We’re used to AP headlines that mischaracterize the war in Iraq in the negative direction, but I thought, just for the record, that I’d point to this headline, which, while up to the usual lack of standards, mischaracterizes the article in a positive direction:
Marines in western Iraq see progress
The article is a fairly written and informative glimpse into the lives of Marines in western Iraq. The fact that it was written by an AP journalist and not replete with negativity must have discombobulated the editor so much that he classified it as unalloyed good news.
UPDATE: Thanks to the Allahpundit for the heads up, they’ve corrected this abomination, and the headline now reads Life in Iraq grates on soldiers’ morale
AP Exec. Editor Kathy Carroll:
Fire that propagandist. Damn you, bloggers!
Now the AP is going in another direction?
Usually it’s negative headline—positive story; now it’s positive headline—negative story.
Guess that’s improvement . . . .
They changed the headline.
Thanks for the update, Allah. For one brief, shining moment . . .
“Marines in western Iraq see progress” grates on AP’s morale.
Bwahahaha, Kelly!
Where’s the outrage? If the AP has overtly post-edited for the mere sake of overwriting a positive-seeming headline, what more proof is needed of the “passionate” nature of their (anti-) war coverage (vs the dispassionate reportage they ostensibly profer)?
I’d have thought this would have been all over intertubes by now…is there less to it than it seems?
Marcus,
The outrage we save for stuff like using non-existent sources or publishing fake or mis-attributed photos. The headline stuff, one could do that all day.
That’s not to say I don’t agree. We should be outraged. It’s just that most of us lack the capacity to keep it up continuously.