"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
05.06.22
Blue-Anon – CNN
- Based on our previous predictions, which never came true, we are taking this seriously.
In a report on what is taking place in D.C., CNN gave heartfelt coverage about the potential for a violent uprising once again in our nation's capital. The serious details became far less serious when we learned it was based on internet chatter, and then Jim Sciutto gives a grave shake of the head as he informs us – the threat is coming from those on the Right.
You heard him correctly; the people most in agreement with the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade are likely to erupt in violence. I assume it will be the happy kind of rioting like we see when Los Angeles wins a sports championship.
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CNN: Law enforcement bracing for violence from “far right” following Alito opinion.
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 6, 2022
“They’re closely monitoring social media chatter that suggests there’s a potential for violence against abortion clinic providers, abortion clinic staff, members of the Judiciary" pic.twitter.com/ntAsjLCnfR
Reporting on the Mirror – MSNBC
- There will be fewer Chuckles on during the day now. Or is it fewer Chuckles…?
Not all the news shakeups are being experienced at CNN. News has come out today that at MSNBC, the decision has been made to cast Chuck Todd out to digital pasture. Todd has been the host of "Meet the Press" since 2014, and the following year he rolled an afternoon version of the show, "Meet the Press Daily." The decision has been made to move Chuck over to the Peacock streaming service on weekdays. Maybe Trevor Noah is credited with provoking this.
It is not considered a great sign when your network is consistently in second place in the ratings, but your program manages to not only trail Fox News by one million viewers but also get beat by CNN.
- "The one-hour MTP Daily has been trailing its cable news rivals in total viewers and the 25-54 demo. It averaged 681,000 total viewers in April, according to Nielsen. Fox News’ America Reports has won the slot, drawing an average of 1.6 million over its two-hour time frame, while CNN posted 776,000 for CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera."
Chuck Todd's daily MSNBC show being moved to NBC's streaming channel amid network shakeup https://t.co/N9dUnXeF5k
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) May 6, 2022
Glossary Over Things – ASSOCIATED PRESS
One thing noticeable this week as the journalism shrieking about abortion got underway was how easily dispatched the new terms for individuals had been, as the need to cry about the rights of women being stripped away became the priority.
Well, in response, the Associated Press is here to make sure the record is made proper. They have announced an update to the vaunted "AP Style Book" that now declares the proper term that needs to be employed is "pregnant people." You can tell they worked on this for a while. Note that "birthing person" no longer applies, given that termination will preclude the use of that term.
The AP Changes Its Style Book After the Abortion Controversy and Manages to Terminate Its Relevancy
— RedState (@RedState) May 6, 2022
https://t.co/3xXtmHrdhy
News Avoidance Syndrome – WASHINGTON POST
Get ready, the wave of sympathetic abortion stories will soon be flooding our news wires. WaPo has gotten things started with their profile of a young Mexican-American woman going through family turmoil following her second abortion.
Of course, it is a warmly approached issue, as they detail how the young lady is now in Texas, and since they recently passed tougher abortion laws, she has had to turn to obtain an abortion-inducing drug on the streets that came in from Mexico.
Of course, this piece does not explain how it was somehow better and easier for her to turn to the black market to purchase an illegal drug from another country rather than going down the street to a drugstore for birth control.
The story is about abortion & how it can chip away at one of the closest of relationships:a mother & daughter.
— Silvia Foster-Frau (@SilviaElenaFF) May 6, 2022
But I think it also shows how lived experiences as immigrants & Americans,from one generation to the next, can shape some of our deepest beliefs. https://t.co/svhnyNCWSp
Both Kinds of Standards – TWITTER
- Elon may not be taking control of things fast enough.
It has long been noted there are problems with the Twitter algorithm that seems to target one side of the political spectrum while allowing the other side to run free. There may be no clearer evidence than this side-by-side example.
News came out that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has some issues with people getting blood clots, and warnings have been issued. The news site Breaking911 covered it but noticed a curious warning coming up on Twitter that it might be delivering misinformation. The curious part is the site syndicates Associated Press reports, and its headline matched that of the AP exactly. The AP somehow received no such warning banner.
Strange how the AP’s tweet (same exact headline) isn’t flagged as ‘misleading’@elonmusk pic.twitter.com/4esXkpbc90
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 5, 2022
Stealth Story Evolution – THE NEW YORK TIMES
- That's not how that works.
We covered yesterday how The New York Times first attempted a slanted hit piece on Elon Musk, and when it was pointed out how the actual coverage differed from the presentation, the paper altered the copy and headline with no editorial notice.
After a number of people noted this move, the writer, John Eligon, attempted to defend himself.
For someone who is always critiquing journalism you sure don’t know what a correction is.
— John Eligon (@jeligon) May 5, 2022
He seems quite unaware of both the practice of stealth-editing and why it is considered unacceptable. I will do my civic duty and make him aware.
After rewriting the headline and the copy in their Elon Musk hit piece yesterday I feel that I need to remind both @jeligon and the @NYTimes that stealth-editing is considered a lapse in journalism ethics, according to -- the New York Times.https://t.co/bDo64Q553F
— Brad Slager ???????? Lifetime Subscriber to CNN+ (@MartiniShark) May 6, 2022
