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BBC, CNN in Heated Dispute over Headline
Posted at 09:34:45 4/28/2007

(NEW YORK) - The UK-based BBC News has found itself locked in a heated war with overseas American news giant CNN. The dispute arised after CNN made its online news headline “Car bomb rips through Baghdad, kills 21″ while the BBC chose the headline “Iraq car bomb kills at least 20.”

CNN has denounced the BBC’s headline claiming that there is a “liberal bias” and that it “manipulates the facts.”

“By saying ‘at least’ 21, you’re implying that there’s a whole lot more dead. But there is only 21 dead. Not 25 or 29 or something. By choosing CNN, you get the facts - ‘CAR BOMB KILLS 21!’”

The BBC has defended its choice of words in yesterday’s headlines and denounced CNN’s fear tactics.

“The BBC takes its journalism very seriously and I find it funny that CNN accuses us of lacking integrity when CNN grabs headlines using theatric phrases such as ‘rips through Baghdad.’ These are obviously fear tactics meant to dramatize the violence and draw in a wider audience,” the BBC said early this morning.

The conflict between the two news giants has highlighted a larger issue - that being the ongoing rivalry between major news sources.

Last week, a Drudge Report headline carried the news of Lindsay Lohan’s DUI crash while the BBC and CNN headlined the ongoing airstrikes in Gaza.

CNN complained about the Drudge’s headline saying “It’s not fair that the Drudge makes headlines like that… it’s not even news! If we were to make that our headline then we’d be called amateurs but when Matt Drudge makes a celebrity DUI its leading story he gets a pat on the back and a fat check. It’s ridiculous”

But, opting to stay out of the line of fire between the BBC and CNN, Matt Drudge only responded saying “I got no issue with CNN or the BBC, but I think that the both of them oughta stop being a bag of pussies and get on with things. There’s news to tell!”

And as more newsworthy events unfold, I’m sure they all will be telling their side of the story.