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Jul. 14th, 2004 02:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theweaselkingHyperbole up One Million Percent, Say Experts
The use of hyperbole in American media has increased an astonishing one million percent in the past five years, say media experts, and there is no sign that the trend will abate anytime soon.
"In the late nineties, people were saying that the media had already gone too far in its sensationalism," said Robert Kubey, director for the Center for Media Studies at Rutgers University. "But since then it's gotten even worse. Not to be alarmist, but this is the worst downturn in media quality I've ever seen in my life."
"It's really just a verbal reflection of the American drive to super-size everything," said media analyst Paulie Grasso. "We drive eight-ton SUVs, drinking quart-sized cups of coffee, following the record-breaking achievements of steroid-enhanced athletes who can bench-press a moose. We are living large, and our language needs to keep pace. Only superlatives will do at this point."
Mainstream media outlets leapt to condemn the Rutgers report, declaring it patently false and legally actionable. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's spokeman in New York, Howard Rubenstein, held a press conference to announce a record-breaking lawsuit in response.
"This irresponsible study could well lead to the end of Western civilization as we know it," stated a grim Rubenstein. "Conservatively, we estimate the damage done to our credibility could run into billions of dollars and we are suing Rutgers University accordingly." Analysts speculate that such a lawsuit could spell the end of independent academic research in the United States, and a possible 100% drop in literacy over a five-year period.
The use of hyperbole in American media has increased an astonishing one million percent in the past five years, say media experts, and there is no sign that the trend will abate anytime soon.
"In the late nineties, people were saying that the media had already gone too far in its sensationalism," said Robert Kubey, director for the Center for Media Studies at Rutgers University. "But since then it's gotten even worse. Not to be alarmist, but this is the worst downturn in media quality I've ever seen in my life."
"It's really just a verbal reflection of the American drive to super-size everything," said media analyst Paulie Grasso. "We drive eight-ton SUVs, drinking quart-sized cups of coffee, following the record-breaking achievements of steroid-enhanced athletes who can bench-press a moose. We are living large, and our language needs to keep pace. Only superlatives will do at this point."
Mainstream media outlets leapt to condemn the Rutgers report, declaring it patently false and legally actionable. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's spokeman in New York, Howard Rubenstein, held a press conference to announce a record-breaking lawsuit in response.
"This irresponsible study could well lead to the end of Western civilization as we know it," stated a grim Rubenstein. "Conservatively, we estimate the damage done to our credibility could run into billions of dollars and we are suing Rutgers University accordingly." Analysts speculate that such a lawsuit could spell the end of independent academic research in the United States, and a possible 100% drop in literacy over a five-year period.