Quote Originally Posted by ragingpup View Post
Blimey Kerr, surprised I have to give elementary media studies lessons. Are you saying that what you are reading is an altogether unbalanced, even handed review of Abbott's announcement that informs the readers without any attempt to play on and exacerbate their existing fears?

I'm sure that at the very least you are aware that the most powerful elements in a persuasive news item, one with an agenda, is to summarise the key point(s) in the headline and strap lines, to try and make it so that the readers, many of whom will not read further into the article, will absorb the point or the argument that you as a writer wishes to make, with no real effort on their part. It's pretty basic stuff - all news people know this.

So what was the headline:

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott says Labour will let MORE immigrants into Britain if they get into Number 10


Look at the capital letters on MORE. Why do you think they have done that Kerr? What do you think the average Mail reader will make of that? Is that a fair reflection of the content of Abbott's announcement?

And then the three strap lines underneath the heading:

- Diane Abbott said Labour would let child refugees bring parents to the UK
- She said they would also end policy of deporting children when they turn 18
- The Conservatives have pledged to get immigration down to tens of thousands

Points 1 and 2 are factually accurate but what of point 3? True that the Tories have pledged to get immigration down to tens of thousands and true that right at the bottom of the article it states that they have yet to do so. But they well know that most readers will have made their minds up about the article, have all of the info they need from the title and the three straps: Labour are going to let MORE immigrants into the country and the implication is that the Tories are the party that's going to do something about that. So the clear inference is: the Labour party are going to let even MORE immigrants into the country, and we know you hate that kind of thing, so VOTE TORY!

Our media studies students can read political bias in news article structure Kerr. Surprised you apparently can't!

Bit rushed - up to me ears!
No-one is saying the Mail isn't biased but the headline is accurate, Labour is going to increase immigration, Abbott admits it and indeed believes it's desirable.

One of the first things Labour did after being elected in 1997 was to scrap the "Primary Purpose" rule which kept a lid on chain migration. They did this to increase their voter base and "rub the right's noses in diversity" (according to a former Blair adviser).

Immigration doubled almost straight away and kept on rising.