Honest question: Does anyone at CNN actually do any research beyond blindly regurgitating “facts” from agenda-driven sources? We ask because in the wake of the deadly Santa Fe shooting in Texas late last week, CNN busted out an easily debunked statistic about American school shootings in 2018, and last night, CNN producer and news editor AnneClaire Stapleton tweeted this out:
There have been AT LEAST 288 school shootings in the United States since January 1, 2009, according to @cnn data review. Internationally, there have been at least 27 school shootings in select countries listed below. @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/bmUGN4mz5z
— AnneClaire Stapleton (@AnneClaireCNN) May 21, 2018
Argh. When it comes to guns, CNN doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. You know who does? Washington Free Beacon staff writer — and certified gun instructor — Stephen Gutowski:
Here's a tiny bit more on the CNN school shooting count. Looks like it comes from a CNN review of media reports. Still no mention of methodology or further details. If they're using the same methodology as before they're counting BB guns and other questionable incidents. https://t.co/lTAUkZCvuW
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
There doesn't appear to be any actual write up of this count anywhere. Maybe one is coming? For now, I guess, CNN just expects us to take their word for it.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
To be clear, CNN considers this to be a school shooting. One student shot another student with a BB gun which resulted in some bruising. https://t.co/3rQ31ZjXfP
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
CNN also considers this accidental shooting by a reserve officer for the Sand City Police Department at Seaside High School which resulted in one superficial injury to be a school shooting. https://t.co/pcPpiAlcOg
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
Recommended
CNN counts this murder, in which one adult motivated by a dispute over a rap video murdered another adult, as a school shooting because it happened in a school parking lot. https://t.co/SCSkR3u7DW
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
CNN, to their credit, is upfront about all of this in their piece on 2018 school shootings and "school shooting" is a malleable term with no official definition but journalists should strive to inform their audience and not mislead them.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
If most people wouldn't recognize an incident you've listed as a school shooting to be a school shooting then there's a real problem with your methodology. I would say that's the case with CNN's count.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 21, 2018
Methodology is only one of CNN’s problems. And it’s a big one. But bigger still is CNN’s eagerness to push a false narrative at the expense of their journalistic integrity. Whatever’s left of it, anyway.
And now a bunch of CNN employees and celebrities spread this completely false claim with no push-back, and then they wonder why the public views the media as less trustworthy than used car salesmen. https://t.co/toUY44NAUW https://t.co/jXZDPkXpYD
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 21, 2018
CNN reporters all tweeted this out almost simultaneously. https://t.co/80l6xB3Zpr
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 21, 2018
Here’s a sampling:
This … is CNN? No wonder their reputation is so lousy.
False.
— JWF (@JammieWF) May 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/Pete_In_Jersey/status/998619995902013445
— Scott R.??? (@therealscooter6) May 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/Moj_kobe/status/998605000778514432
advocacy > reporting
The actual number of school shootings is large enough. One is too many. When you're inflating numbers on purpose, you have an agenda and truth is not that agenda. https://t.co/QgjxgitYmC
— Nathan, son of Robert (@NathanWurtzel) May 21, 2018
Your problem isn't Trump yelling about "fake news". That's just someone taking advantage of the credibility gap you created yourselves.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 21, 2018
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