Media and Their Reporting

Let me give you an example of how a newspaper reporter might cover a story.

Imagine a farmer, Farmer Brown, who was interviewed because Brown had built an innovative barn to house animals during the winter.

Reporter: “So why did you build this barn?”

Farmer Brown: “Well, to ensure I can keep the animals—the cows, goats, and pigs—safe, warm, and well-fed during the harsh winters we get.”

Reporter: “Have you had animals die during the winter?”

Farmer Brown: “Oh yes. I’ve lost a couple here and there over the years. But I’ve invented some innovative features in this new barn to help keep this from happening.”

Reporter: “What is so innovative about what you have done?”

Farmer Brown: “I use a waste recycling system to fuel a heater, I have an automated feeding system, and I created a waste removal system. This also helps the environment and means I don’t have to be out in the cold looking after these animals.”

Reporter: “Are you going to share your barns with your neighbor’s animals?”

Farmer Brown: “Well, they are only big enough for my farm animals. My neighbors will have to build their own barns—but I’m happy to show them what I did and share my knowledge with them.”

Reporter: “Why have you waited until now to develop this particular barn?”

Farmer Brown: “Well, I didn’t have the funds to do it before, and it’s also taken years of research to figure out how to design these barns. Now, the government offers a small grant to farmers for developing environmentally friendly technology, so that helped a little.”

Reporter: “What would happen if you didn’t have this barn?”

Farmer Brown: “Well, some of my animals might die because of the severe weather conditions, and I don’t want that to happen of course. I lose money when any of my animals die.”

Reporter: “Do you know for sure this barn will keep all your animals alive?”

Farmer Brown: “Well, I can’t guarantee that, of course, but I believe it will be a great help.”

Reporter: “How many animals on your farm have died over the years before you built this barn?

Farmer Brown: “I don’t know. I didn’t keep count.”

Now, after reading such an interview, and having learned what much of the media (whether secular or even some Christian media) can do after interviewing me regarding the Ark and/or Creation Museum, I could expect the finished newspaper article to turn out something like this:

HEADLINE: LOCAL FARMER WON’T HELP NEIGHBORS

SUBHEADING: AND MAY BE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

Lexington, KY — In an interview today with Farmer Brown, who acknowledged he has built a unique facility to supposedly protect animals during winter, Brown declared that he would not help his neighbors by housing any of their animals in his barns.

One of the nearby farmers commented, “He probably received government assistance to build his nice new facilities. But he won’t let us put our animals in them, and I expect some of my animals will die as a result. If he received government assistance, his barn should be open for all to use.”

His closest neighbors refused to comment, but were clearly very upset by what Farmer Brown was doing.

On contacting the local animal control center, this paper discovered that Farmer Brown may actually be liable for a lawsuit for deliberate abuse of animals. Officials contend that he is actually experimenting on his animals as he tests his new barn. The director of the center said he would be keeping a close watch on Brown to see if there is any case against him.

Brown’s neighbors also declined to comment whether they would take Brown to court for refusing to help them look after their animals.

On contacting an environmental agency in the federal government, officials said Brown may have built his environmental technology illegally, since the law requires permits for what he has done with his barn. It’s possible, the agency declares, that Farmer Brown didn’t get the necessary permits.

The agency is looking into whether Brown will now be forced to leave his animals out in the pastures during the winter, while the agency investigates whether or not he obtained the necessary permits for his barn. A government representative said it’s even possible that his office might have the authority to seize Brown’s land and his animals.

Brown admitted that his animals had been dying before he built the barns. So there’s even the possibility he could be liable for animal abuse over the years. Certainly, this newspaper will investigate the matter, especially since Brown refused to give a specific number of how many of his animals had died. On a personal note, when I shared this information with some of my young colleagues at the paper, they all said that Brown’s answer gives them a feeling that he must be hiding something.

Brown admitted that the main reason he built the barns was to make money from the animals, not to protect them. The local sheriff would not comment on the possibility that Farmer Brown could be detained or arrested for his actions.

Local farmers were asked if they were considering a protest outside Farmer Brown’s barn, but no date has been set for such a protest. Meanwhile, Farmer Brown continues to ignore his less fortunate neighbors while he exhibits self-centeredness in his farming operation so that he can feather his own financial nest.

My editor and colleagues at the paper told me to make sure I would ferret out Farmer Brown’s real agenda. After sharing all the facts with the paper’s staff, I sensed that they (especially the millennials) had a strong feeling that something very sinister was going on with Brown’s barns.

People like Farmer Brown have an obvious financial motive: greed. Also, we can’t accept what he tells us at face value. Thankfully, here at the Hark Mis-Leader newspaper, our motto frames how we report the news: “Heralding a new age of journalism.”

Now, there are some secular reporters who have covered AiG and our outreaches in a fair and balanced way. But that is the exception rather than the rule.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.