Duke lacrosse: Durham Herald Sun news bias

Update 7-17-06: In the post below I refer to Jeffrey Bloxsom as gay. A reader said he isn't. I checked. Although he has been called gay in some news reports most other news reports I found guote his attorney as saying in and out of court that Bloxsom is not gay. I accept his statements as fact and regret my error. John
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If you still doubt there's media bias directed against the Duke lacrosse players, take a look at what the Durham Herald Sun offered its readers Monday evening, with a big assist from the liberal/leftist Associated Press.

At heraldsun.com there was a story headline and leads for paragraphs in capitals as follows:

Summary Box: Duke lacrosse player labeled 'instigator'

By The Associated Press
Jul 10, 2006 : 9:18 pm ET

DUKE PLAYER CHARGED: Duke lacrosse player Collin Finnerty, also charged with two team members with raping an exotic dancer, started a trial in the District of Columbia on an unrelated assault charge Monday. The trial is expected to conclude Tuesday.

PROSECUTION TESTIMONY: A witness said Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y., was the instigator who made homophobic comments at Jeffrey Bloxsom during a Nov. 5 fight that left two men with minor injuries.

DEFENSE CASE: Defense lawyers presented a wholly different picture of the incident, saying that Scott Herndon threw the first punch, to the back of Finnerty's head.

Note that the journalists at the AP and in the Herald Sun's newsroom headlined Finnerty as the "instigator" based on the testimony of Jeffrey Bloxsom, a gay who's accused Finnerty of making homophobic remarks. Finnerty and others involved in the incident dispute Bloxsom's allegations. But you wouldn't know that from the headline or what follows, would you?

Is there anyone reading this post who doesn't know that the bias represented in the headline:

Duke lacrosse player labeled 'instigator'

is typical of MSM?

I'm a Durham resident who thinks the Herald Sun's coverage of the Duke lacrosse case has been, in particular instances, superior to that of its much larger and better funded rival, the Raleigh News & Observer. And overall, I think it's been much better.

But now the Herald Sun gives us:

Duke lacrosse player labeled 'instigator'

when it could just as easily have headlined:

Duke lacrosse player disputes charges

or this:

In DC Duke lax case court hears two versions

I'll bet most of you are saying to yourselves: "The problem with the "In DC Duke lax case court hears two versions" healine is it doesn't help those accusing Finnerty. So it has to be discarded."

Well, I won't dispute that.

If you wish to contact the Herald Sun editor his name is Bob Ashley. His email:bashley@heraldsun.com
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Post URL:
http://www.heraldsun.com/state/6-751459.html