Sunday, September 25, 2005
Is This A Headline?
The problem - how can a newspaper have an amazing and controversial headline, but the facts don't really back it up, and/or they can't bothered to find out the facts anyway. The solution - state the headline as a question! Hurrah!
Only yesterday, the Daily Mail has the headline "Is MRSA Out of Control?". Obviously getting the facts was not as important as scaremongering. And I thought newspapers were for facts, not opinion (though I feel I am massively outdated with this idea). Is it out of control? Who decides it anyway? If its me (the reader), let me decide by giving me the facts. If its the government, tell me what they have decided. If its the newspapers (as it seems to be), at least let us know.
By making it a question, they can use the defence "we never actually stated the fact", but unfortunately, some people will take it as such. The kind of stupid people who buy newspapers.
Only yesterday, the Daily Mail has the headline "Is MRSA Out of Control?". Obviously getting the facts was not as important as scaremongering. And I thought newspapers were for facts, not opinion (though I feel I am massively outdated with this idea). Is it out of control? Who decides it anyway? If its me (the reader), let me decide by giving me the facts. If its the government, tell me what they have decided. If its the newspapers (as it seems to be), at least let us know.
By making it a question, they can use the defence "we never actually stated the fact", but unfortunately, some people will take it as such. The kind of stupid people who buy newspapers.
