Distinguishing Between Factual and Opinion Statements in the News
The politically aware, digitally savvy and those more trusting of the news media fare better in differentiating factual statements from opinions.
Three stories topped the news last week—the economy, the aftermath of the 2010 midterms and the president’s trip to Asia—and all three involved narratives that were not positive for President Obama. The week’s other top stories included a cruise gone awry and a former president resurfacing on the media circuit to pitch his new book.
What was the big religion story of the general election? A new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism in conjunction with the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life examines how the media covered religious matters.
The week began with a controversial magazine cover. By week’s end, an anticipation of an overseas Obama trip dominated campaign coverage and brought Iraq back into frame.
Barack Obama generated more campaign coverage than Hillary Clinton in a week in which Democrats completely dominated the media narrative. But Clinton’s complaints about a journalistic tilt toward her opponent seemed to strike a responsive chord.
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