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crazyguy's avatar

Do you think CNN's headline is misleading?

Asked by crazyguy (3207points) December 22nd, 2020

Today’s CNN.COM has a bombastic headline: “Trump threatens 30-day reign of destruction on the way out of office”. Below the headline you find out it is just an ‘analysis’, not news.

Do you think the headline is misleading?

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24 Answers

elbanditoroso's avatar

I think the verb is wrong. “Threatens” is not correct.

The headline should read “Trump has already begun 30-day reign of destruction…”

Because @crazyguy couldn’t be bothered to include a link, here it is link

_____'s avatar

No. The headline looks pretty accurate.

cookieman's avatar

I didn’t even read your details and thought, “Yes” because almost all of CNN’s headlines, if not misleading, are hyperbolic and biased. Same goes for FOX News, usually in the other direction.

Which is why I don’t get my news from either.

canidmajor's avatar

Oh, @crazyguy, surely even you must realize that analyses, op eds and even advertising are often preceded by headlines (larger font, eye-grabbing titles)?

ragingloli's avatar

It is totally misleading.
Drumpf has been on his “reign of destruction” since 2016.

Response moderated (Writing Standards)
SergeantQueen's avatar

98% of articles that I see from ANY news source seems to be misleading.

Small town journals, not so much. National news, very often.

How else would they get clicks and spread fear?

tinyfaery's avatar

@_____ Thanks for the laugh

Demosthenes's avatar

It’s a headline, it’s meant to grab your attention. I guess I don’t care. I don’t like CNN or the NYT or Fox News or Breitbart or most news sources quite honestly.

Zaku's avatar

More accurate would be, “Trump continues to incoherently blather about damage he could do in ongoing tantrum that might be somewhat worse than the damage he’s been doing throughout his time in office”.

But newspaper editors like to condense things into pithy wording.

Still, I guess that could read, “Trump still blathers about what he’ll break in loser’s final tantrums.”

JLeslie's avatar

I find lots of the media uses adjectives to exaggerate and create emotional responses. It’s certainly not just CNN. Fox, MSNBC, the list goes on forever. Especially headlines to attract attention whether it be TV or print. The big question is if the actual story is truthful and fair.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I don’t think @crazyguy is trumpter…

YARNLADY's avatar

Yes, it should say his behavior threatens.

stanleybmanly's avatar

A “‘bombastic” headline involving a quote from Trump? The article is without question slanted against the fool, but more importantly, so is the truth! The facts are substantiated. The fool said it, and he has based the entirety of his Presidency on noisy and silly bombastic threats. This one amounts to nothing more than business as usual.

crazyguy's avatar

@YARNLADY I am fairly certain that you did not read the story. It is at
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/22/politics/donald-trump-white-house-countdown/index.html

The headline makes the story seem like news, when it is actually an analyst’s opinion.

sadiesayit's avatar

Clickbait works.

I might be mistaken, but I didn’t think that online headlines/titles followed the same general “rules” as print newspaper headlines.

Question: Are you asking about this headline in isolation, or is this headline an example of an unstated larger point?

crazyguy's avatar

@sadiesayit I believe clickbait is just as bad online as in newspapers. I did not know there are “rules” for headlines.

As far as whether I am asking about this headline in isolation; no, I am not. I have maintained for quite a while that CNN is biassed. Their headlines are often misleading.

jca2's avatar

@crazyguy: I think what @sadiesayit is trying to get across about “rules for headlines” is that with printed news, you buy the paper or are delivered the paper regardless of what the headlines are (except, of course, in the event of something monumental like 9/11 where you may go out of your way specifically to get the paper). With the internet, you may not click on a certain article or link unless it “grabs you” so they may want to tantalize you with something sensational, otherwise there are many other sites to choose from with something tempting.

stanleybmanly's avatar

The ONLY way one might interpret the headline as misleading is if you assume the reader will not recognize Trump’s ravings for the “scorched earth” exit threats which they are.

crazyguy's avatar

@jca2 I see what you are saying.

crazyguy's avatar

@jca2 I would agree with your statement. However, there is a flip side: Most readers see nothing but the headline and are therefore left with an incorrect impression. Exactly what CNN wants!

Tropical_Willie's avatar

I think Trump is TOAST !

stanleybmanly's avatar

@crazyguy If that is true, then why even bother with a story? Where did you acquire your journalistic expertise. My entire life I have understood the purpose of sensationalist headlines is to sell newspapers or in broadcasting, draw in listeners/viewers for promised titillation.

sadiesayit's avatar

Very belated, but yes, @jca2, that’s what I was trying to say, thanks for stating it more clearly :)

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