I used to do this all the time when we lived in Japan, read big news stories and compare the way that they're reported in British and American media. These are some comparable bits from stories about the crash at Heathrow today as reported by CNN and the BBC.
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BBC quoting passenger Paul Ventnor: "I could hear the undercarriage come out, and the next moment the plane just dropped."
CNN apparently using the same quote from the UK Press Assoc: "The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment we just dropped. I couldn't tell you how far."
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BBC: Police say the incident was not terror related.
CNN: A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said there was nothing to suggest the incident was terror-related.
It's interesting the way CNN keep it that little bit vague like maybe it really was terror-related but we just don't have all the information yet.
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BBC: All 136 passengers and 16 crew escaped from the British Airways flight BA038 from Beijing. Eighteen people have been taken to hospital with minor injuries.
CNN: London ambulance services said 17 people suffered minor injuries, and the number could increase as several others are still being assessed.
CNN keeping their options open because you never know, someone might still die from this and that would be better story.
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BBC: Part of the undercarriage, including two wheels were torn off, and there was some damage to the wings.
CNN: The undercarriage, left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged, as if it had skidded across the ground. At least one of the plane's wheels had been torn off. The most visible damage was to the left wing, which was covered in mangled metal where it meets the fuselage.
CNN working in a bit more drama.
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BBC: Aviation expert Kieran Daly, from Flight International magazine, said not a single Boeing 777 had been lost in a crash since the aircraft was launched in 1995.
CNN: The Boeing 777 is the mainstay of many airlines' long-haul fleets and has never been involved in a fatal accident. However, the aircraft involved in Thursday's incident appeared to have had a fortunate escape, having approached Heathrow over heavily-populated west London suburbs before its crash landing.
CNN again trying to add drama by suggesting what might have happened.
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BBC: The incident happened on the south runway at 1242 GMT, as Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to leave Heathrow for China and India. His flight was delayed because of the incident.
CNN: The incident occurred at 12:42 p.m. (7:42 a.m. ET) as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to leave Heathrow for a visit to China and India. His flight was delayed but his jet was not directly involved, PA said.
His jet wasn't just not directly involved, it wasn't involved AT ALL. Why do they feel the need to use such suggestive and misleading language??
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The BBC generally just report the facts with no embroidery or editorial exaggeration. CNN seems to be writing a screenplay. Why is that?
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3 comments:
Because news in the U.S is just as misleading as to generate ratings. Actually after just being tired of the U.S. in general I suggested to my wife that we just pack up and move to Scotland.
Oh that's a great post!! So true... drives me NUTS.
well, the colonies were founded for freedom of speech! you were american too once upon a time and you know the love of drama, tall tales and fish stories! but i do agree with you. it drives grumpa craziest with english weather reports and forecasts...rain. pour yourself another cuppa and settle in for a good read with heat...now that's some tall tales! nana
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