Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Word About Misleading Headlines

- By Warner Todd Huston
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Speaking of mediots, I wanted to say a quick word about the story that Josh had below.This is the U.S. News and World Report post that is a perfect example of a misleading headline. The report itself isn’t that bad, but the headline is an example of saying something that just isn’t true.

Here is the headline topping Paul Bedard’s Washington Whispers piece: “Sarah Palin and Jeb Bush Poised to Lead Town-Hallers.”

Wow, sounds like great news, doesn’t it? When will the pair begin their new campaign to lead those townhalls, one might wonder?

You see reading this headline easily causes the reader to assume that Palin and Bush are talking about or making plans to become the face of the townhall movement. But reading further reveals that this is not the case. What the story is really about is writer Bedard’s speculation that Palin and Bush could become the face of the townhall movement because they are some of the most high profile Republicans in the country.

It’s all just speculation.

Neither Palin nor Bush have said anything at all about being leaders of the townhall movement so this headline is simply misleading. Neither is “poised” to become townhall leaders except in the mind of Paul Bedard.

This is little else but an example of a mediot trying to create the news.

- WTH

4 comments:

  1. About Jeb Bush, I have no idea.

    But for Palin, don't be so fast WTH. In recent democrat congressman's townhall meeting, the PEOPLE shouted Sarah Sarah Sarah.

    Too bad for Howard Dean who was present in the said meeting.

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  2. Oh, I am not disputing that Sarah COULD be a leader in townhalls. But, there's been no talk of it by Sarah or anyone near her and that is what I am saying. The headline is misleading. I am not hoping it doesn't happen, of course. I'd hope that the USNews guy is right. But there's not been any actual talk of it from anyone but him. It's just that the headline isn't right. Palin isn't "poised" to take on townhalls. He makes it sound like there are plans afoot and there aren't.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Well, while you're on the subject of "misleading," my Washington Whisper was about who among Republican leaders is poised to ride the town hallers into the 2012 election. I polled several GOP leaders, suggesting NO names, and that's the list I got. Why would anybody care what I think? As for headlines, the goal is to get people to read posts while also accurately summing up the story, and that's exactly what it did. pb:
    http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/08/25/sarah-palin-and-jeb-bush-poised-to-lead-town-hallers.html

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