And they keep on flaming

 

The Jackson Sun lies.

But they are not alone. So does the Tennessean, the Commercial Appeal, and every newspaper that says things like this

“May 14 update on coronavirus in Jackson: Madison Co. cases remain at 164, 16,699 cases statewide”

If you don’t have the disease, then you aren’t a “case.” If you had the disease, say flu, you say, “I had a case of flu.” That is past tense. When you say, “Madison Co. remain at 164,...” that is present tense,

So, actually, how many cases of Covid-19 that we currently have in Madison County is, are you ready for this??

Fourteen. That’s right, 14. Five are sick and we don’t know their condition. Six are sick, but better. And the status of three is unknown.  Oh yeah, two are deceased.  That’s 16. How about the other 148? Oh, they are recovered.  How do I know? Because the paper, if you read down and into the article:

    Recovered: 148 cases (90%)

    Not recovered: Five cases (3%)

    Better: Six cases (4%)

    Unknown: Three cases (2%)

    Deceased: Two cases (1%)

I think it is time to ask this. Why are all the media leads telling is HOW MANY we have had. The question is, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE NOW?

It’s a fair question. Because the answer tells us how we should act.  Should we go out? Should we tell the government, thanks, you’ve done your job, now it’s time for you to leave?

Fourteen active and 148 recovered says, “Leave!”  But 164 says, “Stay!”

Why does the press slant the news to make thinks look much worse than they are? I think you know. I think I know. And I think they know.

https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/local/2020/05/14/may-14-update-coronavirus-jackson-madison-co-cases-remain-164/5193737002/

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

How they fan they flames

I write you concerning your reporting of Covid-19 cases.  From the article on 5/1:

“148 cases in Madison County

There are 148 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Madison County as of May 1 at 4 p.m., up three from this morning's report.”

Reading this anyone would immediately believe that there are 148 people sick with the disease.

Yet, when I read further, I find:

“  Recovered: 94 cases (64%)

    Not recovered: 26 cases (18%)

    Better: 14 cases (9%)

    Unknown: 14 cases (9%)

    Deceased: 1”

The sub-headline and following sentence are not correct. You had 95 cases (94 +1). You now have, per the above, 45, of which 26 still ill, 14 are better and 14 are unknown.

An accurate sub-headline would have read: “There are 54 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Madison County as of May 1 at 4 p.m., up three from this morning's report.”

The sub-headline seems to follow the old newspaper rule, “If it bleeds it leads.” That wasn’t good in the past. In today's world were people have largely gone to Social Media for their news, often quoting newspapers without attribution or analysis of what they quote, it is worse.

I appreciate your efforts, especially during these difficult and uncertain times. But as a subscriber I expect accuracy. Even more so when we are trying to emerge from an economy killing shut down. We desperately do not need inaccurate information fanning the flames.

I look forward to reading further articles that accurately state the problem as it exists today.

Thank you

 


"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper “It’s the presumption that Obama knows how all these industries ought to be operating better than people who have spent their lives in those industries, and a general cockiness going back to before he was president, and the fact that he has no experience whatever in managing anything. Only someone who has never had the responsibility for managing anything could believe he could manage just about everything.” - Thomas Sowell in Reason Magazine