Thread by @ForARPeople1

While we are technically part of the *media*, let's talk about the interesting ways news outlets have framed the fight over direct democracy and the Arkansas Abortion Amendment. 🧵

Here's a headline from KUAR from Thursday, the day before we got the SC order asking for briefing.

Technically, this headline is "accurate." AFLG doesn't have enough volunteer signatures to get on the ballot! No one is disputing that.

BUT.

That's not AT ALL what's at issue. And indeed, the misdirection continues: here's the first line of the story.

That is, quite literally, what the Court fight is over: whether or not AFLG does, in fact, have the signatures. The *whole issue* is whether the paid canvasser signatures will be added to the volunteer signatures and, therefore, whether AFLG is entitled to a cure period.

Using the first line of your story to say "nope, they're done!" after an already misleading headline is somewhat akin to saying you've "confirmed" there's no cure period before talking to the people *fighting* for a cure period, a lawyer, or anyone other than Sec. of State.

Even more egregious: the "update" to the story that refers to the Supreme Court's order asking for more briefing materials doesn't come till the *end* of the story. Most people will only see the headline.

All this to say: look, we like facts. Our thing is "connecting people with policy" and that requires us to know what the facts of policies are and how Arkansans will interact with those policies in their daily lives, from our crypto coverage to LEARNS to the Abortion Amendment.

So: fact check us! We like when people push back. We are only human and make mistakes (just look at the spelling/grammar errors in our live threads! We missed the terrible crypto bills in 2023! Nobody's perfect.)

But as small as it seems, pay attention to headlines and ledes.

For a counter-example, check out the DemGaz, Advocate, Times, and KATV headlines, which ran new, updated stories on the latest court filings. All those headlines - which are not necessarily overtly favorable for AFLG - at least are *balanced* in their immediate impression.

To sum up - always give a second look to headlines; give outlets the benefit of the doubt but follow up; and, above all, remember that the people rule.

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