Thread: Had a fascinating experience today. On a long drive, I listened to the news while switching back and forth between CNN radio and Fox News radio. They were both covering the same stories. It is now abundantly clear to me why Americans are so divided politically. 1/

In covering the story about 17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse, who was arrested and charged with murdering two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin yesterday, the two stations reported the story as follows...2/

CNN: Yesterday a *man* (he’s 17) named Kyle Rittenhouse was arrested for shooting randomly at BLM *protestors* from a nearby sidewalk. He killed two, as they walked through the streets of Kenosha, WI, in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake. 3/

Fox News: Yesterday, a *juvenile* (he’s 17) was arrested and charged with murder for shooting and killing two Kenosha, WI, *rioters*, after he was attacked as he stood guard in front of local businesses threatened by the riots. 4/

Now, I don’t know what the truth of this story is, but that’s neither here nor there. These are two completely different narratives, and it’s so easy to see how either one of them sets listeners up to come out strongly on one or the other side of this story. /5

In another story, the stations discussed the recent change in the CDC’s recommendations regarding COVID testing. CNN stated categorically: “...changes made after the CDC was heavily pressured by the Trump administration to do so”. /6

Fox News reported categorically: “CDC representatives vehemently denied any suggestion of pressure from the Trump administration, when we asked them for comment”. /7

This is clearly a huge problem. One or both of these news organizations are simply lying in either or both stories. And neither uses language that leaves room for the possibility that what they’re presenting may be open to alternative interpretations. Truly alarming. /End.