Most news media use a code of rules known as a "Style Book". This code tells them how to write, what to include in an article and what to leave out of it. The problem is, very few of these "Style Books" have ever been published, in fact, the only one I've heard of is the one for the New York Times (no link to the Enemy).
I think I've caught my local fishwrap, the Oregonian, in a Style-Book violation in this article. The article, referring to a Left vs. Right protest scheduled this weekend, allows the Black Bloc (their chosen name before they started taking Soros Bucks) to call itself "Antifa", and then amplifies on that by letting them say that they are anti-fascist. This is a classic propaganda trick to label the entire Right with a historically-hateful name.
Numerous articles (here is just one of many) have pointed out that "Antifa" is actually closer politically to Fascism than those who march under the US Flag, but you will NOT find that in the Oregonian article. On the other hand, you find that Patriot Prayer USA, the oppo in this protest, is referred to without the "USA" attached, but their Facebook site specifically refers to them WITH the USA attached. The editing of Patriot Prayer USA's name, while allowing Antifa not only to use THEIRS, but to give THEIR definition of it, is nothing less than editorializing on the Front Page, a deceptive practice.
I wrote the Editors and demanded to see their Style Book:
Editors:
Have you ever published your Style Book? I am curious to see if it actually allows a Leftist faction unchallenged use of their adopted sobriquet, but not a faction from the Right. I refer to Saturday's article on changing strategies of protesters. The Black Bloc is referred to by "Antifa", but the other side, which would use some variation of "America" in their name, is not allowed to. When you do this, you have abandoned objective reportage in favor of editorializing, your privilege, but not on the front page.
Publish the Style Book please. If you refuse, we may be assured that you have violated it's rules.
I give myself a 35% chance of having the paper publish this letter.
I give the paper a zero chance of publishing their Style Book.
Tyrants never admit their errors.
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