AP's Emotive Language For Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Publius' Forum ^ | 12/10/08 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

Evidence in abundance of AP's new "style" of news coverage.

Not long ago, the Associated Press informed its writers that they should be more emotive in their writing. Instead of an old newsy just-the-facts style of reporting, then AP was looking to goose it up and add more opinion and emotion to its reporting of the "news." Well, with the story of the arrest of corruption plagued Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his connection to Illinois Senator and president in waiting Barack Obama, the emotive words flow fast and furious. This incident serves as an interesting example of the APs new more emotive style.

For instance, for the AP Sharon Cohen gives us a piece headlined "Illinois governor's arrest stuns politicos." This piece tries to force upon Blago's fellow Illinois politicians a sort of "shock" in response to Blago's arrest. But, while some politicians and FBI officials expressed disappointment and a sort of faux shock, no one in Illinois or Chicago politics is really shocked that Blago is finally under arrest. It has been building for several years at this point and for most folks in Illinois at all aware of the situation, it was a matter of when Blago was going to get picked up by the feds, not if. There really isn't much genuine shock and it is hyperbole to say there is. Truth be told, instead of real shock, it is more like weariness. (Even this AP piece featuring a series of quotes from Illinois politicians doesn't reveal any of them being "shocked.")

Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...

[Mobile Vulgus]

They have done a make over, eh?

[rwfromkansas]

The shock headline is a pretty poor example of the new emotive style.....any paper would run that.

There were much better examples during the election.

[JimRed]

The SHOCK is that he was indicted, not that he is corrupt!

[HP8753]

The “Shock” is that the AP-Obama actually printed a story about a corrupt Democrat.

[Condor51]

The only 'shock' is to AP's Sharon Cohen. For the rest of us in IL, it's that it's taken so long.

And Blago's really gonna have a ROTTEN Christmas this year.

The federal investigation into Blago's corruption all began thanks to his Father-In-Law, Alderman Dick Mell. Mell went into a rant during a City Council session that his S-I-L gov was corrupt. The Feds went 'oh really' and started digging.

And this arrest is just for the Senate Seat, the feds still aren't done with Blago.

(no present for 'Dad' this year!)