Recently I attended a gathering of automotive media types for a 700+ member organization dedicated to the “highest ideals in automotive journalism” and advancing education within the automotive press.

Boy, do they have some work to do.

I spent some time around a section of pickups and after a few hours I was quite surprised by how little many journalists knew about the best-selling class of vehicles in the U.S. They can’t really be faulted for preferring to drive a 450-hp sedan or supercar instead of a pickup, but one does wonder what kind of story will become of one assignment on “light trucks for business” that somehow does not include full-size pickups.

Another “pro” got tossed for failing to abide by the rules, though personally I’d have tossed ‘em purely on grounds of stupidity: with an entire racing facility at your disposal you don’t venture to public roads to take smoky donut photos of a $100,000 sedan. I believe that genius’ website is a clearinghouse of automotive product and could find no opinion, nor evaluative or substantive data on the site, just the featured product of the day and PR fluff.

At least a company I used to work at is indirectly becoming honest about their lack of journalistic integrity. One major magazine employs the same person as Editor and Publisher. A recent ad sought an “editorial assistant” to “write articles for magazines and websites…requires BA in English or Journalism” or two years equivalent experience. Key about this ad? The “editorial” position that candidates apply, and answer to, is the advertising department.

Major auto shows are always looking for a slant and more vehicle debuts and concepts. As a result, many make claims about thousands upon thousands of automotive journalists attending, where in reality you’d have trouble finding 1,000 in the world. Even proper journalists who happen to write about cars occasionally aren’t what you’d typically define as an automotive journalist, and I had a big grin on my face pointing out how the Wall Street Journal faulted one car for a price premium over another from the same brand, apparently without considering that the more expensive one had thousands in standards that were optional on the lesser-priced car. You’d think WSJ people would do numbers better.

So while the “pros” sort out what makes a “light truck,” where…in addition to TDR, do you get your automotive information?