one of the owners insulted the remaining three editors and so did the Editorial Manager who is in charge of all of the papers. I’ve heard from people that during their search for new candidates the editorial manager has been busy bashing “Gringos” saying that they don’t know how to work and have no concept of journalism. Pretty sad. If today’s paper was their version of “journalism”, I prefer cancelling my subscription.
What say you?
Babelfish!!! It’s just how I got through college Spanish!
If there reason or rational thinking behind this drama, it’s very far behind. If Grupo Mac is in it for money, why would they be so utterly cavalier about the readership of The News and completely disdainful of the English language? Could it be a spectacular planned failure? Hmmm…what would be the payoff for that?
For myself, I’ll miss The News. I enjoyed my routine of walking to the zocalo in the morning for the paper. I will miss my morning chat with the vendedor. But most of all, I’ll miss the opportunity to consider this ancient, beautiful, complicated, and altogether amazing country from a unique point of view, both outside and inside at the same time, through The News. I can see this is going to be another lesson in non-attachment, but today it’s a damn shame.
I completely agree Perrabrava. Their what seems to be thus far irrational thinking has completely tanked this paper. I hear that they (the owners, management and new editor) are pointing the finger at the former editorial team with a made up conspiracy to take the paper to bankruptcy. Pretty silly I say.
It’s obvious that they have no clue how to connect to the English speaking community, no idea how to run a predominately English speaking expat work team, and no insight on how to make a paper in said community successful.
I heard that they finally hired a native speaker as copy editor, but did you read today’s paper? Page 5 should read “Hurricane loses its strength” and not “it’s strength”, Page four photo caption should read “Funds have been provided….” instead of “Founds”, and THE COVER should read “Hall of Fame opens its first..” instead of “It’s first”, Maria Sharapova part on cover should read “just as she predicted”, Page 3 photo caption says “Mexico has suffered losses fue to decreased pork exports” and clearly speaks for itself, Page 12 title speaks for itself, Page 23 should read “They too fought against racial prejudice in baseball” and The Cover Photo should read “To The Finals” and not “To The Final”….
I give up. These guys are a joke. My subscription will be cancelled. today.
the current (june 2009) version of the news is simply the nail in the coffin of dead-tree, english-language news in mexico. what was exceptional is now rubbish, what had potential is now a joke. at at critical time in which the world needs to hear from mexico – and yes, in english – the critical voices will be voiced on blogs, twitter and facebook. the news has made itself simply irrelevant.