I remember listening to a live report from a rebel stronghold under active attack from Gaddafi forces. A Libyan Doctor said, simply and eloquently, “Things are bad here.” His vocabulary wasn’t limited. His English was reasonably fluent. He just said what was.
Fast forward a few weeks to another war-zone and a BBC reporter was describing a killing scene where human bodies lay on the ground. He said, tersely and soberly, “It’s pretty grim here.”
Both made their points with simple unvarnished words. Eloquently. Starkly. Their words had a bigger impact – on me at least – because of that. Like a quality black and white photo outperforming an over-eager colour photo.
I am sure we are all guilty of exaggerating, spinning or over-egging stories. This usually includes cheapening words like crisis, nightmare, catastrophe – and a range of other superlatives – words that should really be confined to describing extremes.
Maybe this is because the fight to get (any) attention in our 24/7 news cycle is tougher than ever.
Maybe it is because the story we are selling simply doesn’t have the necessary substance on its own and needs “highlighting”.
Story telling has an essential starting point. There needs to be a story worth telling.