As we all know we’re dreadfully threatened by the fake news that can turn up on Facebook and the like. But given the performance of the legacy press there’s not much they’ve got to crow about.
Take this for example:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Kennel Club warns premium White Swiss Shepherd dogs could be sold off as cheaper German cousins ahead of Crufts debut[/perfectpullquote]Why would anyone do something that stupid?
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Pet owners have been warned to be vigilant by the Kennel Club when buying White Swiss Shepherd dogs amid fears premium priced puppies are being passed off as their cheaper German cousins.[/perfectpullquote]No, really, that’s just silly.
So, the backstory here:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] The Kennel Club has intervened on the eve of the world’s most famous dog show following intelligence from enthusiasts about one dealer in South Wales who attempted to sell a white-haired German Shepherd as a White Swiss Shepherd. Sue Renno, breed club chairman at the White Swiss Shepherd UK Club, told the Telegraph said: “There is no doubt that some people are looking at this trade as a cash cow. [/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”A White Swiss Shepherd puppy cost £1,500 while a German Shepherd puppy is about £900. They look very similar and we know of one case already. I’m not going to name the dealer but know who it is and are keeping a careful watch on them.[/perfectpullquote]So a White Swiss puppy is worth more than a White German one. OK, fair enough.
So, why would someone be passing off a White Swiss as a White German when they came to sell it? As is obvious in the third quote they’re not, it’s the other way around. But that means that the headline and the second quote have both contradicted the very point of the whole article.
Which is rather why newspapers used to have editors and quite obviously don’t any more. Not so much fake news here as merely incompetent.
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