I just watched an ABC News video about Humboldt Squid off the coast of San Diego, and it really annoys the fuck out of me. Just watching it, without knowing anything else about the story, my bullshit detector was going off.
[I’ve transcribed the relevant portions below, in case you don’t feel like watching the video] Video
The title of the story on the video page is “Carnivorous Humboldt squid attack divers and terrorize tourist beaches.” And here is some of the report:
Despite all the outright claims that these squid are attacking divers and terrorizing beachgoers, and the strong implications that anyone going to the beach is in danger from these things, the reporter doesn’t talk to a single person who has been attacked.
This BBC story does talk to some divers who have had encounters with the squid, and it does seem that the squid do sometimes attack divers by grabbing with the tentacles or ramming into the person.
But the BBC article also says this:
So much for “terrorizing tourist-crowded beaches.” :rolleyes:
I realize that, in the pantheon of media mendacity, this barely rates a mention, but it’s this sort of sensationalist bullshit that is just so common in the news media, and i really find it unnecessary and annoying.
I agree with the OP, too. So often, there’s just not enough “news” to fill out the 30 or 60 minutes they have to fill, so they just go around making shit up, or sensationalizing crap that shouldn’t be on TV to begin with. Might as well get your news from the supermarket tabloids.
I used to live in L.A. and L.A. County. One thing I drank a lot of was sun tea. One evening the local news had a Very Important Message: Sun tea can be deadly! :eek:
After hyping it for a couple of commercial breaks, they detailed the bacterium that might be present on some tea leaves, that might theoretically cause illness. They concluded their report by saying that no one had ever died from drinking sun tea, nor had anyone become ill. But this could happen to you! :eek:
Snopes notes that the possibility of illness is real. I suspect this is not one of life’s major risks, especially if you take recommended precautions.
TV news (and to some extent news in general) has the general goal of getting you to watch/pay attention by whatever means possible. Trying to scare you is the favored modus operandi.
This is basically why I no longer watch local weather forecasts. They’re not trying to inform, they’re attempting to breed fear. “Unstable weather is moving into the region, with the risk of damaging winds, hail and lightning!!!” (i.e., summer thunderstorms). “Nasty winter weather is heading for us!” (one to two inches of snow, a winter plague that no one has ever survived).
Aren’t the Humboldt squid edible? Sounds like a bonanza to me.
