The media are extremely guilty of using “scare tactics” in order to keep people reading or to keep them glued to the screen. Many phrases are overused, but people do not realize this.
Despite the many times that people are disappointed by what the media presents, they still fall for the same scare tactics used by the media. Here are the top ten “scary” phrases used by the media. They are used to scare people into watching stories in which they may not be interested.
10. What you don’t know may shock you
First of all, this can always be the case. This phrase is usually used to preface something that is really quite obvious, but that news reporters have now decided to report. This phrase is usually used on a very slow news day.
9. Every parent’s worst nightmare
This phrase tends to be used when anything bad has happened to a child. Of course, the situation usually is not every parent’s worst nightmare. It is a bad situation. It is a sad thing that happened.
8. How safe is your home?
Newscasters love this phrase. Any report about a new finding about a product or a practice and this phrase will be used. It can be used for the most mundane things like a crib recall from a little known manufacturer.
7. They seemed like ordinary people
Everybody seems like ordinary people. There usually is not much of a story. In fact, sometimes this only covers something good that happened to others.
6. There were no survivors
When this phrase is actually used for a local tragedy, it makes a difference. However, it does not really make much a difference with some of the things that are said at times. Sometimes the stories do not even deal with humans.
5. What you need to know to protect your family.
This phrase is usually used for the most obvious things. Most people know how to protect their families. The report is usually about something obvious liking keeping your cooking area clean.
4. It could happen here
First of all, things could happen almost anywhere. “It could happen here” is a silly phrase. Secondly, the thing that’s reported ususally is not a really big deal at all.
3. What authorities don’t want you to know
The media tend to say this. However, they report on things that really can be known. If they couldn’t really tell about this stuff, the media would not know it, either.
2. Scientists say it’s only a matter of time
These reports are usually on something that is actually quite well known by the general public. It is just that the media have decided to pick up on a story on a slow news day.
1. Could you be at risk?
The media love this phrase. You’re a human and that means you could be at risk. This is usually all that it matters. This phrase just tends to lead to a story about a medical condition.
