If you watch the news, you’ve probably seen a “look live”. That news-speak term means a reporter who appears to be live in the field, but was taped doing the introduction to their story, or sometimes their throw back to the newsroom or a different type of seemingly live hit, well before the show is aired. In fact, look lives make up a much larger quotient of airtime than actual live hits do.

And what’s the problem with that? Part of me thinks a look live is equivalent to lying to the audience, and journalism is supposed to be about telling the truth.

via “Look lives”: Eroding journalistic integrity one hit at a time? | J-source.ca.