CNN.com is running one of their "iReport" features, where they rely on ordinary people- that's us- to become virtual reporters. Cool, right?
Not necessarily.
We've all seen the efforts to marginalize, de-ligitimize, and generally make the Occupy Movement look a violent and present danger. So having a voice on a mainstream media site is great.
However, where the iReporter loses all control is in the editorial staff's naming of the features on an issue. THIS IS WHERE WE ALL COME IN! CNN has labeled their coverage of the Occupy/99% Open Story (iReports) as the following:
Open Story: Occupy turns violent
The closest thing that I found to this in any of the iReports was from someone whose post was:
Occupy Turns Violent...NOT
Undeniably, in the Oakland protests, there HAS been violence. But it's been widely reported here and in other non-traditional platforms that it was caused by a group of people not associated with the non-violent protests, but by a group who was there specifically to cause trouble. And undeniably, there has been violence directed AT the protesters by police and others.
If this movement is to be kept from being marginalized, we can't let subtle (or overt) misinformation go without correction. If this movement is to continue to grow and gain credibility, it must separate itself from the voices of hatred and actors of violence... actors that seek to sully Occupy just as much as hostile media and political forces do.
Please email CNN.com's correction address and ask that they correct this misleading headline on the front page of its website. Enough voices will force them to correct course, especially if paired with a gentle suggestion that those voices will turn away from CNN if CNN continues misleading America about this movement.
You can link to CNN's correction page at:
http://www.cnn.com/...