Achtung! Bad journalism ahead!

Anyone who is part of the GetReligion community likely has a few pet peeves about media coverage. We joke about the need for a GetScience, GetMath and GetStatistics to complement GetReligion. Let's face it, there's nothing more painful than watching some math-challenged beat reporters try to write stories about budgets, for instance. Now, most of the reporters we are privileged to cover do very good work under unbelievably trying circumstances.

And yet something tells me that readers here might enjoy these warning labels developed by geek comedian Tom Scott. He might be better known as the British head of International Talk Like a Pirate Day:

It seems a bit strange to me that the media carefully warn about and label any content that involves sex, violence or strong language -- but there's no similar labelling system for, say, sloppy journalism and other questionable content.

I figured it was time to fix that, so I made some stickers. I've been putting them on copies of the free papers that I find on the London Underground. You might want to as well.

Some of my favorites include "Warning: To ensure future interviews with subject, important questions were not asked," "Warning: Journalist hiding their own opinions by using phrases like 'some people claim'," and "Warning: Statistics, survey results and/or equations in this article were sponsored by a PR company."

OK, you know what to do -- give us your best ideas for additional warning labels. Winner gets nothing save bragging rights -- but have fun anyway!


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