Now the orange guy has gone, I’m a cert for a career in journalism. No more fake news.
Umm, well, we never did fake news. We just do news. No matter who’s in power, true is true.
Yeah, the pointy heads really like truth. It’s meat and drink to them. You’d think they don’t need to wipe after they poop. Okay, I can do true.
I’m not sure reporting is for you. To be brutally frank, you seem to have one or two prejudices.
Sure, but I’m balanced. That’s good, right?
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Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
Yep, every news story can have different impact on the audience from the perspective of the report. The same story told and visually shown illustrates whatever the broadcaster wants to emphasise. Neither are fully false or truly true. It seems that actual facts are boring without some form of spin.
To me your story picks up these points clearly.
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Thanks, James
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Actually, balanced would be good. Very good indeed. I’d like to meet the second participant in the conversation though. I’m certainly not seeing anyone like that right now.
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So long as the balance is not struck between what’s true and what’s false
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Balance is good, Neil.
Remember this?
‘Senior BBC executives think it’s wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics.’
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Facts are everything that is the case. Truth is the connection between them
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I am usually not this cynical, but whether orange or not, it’s pretty much the same muchness 😦
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There may be a difference between the grown-ups and the spoiled kids. Let’s hope so
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I heard a great line the other day. “There’s 3 sides to a story. Your view, his view, and the truth.”
Nicely written.
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Thanks so much
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The media is biased.
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All of it?
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This really made me smile – loved the voice! (Very apt on this auspicious day.)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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I thought we might need some levity today (albeit with a hint of acid)
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It’s a minefield. I’m sure he would get employed at one or two of the media outlets in the UK who like to wear their bias on their sleeves, no matter the truth.
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The BBC is very keen on balance
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Yep, and manages to consistently tie itself in knots to try and achieve it. But at least it tries, unlike the vast majority of the media outlets.
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No news is good news. I look forward to never reading “Trump tweeted…” ever again. Well done.
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Thanks, Joshua
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Don’t think that second journalist exists, frankly. News these days is carefully curated, and truth is secondary to agenda.
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Coronavirus has taught us all again about the importance of truth
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But not, I suspect, the whole truth…
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Balanced, indeed 🙂
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It’s a peculiar feature of Anglo-Saxon journalism.
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I choose which channel to watch the news depending on which side I want it reported from! Some from the left, some from the right – finding a neutral stance is nearly impossible.
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Neutrality depends on where you start from
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Quite a conversation this guy has going on in his head. Each of us can convince ourselves of just about anything. Rationalization has been the root of a lot of evil but also a lot of good. We shall see what we shall see as the future unfolds….
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I intended it as a dialogue, but that’s an interesting take on it
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Thanks, Neil.
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Loved your reveal! You had me chuckling. Lovely story, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Penny
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Hilarious! I could even picture what this young man (young woman?) looks like. Good job.
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Thanks so much, Eugenia
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It’s not good for anybody when we can’t the difference between what’s real and what’s not.
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No, it’s not
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Well, as long as he can “do true”, that’s all right then. As long as he remembers that he’s supposed to be doing true during his working day…
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He may be less than wholly aware of what’s true
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Just reporting facts would be nice. Get rid of the political agenda. Maybe news always was biased but they hid it well.
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Ah, but which facts should they select?
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Took me a moment to realise this was an interview – neatly done!
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Some have read it as a monologue. That seems to work too
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LOL. Not all balance is good balance. Made me think of the movie about and the book by Deborah Lipstadt that made me rethink both/and logic when applied to certain kinds of “alternate truth.” But, I’m a creative writing major. I would make a *terrible* journalist. Two very different jobs and mindsets. At least I know I would make a terrible journalist, so that’s something? Fun story that made me think!
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Exactly. Putting a climate denier on to counter a climate scientist would be “balance”
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Well I absolutely deny the existence of climate. So I have already chosen my side. But I am open to rational debate. With charts. And graphics. 👍 (PS I am kidding. I do in fact believe in the existence of things like science. And climate change. Just FYI.)
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I do wish there was more truth. These days it is really hard to differentiate between what’s real and what’s not. Social media can make that even more confusing. And the fact that technology gives us the ability to edit out and put in words in the person’s own voice doesn’t help. This was a great take on the prompt.
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Thanks so much
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Nicely done!
These days what is truth? And who would believe it anyway? Methinks he might not get this job!
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It would help us all greatly if he does not
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methinks, this is a man trapped in his own making.
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His storytelling does get a bit restrictive
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