“The advertisement is the most truthful part of the newspaper.” – Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President
You heard me correctly. Businesses openly tell us: Yup, we plunked down a bunch of cash for a flashy ad to sell you something. Yes, there might be some strings attached…but at least we’ve included it in the fine print. See, not too complicated, because we know WHO’S talking, WHAT’S on the table, and WHAT decisions we can make. Now, the news of the paper isn’t nearly as simple nor straightforward, and the behind-the-scenes is something the public is rarely revealed. Competition yields sensationalism and selectivity, pitting ratings over research while the politics of placement breeds angles and agendas and skews headlines. Readers are left oftentimes confused about WHO’S talking, WHAT’S on the table, and WHAT choices we might need to make. Funny how centuries-old sarcasm still holds truth today: news is a business, and they’re called “stories” for a reason. So check your filtering system, listen to your gut, and don’t believe everything you read.
Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman. SUBSCRIBE HERE!
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