The scene: A class in “News Reporting for Beginners.” The teacher speaks:
“Class, today we cover how to do a biased, unfair, report. We teach this because it’s a sure-fire way to success in today’s TV news.
“Doing one-sided news has many advantages. It saves time, not having to go get extra facts.
Frankly, being fair is a pain in the rear. It can bog down your report with such tiresome words as ‘however’ and ‘on the other hand.’
“Being fair and too many facts can confuse viewers.”
The teacher shows a video from NBC-2 News. The reporter, Jason Ferrell, tells viewers that “a group of concerned voters wants to make changes in the way Marco Island is governed by giving the city manager less power.” Ferrell explains that “concerned voters” want the city manager to face a voter referendum every two years. If a majority of voters gives him a thumbs down, he’s is fired.
We see a shadowy head shot of City Manager Bill Moss talking, but we don’t hear what he’s saying as the reporter tells us Moss “has recently angered some voters for promoting the city’s controversial sewer system.”
We hear 11 seconds of three people who want to vote on city managers.
“What makes that report a classic example of how to get ahead in TV news?” the teacher asks.
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