Spam Journalism #4
Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article.
You can always rely on the Herald to give us a bit of spam when we’re hungry:
Key will not guarantee tax cuts after this year
“Prime Minister John Key is unwilling to give a categorical assurance that tax cuts promised for 2010 and 2011 will go ahead.”
Actually, what he really said was:
“While Mr Key has committed himself to cuts in April this year, he was less certain when asked about future years, saying it was his “expectation” nothing would change, but these were “dynamic times”.”
Translation: Only a complete looney would unconditionally guarantee tax cuts beyond this year in this kind of highly changeable economic climate.
Only a complete idiot (or a Herald journalist) would expect such a thing or ask for one. This is just fear-mongering, plain and simple. It would be nice if the Herald desisted from this type of sensationalism, as it is doing nothing to stabilise the confidence of the public.
Related posts:
- Spam Journalism #63 Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add...
- Spam Journalism #35 Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add...
- Spam Journalism #66 Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add...
- Spam Journalism #58 Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add...
- Spam Journalism #8 Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice...
3 Comments
Leave A ReplyOne Trackback/Ping
- Spam Journalism #4 | MacDoctor | dsecure.net — [...] Original post: Spam Journalism #4 | MacDoctor [...]
Feb 27 09 10:18 pm
Not just the Herald – this story was reported breathlessly on Nat Radio too.
Ooo. Spam broadcasting. Now if only someone would invent a spam filter for our ears. Mind you, we’d probably be permanently deaf…
Feb 28 09 6:08 pm
And on TV3 and Holmes this am.
Holmes and his guests properly rubbished the media over it but pointed out that Key doesn’t (properly) exude godlike confidence in the future and is vulnerable to juvenile sideswipes.
JC
Feb 28 09 9:21 pm
I have noticed this increasing trend to have a headline that was borderline false when one examines the story of late; I had no idea it had a name and that others had noted it too. Spam Journalism is a very apt name for it. Hopefully now it has been named we will see less of it.
“Spam Journalism” is a term invented by the MacDoctor to describe this phenomenon. Feel free to share it. It would be great if it caught on. Unfortunately, I suspect your hope that there will be less of it now we have a name is a forlorn one.