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Lot o points [155805]
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Media subtlety......Guessing this article is highly Germanic
Apr 7, 2020, 5:00 PM
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If not, enjoy the good news. If it is Germanic, than my focus is really just on one small piece. So in examining this article, armed with nothing more than a decent grasp of the English language and a singular journalism class with Elizabeth Boleman-Herring, the slant is obvious and deceptive.
Starting out, the word "downplays" in the headline is a negatively loaded word, and is no more neutral than it's opposite, "exaggerates". There are many, many more ways that this headline could have struck a neutral tone and accurately conveyed information.
Other (presumably deliberate) loaded words in the article are "downplayed (again--clearly no thesauri at ABC) rosier, dire, and backseat [sic]".
The nuanced cherry on the top of this subtle sundae, is where they're clear about the dissenting source's professional credentials (Dr, Harvard, Epidemiologist), but then omit that Redfield is a virologist, and go so far as to leave the honorific "Dr" off his name.
This is maddening when it comes from anywhere....Fox, CNN, ABC, you name it. But it's just so devious that it really makes you wonder why simply reporting the news and all the various viewpoints without shade or bias seems impossible by the very people who are supposed to be pros.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cdc-director-downplays-coronavirus-models-death-toll-lower/story?id=70011918
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cdc-director-downplays-coronavirus-models-death-toll-lower/story?id=70011918
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All-In [42139]
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Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 7, 2020, 5:21 PM
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1. "Downplay" is used appropriately here, at least based on Merriam-Webster. The man is looking at previously grimmer models and de-emphasizing or playing down.
2. He is indeed painting a "rosier" picture. His picture is far more optimistic.
3. One hundred thousand to 240,000 Americans dying is pretty ####### "dire".
4. Well, hasn't he taken more of a "backseat" role? The "sic" isn't needed.
5. He's been mentioned by ABC News as a Dr. in previous articles. Perhaps just a style overlook, or perhaps this is the style ABC tends to use when the Dr. in question holds a more prestigious leadership title, like director of the CDC.
Occam's Razor: Give people the benefit of the doubt that it probably wasn't a grand conspiracy or anything devious.
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Lot o points [155805]
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Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 7, 2020, 5:34 PM
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Downplay - "make (something) appear less important than it really is." That's how most people use it. Would you like the example provided in Miriam-Webster as to the proper usage of the word? "As the world health community was starting to learn of a SARS-like new pneumonia virus spreading in China, government officials in that country were still downplaying its true severity."
It's a word that instantly discredits his (well-connected and informed) opinion.
And I'm sure you also know that rosy generally implies unfounded optimism. It's the same root usage as rose-colored glasses.
As for dire, the color is unnecessary. Of course most would consider that to be dire. Read the sentence and replace "dire" with the less emotional "previous" and tell me it isn't just as informative. Again, placing downplay right next to dire is discrediting by design.
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Lot o points [155805]
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and PS.....
Apr 7, 2020, 5:35 PM
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I'll concede the sic. I've always been taught that it's two words, but I see that stylistically it's fine in one word or hyphenated when it's a modifier. Mea culpa.
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All-In [42139]
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Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 7, 2020, 5:41 PM
[ in reply to Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious. ] |
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That's one interpretation of the word. The other is that it's making something seem less serious than it is. And no, it doesn't instantly discredit him. Who is going to discredit the head of the CDC on this?
That's a stretch on rosy. Generally accepted as meaning optimism.
Dire means very serious. That many people dying is pretty #### serious.
Again, I think you're reading too much into this.
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Lot o points [155805]
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IMHO, you're talented enough at your profession to know
Apr 7, 2020, 6:32 PM
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that words mean things and word selection is a craft in itself.
If they'd left out "Dr" in an otherwise neutral article or just had a slanted word or two.....I'm with you, innocent mistake. Add them all up though, in an article that passed through the hands of a presumably experienced and well-paid editor, and I think it's intentional, or at best they were oblivious to their bias.
I will say that if I'm correct, they're far more skilled at integrating their biases than the in-your-face buffoons at places like Fox or WaPo.
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All-In [42139]
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What, exactly, would that motive be and what...
Apr 7, 2020, 6:47 PM
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Would be that bias?
That they want that many Americans to die and they want the CDC dude to be wrong?
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Lot o points [155805]
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It could simply be that they think he’s wrong and that
Apr 7, 2020, 7:57 PM
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If they sent out his message unencumbered by shade, people would react in a manner they felt was dangerous.
The more cynical view suggests that the more in fear people are, the more news they consume, so let’s be sure to step on this expert’s positive viewpoint as much as possible.
Could be some political undertones, but I’m not picking that up from the article so I’m not claiming it.
Hopefully your last line was intentional hyperbole and not what you actually thought I believed.
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All-In [42139]
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Hyperbolic, yes, because motive makes no sense here.
Apr 7, 2020, 9:38 PM
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There's always a motive when it involves devious behavior.
This seems like a very thin claim even if their motive is simply they think he was wrong. You also, not long ago, gave Fox a pretty big defense when they blatantly pushed false information about this virus (Hannity called it Deep State activity). So I don't see why this one is a big deal to you.
I think you're searching too hard to find something in nothing.
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Lot o points [155805]
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wait....I, the conservative who despises Hannity
Apr 7, 2020, 11:41 PM
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More than anyone you know, defended him? Nope. Didn’t happen.
The memory I believe you are having transference with is when you broadly painted conservatives, multiple times, as claiming that CVD was a deep state action. I called BS and said that virtually no one, short of an idiot like Hannity or two, was using that term. The weren’t and they still aren’t.
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All-In [42139]
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I too shall call BS
Apr 8, 2020, 12:35 PM
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I broadly painted select Trumpies in here who are not conservatives.
Let's make sure we get this down in all caps, dero-style:
IF YOU ARE A TRUMPIE, YOU ARE NOT A CONSERVATIVE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO THINK YOU ARE.
And there are plenty here who bought into that crap. Memphis. Xtiger. Mountaineers. That's just a few.
But you still defended Fox and dismissed it, claiming other media sources were committing worse offenses. Even still, you're picking nits over a few word choices and a guy's "Dr" title left out, claiming bias (it's not), yet Fox was pushing outright dangerous lies that probably contributed to loss of life.
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Lot o points [155805]
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Nope, never defended the term “deep state”. I just pointed
Apr 8, 2020, 4:24 PM
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Out your strawman attempt at saying “Trumpies” everywhere were citing it. They weren’t and still aren’t.
Want to know what I defended? The interpretation of “hoax” as referring to media coverage of CVD rather than CVD itself. The majority on this site, well balanced lefties and righties alike, agreed.
It’s a recent topic. Shouldn’t be hard to find me “defending Fox” about this deep state thing if it’s truly there. I’m not a donor. I can’t delete it.
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Oculus Spirit [78865]
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Orange Blooded [4365]
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Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 8, 2020, 9:26 AM
[ in reply to Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious. ] |
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I have said this before - a number of times on a variety of issues. The news media has two biases - laziness and sensationalism. They feel they have to sensationalize news to vie for audience.
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CU Medallion [60036]
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All-In [42139]
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Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 7, 2020, 5:42 PM
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Sorry, in case you didn't notice, we're sitting here having a dictionary battle. Take the non sequiturs elsewhere.
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CU Medallion [60036]
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Re: Sir... you're picking nits. There's nothing devious.
Apr 7, 2020, 5:44 PM
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Lot o points [155805]
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And I've gotta say, the sheer number of grammatical errors
Apr 7, 2020, 6:38 PM
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in a post discussing the art of writing is almost enough to make me get an ®.
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Legend [15492]
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Re: Media subtlety......Guessing this article is highly Germanic
Apr 8, 2020, 2:54 PM
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I read your analysis before I read the article. You're exactly right. It could have been "news" but instead, it's loaded and biased. I really don't like that kind of bias no matter where it comes from ABC, CNN, FOX whoever. We have brains, we can determine the value of information without help.
Very good analysis Obed, I learned something today.
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Lot o points [155805]
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Thank you kind sir, glad you enjoyed.***
Apr 8, 2020, 4:18 PM
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Oculus Spirit [93658]
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Re: Media subtlety......Guessing this article is highly Germanic
Apr 8, 2020, 4:56 PM
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ABC has a political position which it refuses to abandon. That article is SOP.
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