Misleading headline
Weekly Example of Media Bias — Posted on April 19, 2017
Many people only read the headline and the first paragraph of a news story. That is why it is extremely important for media outlets to provide accurate headlines that do not spin a false narrative.
The following is a Wall Street Journal headline in the April 14, 2017 print edition:
The first paragraph of the article reads as follows:
WASHINGTON—The U.S. military mistakenly killed 18 of its own allies in Syria in a misdirected airstrike meant to hit Islamic State fighters, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
The caption for the photo accompanying the article reads:
“Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces on Thursday carrying the coffins of their comrades killed in a misdirected U.S. airstrike.”
This is the full article page:
Questions
1. After reading the headline, what do you think happened? -- What do you assume about our military’s competence?
2. Does the first paragraph or caption under the photo change your impression of what occurred?
3. Read the 2nd paragraph of the WSJ article:
Members of a Kurdish-Arab coalition allied with the U.S. were killed after providing the U.S. with the wrong coordinates for an enemy target during a battle with Islamic State fighters earlier this week, the military said.
How does this change your understanding about what actually occurred?
4. Why is it important for news organizations to provide accurate headlines?
5. Usually an editor has final say on the headlines.
Consider The Wall Street Journal’s headline, along with the following headlines:
The Washington Post:
Headline: U.S.-led coalition accidentally bombs Syrian allies, killing 18
First paragraph: A U.S. drone struck and killed at least 18 members of an allied Syrian force this week, the Pentagon said, in the worst friendly fire incident of the war against the Islamic State.Los Angeles Times:
Headline: U.S. military says misdirected airstrike in northern Syria killed 18 allied fighters
First paragraph: The U.S. military says a misdirected airstrike this week killed 18 friendly fighters battling Islamic State alongside the international coalition in northern Syria.The New York Times:
Headline: 18 Syrian Fighters Allied With U.S. Are Killed in Coalition Airstrike
First Paragraph: WASHINGTON — An airstrike by the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State killed 18 Syrian fighters allied with the United States, the military said on Thursday.
a) It is true that on at lease two occasions over the past few years, the U.S. has mistakenly hit our allies with an airstrike in Iraq or Syria. But in this case, our allies mistakenly gave us their own coordinates, calling on us to bomb their own location. What responsibility do you think publishers/editors have to provide accurate headlines that are not misleading?
b) Having read this post, what responsibility do you think you as the reader have to read the news with discernment?
CHALLENGE QUESTION: What would have been a more accurate headline?