The CNN Semantic Sting!

[veracity]

THE CNN SEMANTIC STING
The most trusted name in news, but not the most trustworthy!
Jesse - TvNewsLies.org - 5-Feb-2004

Day in and day out they let you know. Just tune in anytime and you’ll hear it loud and clear: There’s no doubt about it, and you just know it has to be true: you’re watching the Most Trusted Name in News. People trust their name, people trust their logo and people trust their newscasters. After all, they’re CNN, the Cable News Network! They’re not only trusted, - they’re the MOST trusted of all to bring you the news you need to know. Yeah, right!

Uh, there’s a small problem here. Being trusted means that others place their confidence in you. They believe what you tell them. They are convinced you’re reliable and sincere. But if you are trusted, it does not automatically follow that you are trustworthy, because that would imply that you deserve to be trusted. CNN has undoubtedly conned its way into becoming the Most Trusted Name in News. It cannot, in any shape or form lay claim to being the most trustworthy. In fact, CNN, with this semantic ploy, may well be the most perfect example of linguistic disconnect!

As any successful con artist knows, get someone to trust you and you’re in. Get someone to trust you and you have a far better chance to manipulate and control. If a con artist presents an effective image of integrity, his victims never realize they’ve been cleverly set up. And that’s precisely what CNN has done. They have established a reputation that inspires trust. They can lay claim to being the pioneers in cable news. They can parade an impressive array of newsmen and women on their screen. And they expertly disguise the charade they have become....

http://tvnewslies.org/html/cnn_sting.html

[Gringo]

1. Their con is better than Fox's

because it's much more subtle, and can hook even reasonably intelligent people (whereas only morons think Fox has a shred of objectivity)


There was a time, long ago, when CNN was actually pretty good, but It was over by the time Turner sold out.

[veracity]

2. an example....

is their refusal to deal with the Bush AWOL record. They jumped on Dean for his ski apres draft bit. The don't touch Bush.

[pacifictiger]

3. they got that name when Peter Arnett

worked for them and Ted Turner was still in charge. They've gone rapidly downhill since the original reporters left, turner's input was quashed, and profit is the prime motive.

[displacedtexan]

4. and Bernard Shaw

I miss those guys.