One of the most frustrating things about writing about firearms is how much misinformation the mainstream media puts out about the topic. Sometimes the statements are outright lies, but other times, the data is given in such a way which leads the reader to a conclusion which isn’t actually supported by the data.
In other words, it’s telling a lie while still not, technically, lying.
This begs the question for some people: How does the media do that? Tom Knighton lays is out for you. Knighton writes,
In journalism, articles tend to be written in a particular format called the inverted pyramid. What you do is write a story with all the most pertinent details up at the top of the story, then you add details as you go down in order of importance. The most important details go near the top and so on. That’s so an editor can trim a story to find the space available in a newspaper without removing important points of the story.
However, it’s also so people can read just a bit of the story and get the gist of what’s going on.
In this day and age, though, many people never get much further than the headlines. They read that and, depending on the information contained, may never click on a link.
Knighton continues:
Couple that with how social media sites like Twitter tend to not just drive clicks but also “inform” people in 240 characters or less, and you have a huge problem.
Anyway, creative uses of headlines and tweets to provide misleading information is nothing new. It’s kind of a sport for some journalists, or so it seems. Yet one who didn’t know any better would think the New York Times, supposedly the most respected publication in the nation, would be better than that.
It’s actually a much easier process to mislead people using the “news” media than you would think, isn’t it? Simply give the position that you want people to hold in the headline and the top of the article, and bury any opposing arguments and data toward the bottom of the piece knowing that most people won’t ever see the opposing viewpoints in that piece. But you can say that you gave the arguments on both sides of the issue.
Sneaky, isn’t it?
And this is why you should do your own research. Think for yourself. Of course, if you’re reading this, you’re likely a gun supporter and, therefore, likely someone who already thinks for yourself. Keep it up.
the issue of the responsible party; the gun, the manufacturer of the gun, the seller of the gun, the owner of the gun, the actual puller of the trigger of a gun filled with ammo (and the safety off {of the gun?}?
RESPONSIBILITY
A lie is anything that gives other than the absolute truth.
If a statement portrays something that is not totally correct, it is a lie.
Half truths do not exist.
The so called “news media” is far more concerned about pushing their “agendas” than having anything to do with the truth, let alone disclosing indisputable facts that obliterate their narrative.
Reporters should just call themselves propagandists and be done with it.
I don’t own a gun, but I believe in the constitutional right for a person to own one. It’s not the guns that’s the problem (they can’t do anything on their own, they just lay there), it’s the irresponsible owners of the guns that’s the problem.
Things like this GUN CONTROL ARE ABSOLUTELY SICKENING!!!!! The anti gun movement is part of a broken system that is so afraid of guns an realism of guns and the Second amendment open up a door for these control freaks to be able to change our Constitution at any time they choose so instead of figuring out how to handle things in a systematic way they take the easy way out!!!!!
I really wonder what goes through peoples mines about guns other than just being sheep with absolutely NO Knowledge or understanding of what guns really are!!!!!!
What has government done to our country of alleged freedom now !!!!!
If you change one thing on our Constitution it will open the door for all types of things to be altered in the direction in the benefit of the government and government only !!!!
We the people will be absolutely an totally SCREWED!!!!
Plus if there is a disarmament in our country America then life as we know will never be in our favor whatsoever !!!!!!!!!!!
Comments are closed.