Do we really need this sort of alarmism? "All of humanity under threat" - run for the hills!

[Hugabear]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5247242/Swine-flu-All-of-humanity-under-threat-WHO-warns.html

<snip>
The World Health Organisation has warned that "all of humanity is under threat" from a potential swine flu pandemic and called for "global solidarity" to combat the virus.
<snip>

This is the sort of alarmist statements that are NOT needed, and only help fuel the media hysteria. Even though even in the same article it states that the world is in a better chance to combat a new influenza virus than ever before, the media is going to latch on to the "all of humanity is under threat" and completely gloss over the other part.

This sort of irresponsible journalism makes me want to :puke:

[mbperrin]

1. Certainly got the thieving bankers out of the headlines, didn't it?

Just sayin

[leftstreet]

4. Bankers? What bankers? n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Just because those were the words that the WHO director used

does not mean the press is reporting inaccurately,

If this scares you, shut the damn info down

Serious

STOP following the story if this scares you that much

[Hugabear]

6. Did you even bother looking at the damned link?

So you don't have a problem with the media sensationalizing this? Even though many scientists and medical professionals are calling for calm & caution, you have news outlets posting misleading headlines for the sole purpose of drawing attention to themselves. And yes, in this case the headline IS misleading - in the midst of a medical scare, to proclaim that all of humanity is threatened, that IS sensationalizing the situation.

[uppityperson]

11. I read it and find the headline is sensationalising it, but article looks ok

Having OMG headlines is wrong, same as OMGing on tv news. blech

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yes

Let me quote it again

Swine flu: 'All of humanity under threat', WHO warns

Those were HER WORDS at the presser yesterday when they raised the alert level from four to five

Those were her EXACT words

There was nowhere in her statement a run for the hills either by the by

Oh and let me add this headline, mostly part of an official statement, was also a part of the Mexican press coverage,

In fact, I was surprised the US press (or at least CNBC ) did NOT use it breathlessly

Perhaps they were thinking of you, I don't know

[uppityperson]

19. I agree with Op that they are taken out of context to OMG the headline

Her statement did NOT include run for the hills, true. So why put that one sentence for headline except to sensationalize it?

That is the issue here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. They didn't, that was the headline making part of her statement

played this game as PIO... this is far from shocking

This headline was used in at least two languages in two major regions of the world

[Hugabear]

24. Who wrote the article and the headline?

I wasn't aware that Dr. Chan wrote articles for the UK Daily Telegraph.

[uppityperson]

27. Here is the headline and her quote.

Swine flu: 'All of humanity under threat', WHO warns

"After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic. "

5 words taken out of a larger quote taken out of a larger calm reasoned speech about the whole thing=sensationalism.

People skim headlines and they should figure out how to do it less "omg we're all gonna die" type.

"Above all this is an opportunity for global solidarity as we look for responses and solutions that benefit all countries, all of humanity.

"After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.

"The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously, precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

"For the first time in history we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real time. Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour.

"All countries should immediately now activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia."

VS

Swine flu: 'All of humanity under threat', WHO warns

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. I have a question for you... why is this scary to americans?

I am serious

Why wasn't this used in the US press (or the small slice of the press I saw yesterday?

Perhaps, and this is a very serious sociological question... Americans cannot handle it?

Outside of the statement MSNBC didn't use it, and my local news bunnies didn't either

We complaint the US media simplifies news. Well to me this proves that US media consumers cannot handle complex news items

Yes will make a largisth OP after lunch

[uppityperson]

34. Why is what scary to americans?

The thought of a pandemic, or news media picking bits from a statement and emphasizing that?

I don't understand your question, please clarify and I'll see what I can do to answer.


Edited to add a thing I just found:
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to swine flu.” - Yoda

[Puzzler]

32. Yeah... the "Humanity" bit was a headline in our local paper this morning.

.

[Echo In Light]

3. Official Pronouncements: Case and point as to why I tend to find all of this rather .... odd

[Marrah_G]

5. The statement was made by Dr. Chan of the WHO

She is not being an alarmist.

It is a threat to the world.

It could turn out to be nothing.

It could turn out that things we do now keep it from becoming something really bad.

Hiding our heads in the sand while the scientists try to warn us to be cautious is never wise.

I would rather have knowledge.

[Hugabear]

9. Dr. Chan did not write the article or its headline

I don't really have a problem with her statement. I do have a problem with taking that quote out of context, and running it as the headline. It's irresponsible journalism. Especially when the same article says that we're better situated to deal with this problem than ever before - but you don't see THAT as the headline, do you?

[NYC_SKP]

7. Someone, please help me.

I'm kissing my ass goodbye.

But I can't reach it.

Help!

[uppityperson]

8. You missed the next parts...and I agree that headline OMGness is irresponsible

I agree that headline OMGness can be VERY irresponsible, esp since many people only look at the headlines. Further down in the story though, are these reasoned words...


"
"The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously, precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

"For the first time in history we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real time. Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour. "

[rvablue]

10. What does this have to do with journalism?

It's the head of WHO who said this.

While the language is extreme, can't blame the messenger on this one. The blame belongs to that woman at WHO.

[uppityperson]

13. headline taking that one quote out of context is "omg"ing sensationalizing it.

I see the issue here as omg!ing headlines

[Hugabear]

15. Because the focus of the article is NOT about how "all of humanity is under threat"

They deliberately pulled that quote out of context, used it for the headline for the sole purpose of getting attention.

[kestrel91316]

12. A formal WHO policy statement doesn't exactly constitute "journalism"

in my book. Where those words an exact quote from WHO, or written by some member of the press looking to sell their story?

[billyoc]

14. Where's the irresponsibility? The Telegraph reported Chan's statement.

I didn't see them "glossing over" the fact that the world is in a better chance to combat a new influenza virus than ever before, so what's the problem?

[Ilsa]

17. Hey, we've got some snowflake babies we can thaw out! nt

[kestrel91316]

18. The exact quote From Dr. Chan:

"After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic."

She is stating a FACT. This is not alarmist. The Telegraph, in typical print press fashion, has altered her quote and should take the quotation marks out of their headline.

[uppityperson]

20. exactly. No need to sensationalize it.

OMGingishness annoys me

[Hugabear]

23. Maybe you should look at the ENTIRE quote - not just one part of it.

"Above all this is an opportunity for global solidarity as we look for responses and solutions that benefit all countries, all of humanity.

"After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.

"The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously, precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

"For the first time in history we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real time. Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour.

"All countries should immediately now activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia."


She did NOT say that all of humanity is currently under threat. This quote was taken out of context. Even YOU took it out of context.

[kestrel91316]

29. You're missing my point entirely. Sheesh. The newspaper completely

misquoted her, changing the wording slightly so they could us it to oversensationalize the whole issue. They turned it into a statement that would elicit OMGs from people rather than thoughtful agreement. And I am well aware of everything else she said.

Where did I say she said the word "currently". I'm not the one who needs to improve their reading here.

[NeedleCast]

22. All of Humanity is Under Threat

That's the sort of thing I expect to hear from fundies talking about the Large Hadron Collider or gay marriage.

[Hugabear]

25. Or from rethugs pushing for missile defense

n/t

[ejpoeta]

26. do you know what the funniest thing about this is....

the media. the today show they were talking about the swine flu and wondering why people were so worried about it if it isn't much different than the regular flu that we get every year. I don't know. maybe it is the hypersensationalized big red maps and the headlines talking about this epidemic.

[uppityperson]

28. seriously? Oh too funny.

[xchrom]

30. is the head of the WHO frog marching you down the grocery to load up --

or is editor of the nyt holding a gun to your head and making you raid the pharmacy for tamiflu?

you're not worried -- you're not OMGing.

but don't discount the very real topic that his flu is.

if it had been you toddler who died -- or if it is your elderly mother who winds up dying from this or any flu or supposedly 'mild' virus
that is easily communicable -- i imagine you might feel a TAD differntly.

[Bluebear]

31. What is wrong with Dr Chan "calling for global solidarity to combat the virus"?