Simple, phrase the good news in such a way that it sounds bad. Thus, this article from today's AP:
The story is about more people having and keeping jobs, but they make it sound like just the reverse.
U.S. Jobless Claims Tumble to 328,000
By JEANNINE AVERSA, Associated Press Writer
May I humbly suggest some alternatives, which the writer must have accidentally overlooked:
More People Working
People Have Jobs
Job Growth is Picking Up
Bush is Not Evil After All
2 comments:
This was an old entry that I transferred into this blog. The article with the title I referenced was from a year ago and is no longer available online.
The point is not about the details, its about the headline, which is as far as a lot of people read. It is a common trick writers use to set the tone of a story.
Her newer story that you referenced, titled "Jobless claims fall, good sign for market" is accurate and truthful.
So what's the change since last year? It's not an election year.
It's no complicated explanation. It is just a matter of using negative terminology.
"Jobless Claims Tumble" has two big negative words, "Jobless" and "Tumble", as opposed to something like "More people Working" which uses positive terms to say the same thing.
It is not substance. The facts are what they are. It is spin. Spin by subtle use of language.
For another example, see http://www.bedwardfamily.com/Commentary/MediaBiasOnAbortion.htm
The weatherman could say "It's going to be a nice day tomorrow."
Or he could say "Terrible, Awful, Uncomfortable Weather Terminating Tomorrow."
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