You can't entirely trust the media, no really

[drdoug]

The respectable, reputable media present a version of what has happened in the world that can be as misleading as possible without being actionably wrong about what actually happened. (The disreputable media just make it up, but you know that.)

Have a look at these lovely photographs of the day, from teh Graun. In particular, look at the one

Comments

[purplerabbits]

So much yes. Edinburgh SFSoc had a rule named after our friend Justin B Rye, because he was so good at pointing out press errors. Rye's law states that the accuracy of a media item varies as the inverse of the amount the reader/viewer happen to know about the subject.

[drdoug]

Hah! Excellent. Although presumably it's the apparent accuracy, rather than the actual accuracy?

[purplerabbits]

I think the law as originally stated implies that *obviously* all the other media items are true and it is the purest coincidence that the ones your know about are wrong wrong wrong.

[drdoug]

That's even better. Yes.

[drdoug]

Actually, I think media items based on your own press releases are perhaps an exception. On the ones I've had significant say in, the story is pretty much the one I thought was right to say based on the full background. Although they are admittedly the Sunday-best version of the project.

Hmm, maybe this is one of those irregular composite verbs. I make my press releases interesting so the public will be informed about important projects; you exaggerate the good parts of your work when talking to the press; they shamelessly exploit churnalism and clickbait.

[d_floorlandmine]

Thank you, Bernard!