I chose two national newspapers (The Wall Street Journal and New York Post) and one regional newspaper (The Morning Call) from Tuesday, March 25, in looking for stories on the mudslide. Each paper takes on a slightly different writing style that makes each story unique.
For those not aware of the story, a deadly mudslide near Oso, Washington (roughly an hour north of Seattle) on Saturday has left over a hundred people missing and the number of casualties rising by the day. Large amounts of rainfall had caused the land to weaken, ultimately leading to the slide. On the day of the slide, three individuals were pronounced dead. But that number has risen to 14 by Tuesday morning—the time of release of the three newspapers—and 24 by Wednesday evening. Additionally, 176 individuals are still missing, roughly 30 homes were destroyed in the slide, and Highway 530 was blocked for hours on Saturday. A number of others are hospitalized. While rescuers and town officials continue the search for remaining survivors, hope continues to dwindle by the day.
In reading each story in three different newspapers, I could see a wide range of variation across the different platforms. The first difference I noticed immediately was the photograph selections. The photographs displayed in the two national publications were overhead shots of the deadly wreckage that showed the effects of the natural disaster. The photo in the New York Post is roughly half of the page as well, showing the entire wreckage of the mudslide and its aftermath. On the other hand, The Morning Call's photo is of three Washington State Police officers and a "Road Closed" sign on the highway.
The titles of one of the papers caught my eye as well. While The Wall Street Journal ("Mudslide's Toll Rises to 14") and The Morning Call (Wash. mudslide toll reaches 14") used relatively similar headlines, the New York Post took a vastly different approach. Across the top of the page read "HELL FROM THE HILL" in all caps and 50-plus point font. Under that was the picture, followed by the headline, "176 still missing in deadly Wash. mudslide." The New York Post isn't afraid of shying away from the truth, using bold and loud statements and photos for their stories.
All three of the publications included much of the same facts: location of the mudslide, amount of missing people, those individuals that have died, amount of homes destroyed, cause of the mudslide, etc. But one newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, included information neither of the other two did. The article referenced previous slides in the same area, including one in 2006, and that the river at the base of the hill has been deteriorating the land.
Another similarity in two of the papers was the persuasive language mentioned in The Wall Street Journal and The Morning Call. Both newspapers used a bit of optimism in the first two paragraphs, noting that the number of potential missing people may not be as high as anticipated. The Wall Street Journal states: "However, they cautioned that many of those names are almost certainly duplicates." In a quote by John Pennington, director of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management in The Morning Call's article, they expressed a similar stance. "This number is going to decline dramatically. ...Some (reports of the missing) are as detailed as 'John with brown hair and blue eyes who lived in a particular neighborhood.' Others are just 'Frank, I met him once.'" It seems as if they are persuading the readers with optimistic language.
In terms of primary, first-hand accounts of the event, both The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post included direct quotes of individuals who lived in the area of the slide. In The Wall Street Journal, Reed Miller was a resident of the town who lost his home and is still without his son after the tragedy. "My house is gone, my son is gone," Miller said. His quote was placed in the subhead of the story as well. In the New York Post, Elaine Young is a resident of the area. Fortunately for her, her house wasn't harmed in the slide. "If we found a dog alive yesterday afternoon that we cut out of a part of a house, doesn't that seem that maybe somebody could be stuck up under part of a house and be alive, too?" Young questioned. I believe these quotes bring credibility and a personal account to life to the readers. Another personal view of the slide is included in the New York Post, as Gail Moffett (a retired firefighter from the area) has personal ties with about 25 people who are reported as missing.
In all three articles, the facts are presented clearly and in an unbiased way toward the audience. There are no opinions presented in the articles--just facts and quotes from county officials and residents. The journalism is presented solidly throughout each story.
