How to Respond to Media Myths
Posted by dnotice
October 16th, 2010
This is a cross-post on The Sun – Tabloid Lies, Express Watch and Mail Watch.
When you read the Sun, Daily Mail and the Express over a long-enough period of time, you start to notice a few things.
One thing that crops up regularly are hysterical ranting posts over a few small topics, including the following:
- It’s Political Correctness/‘Elf-and-Safety gawn maaaddd!!!;
- Scandal as the NHS refuses treatment!!!!!/New miracle cure for [insert scary medical condition here] – this is a particular favourite of the Mail which appears to be on a quest to categorise everything into either causing or curing cancer;
- Eurocrats are trying to control our way of life!!!!;
- Immigrants taking over and guess who’s paying?!!!!
We’ve noticed that a lot of these scare stories could be stopped by a little research, which we accept that pressed-for-time tabloid journalists, for whatever reason, are unable to do.
Therefore, in the spirit of co-operation, we’ve decided to help them out by listing great sources of information, thereby saving them valuable time:
- Health and Safety Executive – “Myth of the Month” – a useful site for any claims which are made about bizarre actions taken or prevented in the name of preventing accident;
- NHS Choices – Behind the Headlines – a very good site for any “miracle cure” stories;
- National Institute of Clinical Excellence – evidence-based guidelines on various health topics, which go a long way to help the NHS what medicines and treatments should and shouldn’t be funded by the taxpayer;
- News from the European Commission in the UK – news on how the Eurocrats aren’t necessarily trying to dictate how we live;
There are also a variety of websites which can be used for any “Bloody Foreigners! Coming over ‘ere! Takin’ our jobs! Takin’ our wimmin!” stories*:
- The Refugee Council – The Truth About Asylum;
- National Assembly Against Racism – Mythbusting Guide (PDF); and also
- Mediawise’s guide to the use of correct terminology.
There are also more general fact-checking sites**:
Of course, any and all of these lists could also be used by anyone else who wants to know more about the articles which the Sun, Daily Mail and/or the Express publish.
If anyone has any other suggestions as what other sources our tabloid journalists could use, just leave them in the comments.
* Thanks to Tabloid Watch for these particular links
** Thanks to Bloggerheads for these suggestions
Categories: EU, Healthcare, Immigration, Media, Political correctness |
Although I’ve always dismissed any tabloid story concerning Health and Safety as bunk, I do strongly feel that HSE is mainly around to provide jobs for people who wouldn’t be able to get a job otherwise and that the entire HSE staff could be easily reduced to a single PDF file. I’ve warmed to them a little after seeing that section of their site.
Trouble is people would much rather believe some shit in a newspaper that confirms their views than evidence that contradicts their world view. The whole tabloid liar thing is a chicken and egg situation. Do the tabs create people’s opinions or do they just pander to them? After all wide-eyed irrational prejudice didn’t start with the Mail. Look at the treatment of gypsies, old woman accused of being a witches or heretics.
I’ve got tired of arguing with people who quote me a Mail story verbatim because even if I show them it’s bollocks they won’t have it.
“people would much rather believe some shit in a newspaper that confirms their views than evidence that contradicts their world view”
I’m inclined to agree. If the Mail confronted its readers with the evidence that a lot of what they’ve been told is rubbish they’d probably be quite angry with said rag. Not because they’d been lied to in the past, but because they’d had their prejudices challenged by the very organ that usually feeds them.
Phil
This has been proven scientifically http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/03/confirmation-bias-scientific-evidence