| Type | Fake news |
|---|---|
| Format | Website |
| Publisher | Allen Montgomery |
| Editor-in-chief | Nigel Covington[1] |
| Launched | 2013 |
| Website | nationalreport.net |
National Report is an American digital media company that predominantly publishes as a daily. Using components of satire including irony, sarcasm, derision, tragedy, ridicule and invective language the publication lampoons the American mainstream news media. The National Report often reports on current events, both real and fictional.
Overview
editParodies run by National Report generally follow an archetype composition developed by its creators. With the look and feel of a genuine news site stories start out plausible and become less so with each paragraph. The publication's intent is to let the reader discover the satirical content of any piece on their own if they take the time to read through the story. This is accomplished through the use of surreal, outrageous and implausible proclamations made by its writers along with the use of hyperbole, juxtaposition, literary misdirection, irony, double entendre, metaphor, metonymy, and oxymoron's. The website runs feature stories, editorials, interviews and opinion pieces lampooning local, national and international news, sports, music, science, religion, contemporary politics, the American mainstream media, the entertainment industry and more.[citation needed]
Articles found on the National Report are not solicited. The company does not place limits on what writers choose to write about. Therefore articles often reflect extreme views from a religious perspective, a political perspective and from both the conservative and liberal camps.[citation needed]
History
editNational Report was developed during January and February of 2013 as a satirical publication that mimics the American mainstream media today. The site covers a wide spectrum of topics much like any news outlet would. The website went online on February 23, 2013,[2] and has ever since been controversial. Numerous articles published about the National Report have credited the publication for its cutting satire,[3] or have denounced the publication for its inability to write satire[4] and for its lack of humor in reporting.
Business model and confirmation bias
editMany Americans under 30 who grew up largely exposed to satire by reading The Onion today expect satire to be funny believing satire is a genre of comedy. Comments frequently left by readers of the National Report clearly reflect the commenter's belief that if an article isn't funny it can't be satire. "Only since the age of The Onion has satire required some sort of a humor aspect to it," said Allen Montgomery, founder and publisher of the National Report.[6]
Satire is rightfully a genre of literary art and expression therefore a work of satire may or may not be humorous though humor is one component commonly found in satirical works. "Laughter is not an essential component of satire; in fact there are types of satire that are not meant to be funny at all."[7]
In addition to the publication being a form of entertainment for its fan base the goal of National Report is to promote or provoke its readers into a discourse by exposing people's faults, vices, ineptness, follies especially in the context of religious issues, contemporary politics, and topical issues found in the news. According to the Oxford dictionary, the definition of "satire" well defines the preponderance of work found on National Report.[4]
According to Montgomery, the National Report's success is largely due to confirmation bias.[5] Montgomery explained how confirmation bias works during his interview on The Rundown Live podcast # 191.[6]
Understanding readers will click on a story that validates their own personal views, the National Report gives readers exactly what they expect to find. A legitimate looking news website. But one look at the headlines found on National Report such as, Obese Teen Gamers Too Lazy To Masturbate Study Says, Parents Put 16 Year Old Daughter Up For Adoption After Learning She is Gay, Satan Worshiping Child Beheads Cat for Show-and-Tell, MO Woman Possessed by Demon after Signing Up for Obamacare, Super Bowl XLIX Odds: Patriots Now Heavy Favorite to Cheat and Facebook Slaps “Satire” Tags On NBC Links As Result Of Brian Williams’ Scandal, should be a dead giveaway of the site's content.[8]
Fake News / Hoaxes
editFrom November 2013 through December 2014, the National Report explored adding Fake News / Hoaxes to its publication. A number of these stories did well. However in January 2015, the company withdrew fake news as a genre so writers could focus on the company's satirical roots.
<ref>[4] Oxford Dictionary, American English/satire, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/satire?searchDictCode=all</ref> <ref>[5] Science Daily (confirmation bias) http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/c/confirmation_bias.htm</ref> <ref>[6] The Rundown Live podcast # 191- (Interview with Allen Montgomery) http://therundownlive.com/rundown-live-191-allen-montgomery-nationalreport-net-satire-comedy/Aired on January 28, 2014.</ref> <ref>[7] <s> Wikipedia, Satire http://en.wikipedia2.org/wiki/Satire#Satire_and_humor</s></ref>{{better source}} <ref>[8] National Report, http://nationalreport.net/</ref>
References
edit- ^ "Staff". National Report. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
- ^ Website launched first story, Marijuana Kills! Fatal Strain of Cannabis Claims First Victim in California Town, published on February 23, 2013
- ^ "Satire is Hard, Why Most Onion Ripoffs Don't Work". SplitSider. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
For others, the fact that National Report owns this deception may put them in the clear, and indeed make theirs some of the most cutting satire of all.
- ^ "National Report Proves That Not Everyone On Internet Can Write Satire". Tucson Weekly.