Posted on 06/22/2010 10:32:36 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
One of the best ways to cajole a reader into accepting a point of view is to use emotional descriptives in writing. It is the difference between opinion style editorials -- like what I write -- and straight news -- like what a wire service like the Associated Press is supposed to be writing. Unfortunately, the AP has been adding ever larger amounts of emotional language to its news and, not surprisingly, that emotion is used to give support to the American left and to denigrate the right. A recent AP story about the rise of the new conservative movement in Wisconsin is a perfect example of that emotional language used to attack Republicans.
The story, "Wisconsin's Democrats have got the blues" by Scott Bauer, ostensibly describes how conservatives in Wisconsin are on the rise, finding great success in organizing and fielding candidates. But the main emotional response one comes away with from reading the negative rhetoric of the story is a distaste over the conservative's success.
The first sentence that casts the right in a negative light is directed against Wisconsin's Tea Party groups...
Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...
My favorite is when conservatives “lash out.”
“... AP has been adding ever larger amounts of emotional language to its news and, not surprisingly, that emotion is used to give support to the American left and to denigrate the right.”
Plagiarizing myself from earlier today:
“O” is working hard to malign and delegitimize Conservatism and America’s two party system.
With the blind and unstinting assistance of the MSM, and the NEA, Conservatism will be made extinct…but not before Liberals render it abjectly absurd and asinine…. If nothing else, Conservatives can easily withstand THIS trend and yet have consistently permitted themselves to be made ridiculous throughout the MSM … and basically ANYWHERE Liberals feel that they can get away with casting gratuitous insults in our faces.
In fact, the AP says, “the law is so controversial that even many Republicans in conservative states have shied away from it.”
Actually, the AP has that part right. But the point of the column is correct about the overall media bias. Just making a side note. It is fact the GOP is running from border security and the immigration debate. Few GOP candidates have taken it up as a strong theme of their campaigns.
“Actually, the AP has that part right. But the point of the column is correct about the overall media bias. Just making a side note. It is fact the GOP is running from border security and the immigration debate”
I think you miss the point. It’s about the language, not the issue. When the AP says “the law is so controversial that even many Republicans in conservative states have shied away from it,” people take away from it that laws have to be really, really especially bad before Republicans notice it.
I added a qualifier that it was a side note and stated my agreement with the premise and subject of the article. I get it. Just adding a side note for discussion.
I read media just as critically. There is a whopper of media writing bias by a New York Times reporter writing about a town that voted to make it tougher for illegals to live in their town (landlords can’t rent to them, etc). I think the town name is Lincoln.
This type of slanted news has been going on since Walter Crackpots heyday. Most FR members are well aware of that. The objective should be to show the easily deluded how this occurs. More and more, they do appear to be catching on though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.