Journalism, Marketing or Deception?

I have been getting more and more frustrated with journalism lately. It just seems like there are so many articles out there that say the same exact thing. You can read the same story almost word for word on ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, SI and CBS Sportsline. They all use the same quotes too and pretty much use the same headlines as well. I'm sure media outlets feel an immense amount of pressure to break or cover any store that is out there. But it's just frustrating from a reader's standpoint. I think I see it most in sports journalism, but perhaps that's just because the majority of news that I read is sports related.

Another point of contention I have is how misleading headlines can be. This is for an Associated Press article published this afternoon:

ESPN headline: McNabb 'shocked' Eagles took quarterback in draft
Yahoo! headline: McNabb was 'shocked' Eagles took QB Kolb

When clicking through, ESPN titled the article "McNabb downplays he's upset Eagles drafted Kolb" (while Yahoo! titled the article "McNabb breaks silence on Eagles drafting QB").

Hmm, that isn't quite the tone that was set by the headline I clicked on... let's read the article.

The first quote from Donovan McNabb these "journalists" provide us with is a complex one. It reads, "'It was shocking,' McNabb said Tuesday in an interview on WIP-AM radio." About half way through the article, after the journalist has tried mightily to stir controversy, we get a bit more from Mr. McNabb:

"'When you draft somebody at the position you're in, of course you have questions of 'What does that mean?' McNabb said. 'The most important thing for me is to make sure I'm healthy and 100 percent and get back out there competing and do the right thing on the field.'"

I'm thinking... this all sounds pretty reasonable. It sounds like he's trying to be very open and honest. It doesn't really sound like he has any animosity like the headline lead us to believe. Then it's not until the second to last paragraph that we get a little bit more about McNabb's supposed "shocked" feelings:

"I think Kevin Kolb is going to do an excellent job for us," McNabb said. "I'm going to try and help him as much as I can. I'm sure he's going to do great. I look forward to working with him this weekend."

Wow. Well... I really don't think "shocked" is an accurate portrayal of what McNabb was trying to convey to his interviewer and audience. In fact, I'd say it is very misleading. Just because McNabb uttered those words, which the AP so proudly lead with as McNabb's first quote of the article, doesn't mean that represents the story. It was certainly a leading question to begin with, one meant to hopefully get the athlete to say something controversial. McNabb simply answered the question honestly.

I don't know if the headline was actually taken out of context, but it is certainly rife with deception. It just seems like such a lame and pathetic level of journalism to stoop to in an attempt to get another click through, another set of eyes on your site, another unique visitor to up your CPM. It's like Fox News last night after 24... "Chloe tells all about having a love affair with Jack." Then after the commercial break, Chloe is on camera answering the question with "No way, that would never happen." Good reporting, Fox News. Bravo, AP.

That is all.