*****Critical update at end of post: Yahoo switched articles inside the link about to be discussed!
Was there a directive at the Associated Press on Friday for business writers to do their darnedest to bash the economy?
After publishing a truly disgraceful column Saturday practically predicting a depression as a result of the current credit crunch, the AP offered readers an article about the start of the holiday shopping season disgustingly entitled "Despite Economy, Malls and Stores Jammed."
Despite economy? Aren't strong holiday sales typically the result of a strong economy?
Yet, that was just the beginning (emphasis added, h/t NB reader Ken Jones):
Malls and stores were jammed for pre-dawn discounts on everything from TVs to toys on the official start of Christmas shopping as consumers shrugged off worries about rising gas prices and falling home values.
[...]
With the economy relying heavily on the consumer, however, it's crucial that the Black Friday euphoria lasts throughout the season, expected to be the weakest in five years.
"I'm really looking for the bargains this year because I'm losing my job; they're moving our plant to Mexico after the first of the year, so I have to be careful," said Tina Dillow of New Richmond, Ohio, who camped out at a Best Buy store near Cincinnati at 3 a.m. because of a great deal on a laptop.
Now think about it: if you were losing your job in five weeks, but you were still buying a laptop for either yourself or somebody else, what would that say about either your current financial condition, or what you thought your prospects of finding another job were?
Such logic eluded the multiple contributors to this piece:
"The tougher economic conditions are driving more shoppers to take advantage of early bird specials," said C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group.
Tougher economic conditions, Britt? Like 24 consecutive quarters of uninterrupted growth in the Gross Domestic Product, along with back to back quarters of almost four percent gains?
Or how about personal income rising by 6.8 percent in the twelve months ending September 30, Britt? Think that's a sign of tougher economic conditions?
Alas, maybe he got the same memo the folks at the AP did.
*****Critical update: Those that have clicked on the link in paragraph two certainly noticed a different headline, as well as a more bullish article (h/t NBer Jer). Boston Herald.com still has the original AP piece addressed.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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Comments Policy
Typical, as long as a
November 24, 2007 - 17:14 ET by Sonny LykosTypical, as long as a Republican is in the White House.
So what else is new? The MSM has been bad mouthing an increasingly strong economy for over 6 years.
Does anyone really expect a leopard to change it's spots?
The only good economy is a Democrat economy
November 24, 2007 - 17:55 ET by kgNever forget that the only good economy is a Democrat economy.
One doesn't even have to mention Carter or Roosevelt's names. And let's not
forget how bad Bush 41's economy was. Clinton turned it around in 2 weeks after
becoming president with praise from all the media on how great he was doing on the economy.
The last time the economy was reported as improving was
one year ago when the Democrats won the majority. Democrats are so good, they can turn the economy around before they are even in office.
By the time Christmas rolls
November 24, 2007 - 18:39 ET by motherbeltBy the time Christmas rolls around the headlines will read:
"Record Spending in Spite of Crashing Economy."
LOL
"Tough Economy"
November 24, 2007 - 17:45 ET by saw the lightMy wife's pager from work gets the news updates every few hours. I read them yesterday and the lead story talked about deep discounts expected to bring in many shoppers "in this tough economy." I pointed them out to her, and we both had a good laugh.
The headline in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch was, "Why all the smiles?"
No bias there. With Clinton, the economy roared. Until the euphoria created by the news media caused the collapse in 2000 and 2001. Yep, the "Bush" recession.
"There is a tendency for the world to say to America, 'the big problems of the world are yours, you go and sort them out,' and then to worry when America wants to sort them out." - Tony Blair
I actually laughed out loud
November 24, 2007 - 17:48 ET by MagCynicI actually laughed out loud when I first read this story. There's waaaaay to much contradiction in it to be classified as unbiased journalism.
Noel...AP must have updated
November 24, 2007 - 17:50 ET by JerNoel...AP must have updated and revised article including more positive headline.
Jer
Jer
November 24, 2007 - 18:46 ET by Noel SheppardJer,
Thanks. It happens at Yahoo. Might they have responded to this being at Drudge? Maybe? However, it is a different AP piece altogether, even if it is by the same author.
I've seen that happen a lot -- same AP author writes a bullish and a bearish piece about the same story. It's almost like they're giving newspapers a choice as to which side they want to present. ns
Noel, I've
November 24, 2007 - 19:26 ET by JerNoel, I've noticed divergent articles about the same news item, also. In this instance, I suppose there is a point where it's impossible to ignore or conceal facts that don't fit the anticipated story line.
Still, there is one part of the updated piece which I consider inappropriate editorializing. Notice the comment in the middle of the article..."In an apparent sign of desperation" the merchants expanded hours, etc.
Just the facts, m'am.
Jer
Jer
November 24, 2007 - 20:11 ET by Noel SheppardJer,
Yeah, they're desperate on the first shopping day of the season. Amazing, isn't it?
All the reports I'm seeing suggest malls are jammed. But, I have to admit that the media have been bearish about every Christmas since Bush was elected. It actually began Christmas '00, and hasn't stopped.
Without getting into a political debate on a Saturday evening, I don't recall media being so Scrooge-like when Clinton was in office. However, I wasn't analyzing them back then, so it's not a qualified statement. ns
}}---> Magic of Clinton
November 25, 2007 - 07:16 ET by Cool ArrowI just remember the "Homeless" problem disappeared overnight after Clinton's election.
Right. It's only the first
November 25, 2007 - 06:59 ET by motherbeltRight. It's only the first day of the traditional shopping season,
and already they're desperate???? And it's a big deal that some stores
opened at midnight...lots do every year. Penney's and Kohls, which
opened an hour earlier than previous years, probably did so this time
to compete, not because of desperation.
And excuse me, did these AP reporters have a list of Black Friday specials from last year to compare this year's sales with, seeing as how they say the stores are offering more and deeper discounts, again, in an act of desperation? And I love how people only shop on Black Friday for the discounts because they are desperate and struggling....otherwise they would pass up huge bargains. They also point to lower sales in the month before as a sign of "no money" to spend, rather than people maybe waiting to spend on Christmas gifts.
No matter what, they'll talk it down.
The Grinch?
November 24, 2007 - 19:38 ET by PershingSirFreedom is Never Free
Is it my imagination,or have i been plagerized?
I love NB,read and comment often,I especially like Noel.Maybe just coincedence but look at my Blog post(and time),and compare to the post we have just read and commented on. Just wondering.Here is my blog:http://thecriticalhour.blogspot.com/
More Gloom and Doom
November 24, 2007 - 21:53 ET by merlin61Every day, the news gets gloomier and gloomier
over a growing, stable economy. The MSM
just can't stand it. If they were upbeat about the
economy, they would have to agree George is
doing a good job in regard to tax relief. The mortgage problem is the responsibility of those
who gave mortgages to people who couldn't
afford them, and the people who got the
mortgages,also knowing they couldn't afford
them. Just like those who overspend on the
credit cards, whose responsiblity is that?
I hate newspapers, I find more out on the
internet that is true, than in any news article
or magazine. The true journalists are few and
far between. When the depression starts after
the Dems take over, is it going to GWB's
fault? You bet they'll try to blame him on that
and whatever happens for the next century.