Mainstream Media Spin, Truth vs. Spin and Healthy Cynicism for a Complex World

When the news media, a politician, or the leader of a special interest group magnifies or sensationalizes an event, an issue, or a story to a level of magnitude of national or global interest, do you ever step back and wonder what's really going on? For a thinking person, that is a fair question because . . . there is 'always an agenda.' The oldest phrase that comes to mind in figuring out the agendas of news outlets, politicians, or special interest groups is . . . "Follow the Money." Unfortunately, as jaded as it may sound to some, the basic truth is that it is almost always about the money! And in most cases, you are being 'played.'
The Mass-Media Truth vs. Spin
Ever hear someone say this, "It must be true, it was on the news!"? When it comes to journalism in America, people get a bit confused by the "Freedom of Speech" clause of the First Amendment. Many people naively believe that it somehow ensures truth or honesty to the public. All that this (truly wonderful) amendment provides for however, is the right of people (such as journalists) to express their opinions publicly without governmental interference or censorship. The key word here is 'opinion' and in no way does the amendment require truth or validity to how that opinion is expressed. (Only laws of libel or incitement of violence mitigate free speech.) The bottom line here is quite simple; the news media can say or publish what they want, how they want, and whenever they want. Truth is not a requirement.
Why Would They 'Shape' the Truth
Since we've all grown up with the news as a daily part of our lives, it most likely difficult to accept that we are being played a little bit. After all we're too smart for that right? The answer boils down to just two simple little points. First: News is for PROFIT. While it is often portrayed as a public service, just ask any editor, news director, or station manager how their job performance is measured by the owners. It is always about the revenue (profit) achievement. There are advertisers to attract and keep happy just as there are investors, political supporters, and other contributors to attract and keep happy. It's a business! Second: Media outlet owners are some of the most powerful people on earth. Why? Because they can set and control public opinion through what they instruct their editors or station managers publish or broadcast. Haven't you noticed how easy it is to determine a newspaper, website, or broadcast station's political affiliation? (It is never just a coincidence.)
Secrets of the News Room Play Book
Here a few interesting little trade secrets practiced by the mass media in the 'art' of communicating their "opinions" and shaping yours.
Lighting and Camera Angle: How to make someone look more sinister or unsavory. The intentional use of bad lighting techniques can make someone look more sinister or unsavory. Harsh or un-defused lighting and unflattering camera angles can make someone look bedraggled, greasy, or hostile. It is a well known fact in the movie industry that the lighting of an actor or scene can greatly influence mood and appearance. How to make someone look more trustworthy or charming. The use of proper lighting techniques, such as balanced and softly diffused lighting can make someone look more glamorous, likable, and trustworthy. Flattering camera angles, such as just slightly above eyelevel, typically shows facial features to their best advantage. And let's not forget the value of really good make-up. Years of media industry research also suggest that attractive people naturally project more credibility and honesty then unattractive people, so that is where the baseline for manipulating the image begins. And again, let's not forget the value of really good make-up.
Word Selection: How to make a good thing seem bad or a bad thing seem good! In journalism, word selection is the name of the game. Through the careful selection of descriptive words and phrases they can 'absolutely' get you to perceive an issue or story the way they want you to perceive it! For example: If someone has entered the U.S. illegally, the media can spin your emotion by calling them an "undocumented worker" vs. an "illegal alien." The act itself, is a violation of the law but they soften your view of the individual based on their own opinions. Or if someone sets off a bomb, they could use the term 'terrorist' or 'freedom fighter' to describe this person. The act is a crime against humanity but again they can sway your emotion with just their choice of words which seem to work but have two different meanings. There are of course, hundreds of examples of word and meaning substitution perpetrated by the news media on a daily basis.
Omitting Detail: How to make things seem more (or less) important then they are. This is a very powerful tool for journalists. By simply leaving out key details of a story they can make an otherwise uninteresting story seem much more important, then it actually is. They can also use this technique to build support for their own (or their publisher's) political beliefs. For example: If they report "Protestors converged on the governors office in protest of the new, and unfair, state ID card program" it would seem to be important news. If they however, added in a small detail that they had left out, like there were only four protestors present, it would certainly have significantly less impact on public opinion. Again, there are hundreds of examples of omitting detail in the media daily.
Embellishing the Facts: Another way to make things seem more (or less) important then they are. Embellishing the truth (considered lying by some) is just as effective in reporting the news and setting opinion as is leaving important facts out. For example: If there was a bus and three car fender bender on the expressway with only a few minor injuries, you can hardly justify the expense of your news helicopter hovering overhead for a half hour. And how are you going to fill the news slot at six o'clock with such non-news? Well, here's the headline you would see, "Multi-car pileup dozens injured." If it is on TV you would see more shots of the backed up traffic then the actual accident.
Front Page Perception: How to make your readers or viewers believe something is important. Ever notice how sometimes the news that seems really important gets buried or not reported on at all? That is because the editor or the news director decides what is important and what is not. There is a well-known and general perception in the news industry that the public has come to believe that only 'front page' or 'headline stories' are important. So the editor or news director gives these their undivided attention. Typically they run that "headline news" choice through three decision filters: 1.) "If it bleeds it reads" meaning, bad or unsavory news sells more copies or gets more viewers then good news (remember it's a business that is all about sales, sponsors, and ratings) 2.) Does it go against the political alignment of the newspaper or station? They can't appear to be supporting anything that could be construed as positive for the opposing party. Additionally, they certainly don't want to report anything that is negative to their political or business supporters. (They could be fired for a travesty like that!) 3.) Will the story potentially offend a segment of your paying readers or viewers or will it offend sponsors. This is not an issue of 'Political Correctness' it's simply that you never want to do anything that will affect sales.
by: Dr. Von Zuko 2007�