Photo library

Fri 5 November 2010 8:26am by
Filed under: News and events, Photos, transport 

I think I can understand why the gunzels find this irritating. All media outlets do this kind of thing from time to time — I’m only using an image from the Herald Sun here because they happen this morning to be showing two on the same page.

They have a story, say, something about trains, so they grab the first image from their library that matches the right keywords, and use it, without checking if it’s from the right city.

Wrong pics from the image library

In this case, it appears the Doncaster line story is illustrated by a Sydney double-decker train (I’m no expert but it appears to be one of the new Millennium fleet), and the Seaford level crossing accident is illustrated by an Adelaide train at a level crossing — I recognise the Adelaide colour scheme, which is used on trains, trams and buses there. (It is a Comeng though.)

The Metro performance story is illustrated by the correct type of train and platform staff member. The picture may be a few months old, as most (but not all) of the Comeng fleet have now been done over in the new Metro colour scheme.

Perhaps one out of three ain’t bad.

It happens in other industries too. Those who work in IT will know that recruiters looking for people will try to fill jobs by looking for someone with a CV that matches some (but sometimes not all) of the keywords on the job description they’ve been handed by the employer… years ago I remember being asked if skill X1 was related to skill X2, because I had X1 but not the desired X2… alas, the skills were unrelated, or certainly not directly transferable.

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Comments

10 comments on Photo library

  1. Andrew S on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 8:45 am
  2. Nine times out of ten the Herald Sun will use a picture of a Connex-livery X’Trapolis to resport on the usual delay or suspension of services. The Sydney double decker shot is a tad unusual given that.

  3. Vas the Man on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 9:13 am
  4. I don’t think it’s a Millenium Train – it looks like the prototype Waratah to me. You wouldn’t even be riding that train if you were up here.

  5. Ads on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 10:14 am
  6. I agree Vas – I think it is a Waratah. Which will hopefully come soon, but companies are going bust and it keeps getting delayed.

  7. Gavin on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 6:32 pm
  8. The one at the level crossing is a Brisbane “SMU”, which were built by Walkers, not Comeng.

  9. Matt Julian on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 7:23 pm
  10. No, thats definitely a Millenium train. Looks like its at Macdonaldtown Sidings.

  11. Chris Till on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 9:06 pm
  12. It looks remarkably like an Adelaide train, but it’s not.

  13. Daniel on Sat, 6th Nov 2010 11:22 am
  14. Ah well, there you go. I stand corrected (at least on the Adelaide train!)

  15. roger on Sat, 6th Nov 2010 1:57 pm
  16. Yes, you are right that media can be lazy and factually incorrect.
    Coxy’s Big Break showed a Connex train in last weekend’s program. So it must have been filmed 12 months ago.

  17. enno on Sat, 6th Nov 2010 2:53 pm
  18. A diesel Comeng heheheh

  19. Mark on Sat, 6th Nov 2010 2:54 pm
  20. The fact that it has a warning sign about overhead electrifiaction should make it clear that it’s not Adelaide. But whre is it then – Brisbane?

    This photo looks similar – http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/graphics/train.jpg