"Sometimes newspapers publish falsehoods by accident. They might use press releases from trusted sources without checking the facts; or they might repeat commonly believed myths.

But sometimes a newspaper knowingly expresses an editorial viewpoint inside what appears to be a neutral news report. One very effective way to do this is to tell a falsehood as though it is a commonly accepted fact, and to mention it merely in passing, in the context of reporting about a related but different topic.

Two recently published news reports are examined below. Readers can decide for themselves whether the truth is murdered with malice aforethought, or whether it is accidental manslaughter."

Get the Story:
Ken Conklin: Hawaii News Media Reporting Falsehoods as Though They are Commonly Accepted Facts (The Hawaii Reporter 10/30)

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