Sunsneezer
21st March 2010, 03:53 PM
The website Fark.com is always entertaining. Everyday, it gives links to actual articles of dubious quality or funny subject matter with a humorous send-up as an alternate title. After ten years or so of activity, Drew Curtis noticed trends in the kind of crap that gets referred to on fark.com. Each chapter focuses on a particular trend, details the most striking examples of each and includes some of the best comments that were made on it on the website.
Media Fearmongering
"EVERYBODY PANIC" Articles about fault lines going to explode any moment now, the presence of bacteria everywhere, shuttles most likely to explode... Media loves to promote fear because it sells copy.
Unpaid Placement Masquerading as Actual Article
"Nothing embodies laziness quite like Unpaid Placement Masquerading as Actual Article". Presented as the result of taking press releases at face value without any research. 100$ hamburgers and Goldenpalace.com stunts falls into that category.
Headlines Contradicted by Actual Article
If an article is not exiting enough, just attract attention with a controversial title! It contradicts the conclusions of the article? We'll say it's a journalistic twist! Problem is, some people don't read past the title.
Equal Time for Nutjobs
Includes conspiracy theorists, disgraced scientists and other non-credible sources given voice by the media out of a misplaced intention of seeming impartial.
Out of Context Celebrity Comment
At the end of an interview with a celebrity, a journalist will ask a few throw-away questions about current events. Answers to these questions are then shamelessly exploited for their shock value, even if the celebrity doesn't have any authority on the subject in question.
Seasonal Articles
Those inevitably come around each year. Boxing day madness, 4th of July fireworks incidents, the myth of Christmas suicides, California to have blackouts due to overuse of AC.
Media Fatigue
"Has the media gone too far?" A very interesting look at the media cycle, from the day a story break to the eventual apologies and analysis of how the media over-exposed it.
I recommend the book heartily because it is as funny and sarcastic as it is interesting and educative. It's also a good book to have around just to lend to friends who are unaware that there's a whole lot of junk in the media. Just be prepared to have your palm firmly imprinted in your face by the end of it...
Media Fearmongering
"EVERYBODY PANIC" Articles about fault lines going to explode any moment now, the presence of bacteria everywhere, shuttles most likely to explode... Media loves to promote fear because it sells copy.
Unpaid Placement Masquerading as Actual Article
"Nothing embodies laziness quite like Unpaid Placement Masquerading as Actual Article". Presented as the result of taking press releases at face value without any research. 100$ hamburgers and Goldenpalace.com stunts falls into that category.
Headlines Contradicted by Actual Article
If an article is not exiting enough, just attract attention with a controversial title! It contradicts the conclusions of the article? We'll say it's a journalistic twist! Problem is, some people don't read past the title.
Equal Time for Nutjobs
Includes conspiracy theorists, disgraced scientists and other non-credible sources given voice by the media out of a misplaced intention of seeming impartial.
Out of Context Celebrity Comment
At the end of an interview with a celebrity, a journalist will ask a few throw-away questions about current events. Answers to these questions are then shamelessly exploited for their shock value, even if the celebrity doesn't have any authority on the subject in question.
Seasonal Articles
Those inevitably come around each year. Boxing day madness, 4th of July fireworks incidents, the myth of Christmas suicides, California to have blackouts due to overuse of AC.
Media Fatigue
"Has the media gone too far?" A very interesting look at the media cycle, from the day a story break to the eventual apologies and analysis of how the media over-exposed it.
I recommend the book heartily because it is as funny and sarcastic as it is interesting and educative. It's also a good book to have around just to lend to friends who are unaware that there's a whole lot of junk in the media. Just be prepared to have your palm firmly imprinted in your face by the end of it...