As I followed the news today, I found myself being attracted to a (surprise surprise) non-news story. My journey started on CNN.com as I read, “Cheney Daughter’s Pregnancy Dismays Some.” Apparently, Mary Cheney and her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe have decided to have a child, and for Mary to carry the child (Mazel Tov!). As I navigated to the U.S. Politics page on the site, I began to wonder how this story would be spun in order to appeal to the diverse American public. I thought to myself that I would probably have to check out the websites of a few different news outlets in order to see the full picture.
Silly me! As I scanned the Politics page, I saw a new headline for the same article. This time the headline read, “Vice President’s Lesbian Daughter Pregnant.” A totally different quote with a totally different message. The first headline mentioned seems to convey a neutral, but potentially negative undercurrent. Apparently some are dismayed or disappointed at the news that this woman is with child. Yet, the second headline seems nowhere near as neutral. Though it seems plainer and simpler, it packs a punch, the “L-word.” The characterization of this woman as a lesbian is the attempt to appeal to a certain type of reader. This headline is intended to shock and anger its readers into reading more.
If one thinks that this is the end of the headlines, one is sorely mistaken. There is yet one more- the headline that runs above the article itself. It reads, “Mixed Reaction to Cheney’s Daughter’s Pregnancy.” I would qualify this headline as neutral-positive. Like the first quote mentioned, it comes off as stating fact, yet, it does so in a way that also connotes and underlying feeling. Mixed reaction, in this situation, is a positive. People are not all out looking for this woman who is breaking down the moral fabric of society nor are all people out praising Cheney and Poe for taking a step in their relationship and deciding to have a child, in a way that many committed couples do.
To travel back to September, I find myself here having another set of proofs for support of the media as Profit-seeker in the potential media models. As evidenced here, news outlets are so eager to attract consumers of any belief or political persuasion. In order to do so, the same article will be dressed in different costumes (headlines) in order to draw the shoppers in.
Interestingly, the article itself contained aspects of each headline, though it ended on a note of affirmation, quoting a person commending the couple’s decision.
Silly me! As I scanned the Politics page, I saw a new headline for the same article. This time the headline read, “Vice President’s Lesbian Daughter Pregnant.” A totally different quote with a totally different message. The first headline mentioned seems to convey a neutral, but potentially negative undercurrent. Apparently some are dismayed or disappointed at the news that this woman is with child. Yet, the second headline seems nowhere near as neutral. Though it seems plainer and simpler, it packs a punch, the “L-word.” The characterization of this woman as a lesbian is the attempt to appeal to a certain type of reader. This headline is intended to shock and anger its readers into reading more.
If one thinks that this is the end of the headlines, one is sorely mistaken. There is yet one more- the headline that runs above the article itself. It reads, “Mixed Reaction to Cheney’s Daughter’s Pregnancy.” I would qualify this headline as neutral-positive. Like the first quote mentioned, it comes off as stating fact, yet, it does so in a way that also connotes and underlying feeling. Mixed reaction, in this situation, is a positive. People are not all out looking for this woman who is breaking down the moral fabric of society nor are all people out praising Cheney and Poe for taking a step in their relationship and deciding to have a child, in a way that many committed couples do.
To travel back to September, I find myself here having another set of proofs for support of the media as Profit-seeker in the potential media models. As evidenced here, news outlets are so eager to attract consumers of any belief or political persuasion. In order to do so, the same article will be dressed in different costumes (headlines) in order to draw the shoppers in.
Interestingly, the article itself contained aspects of each headline, though it ended on a note of affirmation, quoting a person commending the couple’s decision.
posted by juliafm at 2:57 AM
1 Comments:
Nicely observed, though I wonder how you might find evidence to support your perfectly reasonable hypothesis that this is an effort to attract maximum audience, as opposed to other factors. . . . .
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