Is it my imagination, or have many mainstream news sources adopted a tabloid-type style? Even so much that serious weather forecasts are delivered with tongue-in-cheek tidbits inserted. New clichés: Scientists are terrified... Scientists are worried... Something is happening on the __________ (fill in the blank). Old news stories presented as fresh. The war is over, the war is on, the war has begun again . . . .
The Movie Sipping News will give you some idea:
Billy: It's finding the center of your story, the beating heart of it, that's what makes a reporter. You have to start by making up some headlines. You know: short, punchy, dramatic headlines. Now, have a look, what do you see?
[Points at dark clouds at the horizon]
Billy: Tell me the headline.
Quoyle: Horizon Fills With Dark Clouds?
Billy: Imminent Storm Threatens Village.
Quoyle: But what if no storm comes?
Billy: Village Spared From Deadly Storm.
