The factual content of the news has always been a hot topic. Lately, it seems as if issues are either blown out of proportion or simply forgotten. Sometimes the smallest misuse of a word can lead to the largest misunderstanding. How could this be bad for our society? Why can’t we exaggerate? Exaggeration boosts our ratings, increases the viewer’s adrenaline, and increases overall interest in our content. You can’t exaggerate facts. When you deal with the news, you deal with individual’s lives and their careers. The last thing an individual wants is to have something he did or didn’t do be blown out of proportion. The facts need to be presented, not the fiction. Famed author, Orson Scott Card, has done an excellent job of explaining the evil brought forth by Reporting Out of Context.
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One response to “Facts and Fiction”
Ah, yes, in the world of politics (and to the reporter, everything is politics) it’s all about presenting the facts to garner a desired reaction. Reporters aren’t hired to research, or study, or know facts, only to sit in front of a camera and stir up emotion with their words and images. (The history-keepers from “1984”, anyone??)