Watering Down The News
Former mayor's actions create disappointment
by Mike Morrow, 7/4/2006
Attempts by several residents of Fortuna, including former Mayor Odell Shelton, to circulate ALLEGED misinformation about the city’s finances and proposed water and sewer rates will be addressed at a special news briefing this morning.
City Manager Duane Rigge called the news conference because, HE CONTENDS, Shelton and other individuals are spreading misinformation through door-to-door distribution of a form letter.
Source: Eureka Reporter, July 5, 2006
Now re-read the above without the words in bold.
That's how the first two paragraphs of the article originally read, in a newspaper whose Mission Statement proclaims, emphasis added: "Our mission is to present fair, balanced and independent coverage of events and issues in the Greater Eureka area."
The rest of the article did use appropriate qualifiers. However, it is common knowledge that many people just read the first paragraph or two of an article, then move on to the next. Thus, for that audience, a quite distorted picture is painted, as the above article illustrates.
I do not profess to have read every word in the local papers on the question of whether Fortuna needs to raise its water rates substantially, and if so then how that increase should be distributed. From what I have read, however, I do not think one could accurately divine the truth even if they did read every article in all of the area newspapers. For example, one area of virtual silence is the City Of Fortuna's ability to blow $52,000.00 toward Debi August's attorney's fees (See AUGUST'S BILL)--if they can flush that kind of money away, what more is available to help offset increased bills for low income and elderly people? Alas, most of what passes for "reporting" around here is the reporting of press releases, rarely with any substantive analysis. That topic, however, I save for another day.
What this Post addresses is how the omission of a few key words changes the impact of a supposed news story.
After the ten thousandth reading of the word "alleged" in connection with the accused perpetrators of horrific crimes, one could reasonably assume that the first reaction of most people to such an article is, "Yeah, the s.o.b. probably did it". But even then, those readers still have some question in their mind, reflected by the view that the s.o.b "probably", not "definitely", did it. Imagine, in contrast, a world in which newspapers gave a constant drumbeat of, "Yeah, the s.o.b. did it" with no qualifiers. How soon would the minds of the masses be completely washed, the only thing remaining being drip drying.
How many minds will be whitewashed by today's instance of bias? Probably not that many IF this is a one-time deal. However, judging by the history of the Eureka Reporter, the bias goes on forever and the party never ends. See, for example, my Post, We Shade The News--You Figure It Out.
But one should not be completely ungrateful toward the Eureka Reporter--After all, Rob Arkley's paper gives us daily reminders to not swallow news from the corporate media without considering the source and the motives.
TLC
by Mike Morrow, 7/4/2006
Attempts by several residents of Fortuna, including former Mayor Odell Shelton, to circulate ALLEGED misinformation about the city’s finances and proposed water and sewer rates will be addressed at a special news briefing this morning.
City Manager Duane Rigge called the news conference because, HE CONTENDS, Shelton and other individuals are spreading misinformation through door-to-door distribution of a form letter.
Source: Eureka Reporter, July 5, 2006
Now re-read the above without the words in bold.
That's how the first two paragraphs of the article originally read, in a newspaper whose Mission Statement proclaims, emphasis added: "Our mission is to present fair, balanced and independent coverage of events and issues in the Greater Eureka area."
The rest of the article did use appropriate qualifiers. However, it is common knowledge that many people just read the first paragraph or two of an article, then move on to the next. Thus, for that audience, a quite distorted picture is painted, as the above article illustrates.
I do not profess to have read every word in the local papers on the question of whether Fortuna needs to raise its water rates substantially, and if so then how that increase should be distributed. From what I have read, however, I do not think one could accurately divine the truth even if they did read every article in all of the area newspapers. For example, one area of virtual silence is the City Of Fortuna's ability to blow $52,000.00 toward Debi August's attorney's fees (See AUGUST'S BILL)--if they can flush that kind of money away, what more is available to help offset increased bills for low income and elderly people? Alas, most of what passes for "reporting" around here is the reporting of press releases, rarely with any substantive analysis. That topic, however, I save for another day.
What this Post addresses is how the omission of a few key words changes the impact of a supposed news story.
After the ten thousandth reading of the word "alleged" in connection with the accused perpetrators of horrific crimes, one could reasonably assume that the first reaction of most people to such an article is, "Yeah, the s.o.b. probably did it". But even then, those readers still have some question in their mind, reflected by the view that the s.o.b "probably", not "definitely", did it. Imagine, in contrast, a world in which newspapers gave a constant drumbeat of, "Yeah, the s.o.b. did it" with no qualifiers. How soon would the minds of the masses be completely washed, the only thing remaining being drip drying.
How many minds will be whitewashed by today's instance of bias? Probably not that many IF this is a one-time deal. However, judging by the history of the Eureka Reporter, the bias goes on forever and the party never ends. See, for example, my Post, We Shade The News--You Figure It Out.
But one should not be completely ungrateful toward the Eureka Reporter--After all, Rob Arkley's paper gives us daily reminders to not swallow news from the corporate media without considering the source and the motives.
TLC
posted by TLC's Place at 10:01 PM
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