StudentNewsDaily.com

What’s Wrong With This Headline?

Wednesday's Biased Item - August 29, 2007

Directions

• If possible, print the article before reading.
• As you read, circle or underline the names of people, organizations and important facts.
• Use your own words to answer the questions in complete sentences.

Excerpt

Read the excerpt below from the blog VerumSerum.com posted Aug.27th.   Then scroll down and read "Types of Media Bias." 

QUESTIONS:  
1.  What is wrong with Time's headline "Bush Motorcade Kills Cop"?
2.  What type of bias is this an example of?
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.)

What's Wrong With This Headline?

"Bush Motorcade Kills Cop"

When I first read it, I assumed one of the limos had swerved into a crowd. But no, here’s what happened. A member of the President’s motorcade died Monday when his motorcycle crashed violently near a parking garage. Police aren’t saying exactly what happened yet, but I don’t think anyone suspects foul play.

The suggestion of Time [Magazine's] headline is that someone is culpable for the officer’s death and the only name in the headline is that of the President. Better options would have been “Bush Motorcade Cop Dies” or perhaps “Presidential Motorcade Officer Killed in Crash.” Time is suggesting blame where none exists.   ....................

Here are the headlines from a few other major news outlets:

• "New Mexico motorcycle officer dies escorting Bush" – Reuters
• "Bush motorcade cop dies in crash" – UPI
• "One Dead in Bush Motorcade Crash" – ABC News

Time’s phrasing remains unique.

Go to VerumSerum.com for the original posting.

(view the headline and article at Time's website here:  www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1656739,00.html)

Types of Media Bias

Explanation of Media Bias

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWERS:
1.   The headline told a very different story than the article. Editors, not reporters, are generally responsible for headlines, and they can greatly influence opinions about the news. The importance of a bias-free headline is that most people don’t read every word of every article; they often just skim the headlines. That meant the people who read just the headline got a very different impression from those who read the entire article . (this answer provided by Lynn Davidson in a June 8, 2007 post at Newsbusters.org) 
2.  The headline is an example of bias by spin.