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huffington post sensationalizing
Here's a link to a Huffington Post article with the headline "Blagojevich wants Obama to testify".
It's not true. The actual article says that Blagojevich's lawyer may want members of Obama's staff to testify. It doesn't say anything about Obama himself.
I've noticed that this isn't the first time the Huffington Post has written misleading headlines. Have they sold out to the National Enquirer?
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Just found another example of sensationalism.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/26/bristol-palin-drug-arrest_n_153586.html
Huffington Post headline: Bristol Palin Drug Arrest
Story: it's actually about her boyfriend's mother.
Can't they be sued for stuff like this?
December 26, 2008 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
They just changed the "Bristol Palin Drug Arrest" headline to reflect the actual story about her mother-in-law's drug arrest.
I'm glad they did, but I'd like to know which editor approved the original misleading headline.
December 26, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to NYT v. Sullivan, it is very difficult to pursue a libel/slander case against what we now call a celebrity. Palin is a celeb but but her daughter's boyfriend's mother is not.
But Huff is pretty big and it receives its ad monies on the basis of readership and it needs to increase its leadership.
Same as MSNBC.
December 26, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Huffington Post is terrible that way. It reminds me in some ways of the National Enquirer: their headlines are misleading and sensational, but the stories themselves are generally truthful, and consequently, a lot more boring than the headline implies. Then again, I think of Huffington Post as closer to Wonkette than TPM, and maybe even closer to E!Online. Or maybe they are the liberal equivalent of Drudge, who also writes very misleading headlines to inoccuous stories. Still, it is a good place to find interesting political news, so long as you read past the headline.
December 26, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually Drudge's headline to the same story is much more accurate:
"Blago Lawyer Seeks to Subpoena Obama Aides..."
December 26, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
HuffPo is too disfocused (and professional looking) to be a liberal Drudge but takes itself way too seriously to be a Wonkette. IMO, the site sort of seems to fit Arianna's personality - interesting but totally unaware of the line between edgy and absurd (and trying desperately to always be edgy).
December 26, 2008 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone ever called Arianna out on that? And pressed her on the issue until she admits to the shoddy journalism? She's less credible now when she goes on these cable news shows.
December 26, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've become disappointed in HuffPo regarding their headlines. I first noticed it during the primaries between Obama and Hillary - I forget what the exact article was but it made me mad enough to e-mail HuffPo and it made a lot of readers mad also. I know they want to increase readership, but many of the people that post their comments don't read the article - they already formed their opinion just from the title. If it wasn't for the few great opinion pieces that they post, I would completely write-off HuffPo.
December 26, 2008 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh man ... you just noticed the HuffPo creative headlining? There are really really brutal ones from time to time - in comparison this one only registers at mildly misleading.
And yes, plenty of people complain both in the comments and by email - they simply don't give a crap. It generates clicks.
December 26, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a casual blog reader so I didn't catch on to the serial blatantly false headlining on huffpo until now.
Arianna doesn't have to address reader emails complaining about this stuff.
But I do wish someone on the cable networks would ask her directly about it. David Gregory, Bill Maher, Rachel Maddow, Campbell Brown, anyone.
Liberal media should call out one of their own when they downgrade journalism.
December 26, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think they overestimate the nation's tolerance for lying in politics or media or both. Ironic that Arianna, seemingly on the forefront of online journalism and all things blogging, might find that lowering her standards for increased readership (thus, increased advertising) is an all too traditional media formula for the more savvy new media audience.
In this era, credibility is king. Lose that and reader loyalty vanishes in a nanosecond.
IMHO.
December 26, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great eye. Recommended. The story says nothing about the Blago lawyers having interest in Obama to testify.
December 26, 2008 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I quit visiting the Huffington Post months ago because it seems so trashy to me.
December 26, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
HuffPo is overrun with sensational misleading headlines. It's getting worse everyday and is beginning to look as if they went to the National Enquirer school of journalism. If you complain in relevant articles, they are likely to delete your comments. They censor a lot of ridiculously benign stuff and they don't take well to criticism. I'm looking for a new site. Any recommendations?
December 26, 2008 10:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you can stay pretty well-informed with credible sites like this one, and others.
IMO, I don't find much on Huffington Post that's newsworthy.
It seems the more I visit that site, the less substance I find.
Just my two cents.
December 26, 2008 11:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
They could start with using a spell checker before publishing their headlines.
December 27, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink