One of the worst, but sadly often used tactics bad journalists employ is to insert random, completely unrelated sentences into news articles, with the sole aim of attempting to influence the reader's perception of the story (or in this case the individual involved).
Here is a prime example, from yesterday's Evening Standard:
"Peter Mandelson was set to have an operation for kidney stones today after being rushed to hospital at 3am by health minister and surgeon Lord Darzi.
Mr Mandelson, 54, began complaining of abdominal pain over the weekend. Yesterday, as he was having dinner with a friend at his £3.5 million Regent's Park home, the pain worsened and he rang for medical help."
And here is proof that it works:
"Never mind the kidney stones - how can he afford a 3.5 million pound house??"
- Delphine, Oxford
"And how has he managed to buy a 3.5 million pound house?"
- P Istaker, London
"£3.5m home...Sleaze all over again."
- Asw, Hong Kong
"How did Mandelson come to be in possession of a £3.5 million home?
How is it that these 'socialists' usually seem to end up loaded?"
- George, Durham
Etc
What about another hypothetical example, one that the ES would not use?:
"Mayor Boris Johnson today announced his plans for a new initiative into tackling gun crime. Johnson, who owns a top of the range Ferrari, said he was pleased with the plans."
Except that would be ridiculous.
Disclaimer: As far as I know Boris doesn't own a Ferrari. And if he does, who gives a f***. It's of no relevance. At all.
2 comments:
Not sure it's quite on same lines as it takes a quite positive slant (really, this is the Guardian, talking about New Labour?) but: "How an era in banking was brought to an end - over a curry". http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/09/economy.alistairdarling1
Although I think one common theme it shares with your latest post on exagerrated implications:
"Darling had taken matters in hand at 8.30pm, personally ringing one of his favourite restaurants".
'Taken matters in hand'. What, revelation that a cabinet minister knows how to order a take-away. Lord almighty, the lofty standards that our print media subjects these ministers to! So, in this vain I can also let it be known to vast consternation that the Chinese Communist Party leaders are aware how to boil a teapot.
What an obscure piece.
It reads like a diary:
8.30pm - Darling rings for curry
10.00pm - Brown goes to bed
1.40am - Darling goes to bed
4.50am - Darling gets up
5.00am - Brown phones Sarkozy
All that's missing is the toilet breaks.
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