How do you report the particulars of a human event without offending 49% of your audience? Humanity is now pretty much in a state of "auto-polarization". Tribal media, ravenously competing for "souls/sales", has pushed virtually all of us into our opposing corners. Yes, the perils of this state are obvious to many, and from their insight/response is emerging a new "attractor". Predictably the early adopters of the next attractor will be those who, in the present market/dynamic system have faired least well. Probably it will not be FOX or MSNBC who will start shouting "new news". Yahoo is more likely.
Today's Yahoo lead is a screaming example. "Abducted college student, suspect killed while fleeing from troopers" The elaborating report was, no doubt by design, offered in, what I call, "flex-prose". No matter where Yahoo's audience self-aligns on the identity spectrum, the narrative will confirm their bias.
I carefully read the article, with as little bias as I was capable, and concluded that Yahoo had told me that either Event A or Event B occured yesterday. I believe that I had been implicitly invited to choose which story I liked more.
Event A: In a small Kentucky town an estranged black couple with a history of domestic conflict about their children aroused the suspicion of customers at a store, which led to a police alert and a car chase. While in chase, the officers heard shots coming from the fleeing car and, fearful for the wellbeing of the woman passenger, returned sufficient fire to kill all occupants in the car. PS: the deceased female had been enrolled at Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio.
Event B: An Ohio State University Coed was kidnapped from a local store by an armed assailant. In a following dramatic car chase to save the student, the assailant was killed. Regrettable the female student also died from wounds sustained in the confrontation.
Welcome to the age of "flex-prose"