Over last weekend I watched the same story play incessantly over US TV networks about the alleged rape of a woman by Libyan authorities. Although the circumstances looked suspicious, the rape and mistreatment could very well have happened. After all, rape occurs frequently among US soldiers (See this, this, and this), but isn't given this kind of coverage. The coverage of the incident looked very much like the alleged incidents that played on the networks to prepare us for the Iraq invasion. This author explores this phenomenon in more detail and from a broader perspective.
Modern marketing companies would label this story a “hook.” According to journalists, every big media event ideally needs a “hook,” which becomes the central element of a story that makes it newsworthy, evokes a strong emotional response, and sticks in the memory. An ideal “hook” may turn public opinion from being opposed to the war to being supportive of the war.
