Media Bias Watch: Language edition
Written by: Beck
Politicians have long understood that influencing the mindset and opinions of the masses requires careful use and control of language. Use of language, thus, exposes bias.
New rules governing overtime pay have been put into effect. According to the Labor Department, the new rules strengthen overtime rights for 6.7 million workers. According to the AFL-CIO, the rules weaken overtime rights for 6 million people. In other words, this is just another debate, and the facts and impact should be relatively straightforward and easily determinable.
So how is the headline for this story over at CNN worded?
CNN:
Is Your OT a Thing of the Past?
Technically, it's not a misrepresentation. Their headline captures the essence of one crucial side of the debate. But it's cleverly phrased to create fear and insinuate that there's really only one side to the debate. It's kind of like if Bush pushed a new law strengthening anti-pedophilia rules, but some people opposed it on a civil liberties basis, and the headline read, "Bush denies wanting to rape babies."
OK, sure, I'm exaggerating, but if your reaction to that last sentence was, "Hey, that's not at all a fair analogy or characterization," then you're starting to see my point about control of language.