A "This is" story (the type we tend to do on our podcast ALMOST exclusively) explains an issue or specific event from a "this is" angle and reports what the SUBJECT is. This analyzes the SUBJECT of the story from as many angles as possible with evidence (sources, data etc).
2/25
A "They said" stories are entirely on what a selected group or person has said. What is said about the subject does not have to be factually accurate. A "they said" story is making only one claim: that a specific person said it. This story is easy, cheap and profitable.
3/25
A "They said" story must have 5 things
1. A statement that someone has said
2. Proof that they said it
3. Other views BRIEFLY at the end (which most people will not get to)
4. Lies that are presented as equal to the (optional) truth
And
5. Few/No Trans quotes or names
4/25
With this you can pretty much do anything. You can twist it to any political ideology you like. You can put this out in a broadsheet, tabloid, TV news segment, web article, YouTube video, Tweet or podcast.
Almost every transphobic news report fits a "They said" model.
5/25
Example "They said" Story
Lesbians going extinct due to people being trans
Subject: Transgender people existing?
Statement from: LGB Alliance
Proof they said it: Journalist interview
https://t.co/yhgCMX5DJq 6/25
The Truth: Lesbians aren't going extinct due to trans people.
Evidence:
https://t.co/bwjZTHsViL ONS figures shows UK population percentage of gay men and lesbian women rise from 2014 to 2018
(Delete this if potential profitability threatened)
7/25
Counterpoints: Vague references to detractors near top. Quotes from 2 pro-trans cis allies at end
Bonus point: LGB Alliance allegedly cites studies showing elevated rates of autism in transgender people. They do not link/name studies. Are they good/bad studies? Who knows?
8/25
Bonus point: LGB Alliance claim to have seen a school class which is majority trans and has no LGB people in it.
Oh right, that is just going to be a fact in it now? That this happened? AWESOME!
Pro LGB Alliance bias established. Their word is truth now.
9/25
Number of trans peoples quotes: 0
Number of trans people mentioned by name: 0
This report successfully makes trans people a faceless, voiceless force. References throughout of 'clashes' with feminists. No details provided (physical? verbal? WHO KNOWS?)
10/25
After you have reported what was said you must inflate the word count. Thankfully you can just add 4-5 other "they saids" in the same story as long they are loosely connected. This story for example jumps from LGBA to OFCOM to JK Rowling to Suzanne Moore to Keira Bell!
11/25
This is a very useful way to turn a news report into a functioning piece of hateful propaganda that is immune to ISPO and the readers will believe this to be true. Lesbians? Going extinct? Morally outraged! I am Panicked!
NEXT: The Silly Famous Source
12/25
EXAMPLE - Silly Famous "They said" Story
JK Rowling says she got 3000 letters of support after essay
Subject - JK Rowling wrote anti-trans blog
Statement from: JK Rowling
Proof she wrote it:
https://t.co/LjglYYp45i https://t.co/xs3JPlv2AE 13/25
The Truth: N/A
This story is JK tweeted words. The reporter does not have to prove JK received those letters. Only that JK tweeted those words. This is a unique privilege of the silly famous. Anything they say can be a story. Truth, lie, the reporter can use ANYTHING.
14/25
She may have got 3000 letters (likely she did).
But this is not the same as it being proven. The only proven thing is JK said she did. This is not the same as proof of 3000 letters.
A "This is" story on this would need the reporter to see the 3000 letters. But that's HARD
15/25
If you are wondering why Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have both lied and lied and lied for years this is how they get away with it. The media has a huge pro silly famous bias. HUGE.
But all news reporting is biased in some form. Unbaised reporting is a fiction.
16/25
Even if the bias is towards democracy, capitalism, the police, THE SILLY FAMOUS, football, even pro human bias counts...every news report is biased.
What The Trans has a pro trans bias.
The most insidious biases live in "unbiased" outlets. But they have them too.
17/25
Counterpoints: Vague references to transphobia allegations against JK. Brief mention of Daniel Radcliffe disagreeing at the bottom and a link to a story of trans authors quitting an agency they share with JK. (Again, most won't see these and they are tiny).
18/25
Bonus point: Another chance to include chunks of JK's anti-trans blog in the text which this outlet has been re releasing all week, profiting from a transphobes words again and again. This time JKs transphobic essay takes up about 1/4 of the total word count.
19/25
Number of trans people quoted: 0
Number of trans people mentioned by name: 0
BUT this is where we get to say "We are allies!" because we link to a story about trans people quitting an agency they share with JK! But they could only get that because, it is still about JK...
20/25
You aren't a silly famous person. If you say words, that won't be a story unless something extraordinary is happening around you (terrorist attack, you turn fluorescent, Groundhog Day). If you say something against a silly famous person, no "they said". You are nothing
21/25
JK Rowling however is SO IMPORTANT that anything she says will be repeated by VAST SWATHES of the global media for months if we can profit from it. Doesn't have to be true even. And if you try to correct it...we will just ignore you. Because, we are making money here.
22/25
BUT ANYWAY..this is how and why pretty much all of the UK News media bar very few exceptions are likely to mislead and incite hatred against minorities. "They said" stories are where moral panics come from. "They said immigrants are coming to steal our jobs!" is a CLASSIC.
23/25
Here is another classic!
"Christians say Labour councils want book about gay parents in all schools" + "Thatcher says children shouldn't have right to be gay" = Section 28
Oh that's right. You see, if you do this long enough...the government will legislate
24/25
And when they do, the process can start ALL OVER AGAIN. But, your target will suffer. But then, that's their fault.
Welcome to the free press.
Congratulations!
You have passed HATE LIKE THE PRESS 101. Please use this to spot awful shit and not create your own? Please?
25/25
Hi
@HattieBrewis and
@CamillaTominey. Used your articles as examples.
Think about why.
@HattieBrewis I have more sympathy for your position because it just looks like you needed something to meet your target and you saw a tweet and came up with something.
But you used JK Rowlings claim, took it as truth and then republished loads of her transphobic crap.
@CamillaTominey, proven in the thread that there is no extinction event amongst lesbians. You just published endless lies after lies.
And again, talking about trans issues for this many words without speaking to a single one?
If you did a report on posties with no posties...
...thing is you don't get to be assosiate editor at the Telegraph unless you know what you are doing. I am a bedroom based amateur and I could spot it all in a few minutes.
I can't know this for sure. But if I had to bet....I would bet that you knew of all the inaccuracies.
And you sent it on went on Holiday knowing that you published lies.
Absolute lies.
And you justified it by saying "well other people said them."
THEN WHY SUBMIT THEM FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN MAKE EVERY READER HATE US.
End of rant. Can forgive transphobia in a rush by mistake
Can't forgive you.
You know those homophobic reports from the 80's that shows up and everyone is like "I can't believe how bad things were?"
That is this piece, your name on it, in 10 years.
