It's All In How You 'Spin' It...

This was forwarded to me from one of my family members;

Judy W, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that she and a Congressman shared a common ancestor: Remus R, who was hung for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889

She received the only known photograph of Remus showing him standing on the gallows in Montana territory:


On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research was this inscription:

"Remus R., horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times.

Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."

Judy e-mailed the Congressman for information about their great-great uncle. Believe it or not, the Congressman's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

"Remus R. was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad.

Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.

In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency.

In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

Where I am unable verify right now if this is true or not I editted the names (omitting the Congressman's altogether). I am posting this as an excellent example (true or not) of how a story can be worded to change the meaning entirely.

The re-worded response is 100% true, BUT, there is a world of difference between "hung for horse stealing and train robbery" and "passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed".


There are two recent threads discussing the manipulation of photo's/stories by the media and how it can change the meaning (same image, different threads)...

ATS Thread #1

ATS Thread #2

Between censorship and spin, it's a wonder there is any 'news' at all.


EDIT: Form (it just did not want to display properly)

[edit on 26-2-2010 by [davinci]]

Thanks for linking my thread! As I say in the thread, the media controls the general public....but thats another story altogether.


But on topic:

Yeah. Main stream media has gotten to the point that you can spin it anyway you choose. There are actual "PR spin" agents, that you can hire. They basically take your info, NEGATIVE info. The they take it, and make a POSITIVE spin in the media.

Example:

"Yes, EXXON spilled oil all over the waters...but does that negate the billion dollars a year they spend on orphanages? It certainly doesnt!!

This is a good hearted company that had an ACCIDENT"

Just because you donated to charity after you spilled oil in the ocean, doesnt make up for your crime.

That was hypothetical, but you see what Im getting at. This is not a new technique.

Not only are we getting bad information, and biased information, but Im sure our own goverment recieves info that has been filtered. It's not just the public.

For example, do you remember being a little girl/boy and playing the "Telephone game"? Thats what it is like now.

One person whispers in someone's ear.

That person passes it on, at a speaking voice to another person.

The next person uses a bullhorn, and gets a crowd to hear it.

Then, it's on TV.

But the TV version has been through so many filters....What was the message again?

[edit on 26-2-2010 by InertiaZero]

reply to post by InertiaZero


I linked the threads because the general concepts are the same: twist a story/image to represent whatever the presenter wants the story to be about.

I figured the more examples the better.

Another humerous example of this was presented by The Onion recently when they stated "It's not unemployment, it's 10.2% labour availability".

EDIT: Spelling

[edit on 26-2-2010 by [davinci]]