A headline in the Los Angeles Times last week said “Studio chief urges theater operators to trade in popcorn for peaches.” The banner on AOL’s homepage was more direct and bold as it said “Say goodbye to popcorn at the movies.” (I cant link the actual page that says that because it was on AOL's rotating banner page) Both stories and hundreds others like it across the nation were referring to a new push to motivate movie theaters in America to sell healthy snacks.

The only problem? The headlines were completely false and misleading.

The headlines not only imply, but staunchly proclaim an end to movie theater popcorn. AOL literally says “Say goodbye to popcorn…” with a sub-headline that read “if one man gets his way.” There’s no need to read anything into a headline like that; obviously some nut wants to force movie theaters to stop selling highly caloric food and instead sell only healthy options.

This surprised me though, because we had talked about the story on the air and I had made the clear distinction that this new movement was not about banning junk food, but rather it was about adding healthy alternatives. It was, so to speak, yet another social experiment (which, as a side note, I should point out, will fail miserably…the behavior police are constantly amazed that most Americans want to make choices of their own free will that are bad them…but I digress).

So I did what most people never take the time to do anymore; I actually read the story. Lo and behold, it took me less than 60 seconds to find the actual quote from Michael Lynton, head of Sony Pictures, who is leading the healthy-food-at-theaters charge:

“Adding healthier options to your existing menu is the right thing to do for our industry, for audiences and for our country”

Adding? What the hell? Adding?

That seems incredibly reasonable to me…all this guy is endorsing is more choice; if it fails to garner business, no doubt the theaters will discontinue the operation…if it works, then consumers will be happier and theaters will improve their bottom line.

But wait…where is the juicy part about Mr. Lynton wanting to ban popcorn as the headlines clearly said was the case?

It doesn’t exist…he never said or implied such a thing.

Yet, in a nation that takes no time to research anything and stupidly believes anything it sees, hears or reads, millions of Americans immediately started walking around spouting off the un-truth that “they’re going to ban movie popcorn!”

Ignorance is never an excuse; if you think it is, try telling a cop that you “didn’t know what the speed limit was,” and see how far that gets you. No doubt the media is culpable on all sides of the political spectrum, but they’re not evil. The media is irresponsible but not malicious. As a right-of-center guy, after years of watching Fox News gleefully proclaim themselves “fair and balanced” I have realized the truth of all media; they’re not biased, they’re human. Worse, they’re American.

When writers at Fox are formulating a story about gun control, they view the story through their own personal prism that says the right to own a gun is guaranteed to all Americans and is un-arguable. When writers at MSNBC craft the exact same story they view it through the prism that says reasonable gun control is a way to save lives without restricting anyone’s right to own a gun. Both viewpoints are arguable to be sure, but to the writers and reporters, the only perception that is truthful is their own. So in the end, the exact same story receives totally different headlines and presentations:

FOX: New restrictions on gun ownership proposed
MSNBC: Safety advocates hail new proposal

In the case of the movie theater popcorn headline, it is one of the following:

#1: Laziness on the part of the headline writers who were unwilling to read as far into the story as I was to actually get the truth of the story

#2: Injection of personal opinion; either to say this is where we are headed, or this is where we want to be headed: no more popcorn at theaters

#3: Good business; the headline writers know that dirt and juice sell. Choice is not juicy, banning something is, so they write a headline that is totally false to get their readers’ blood boiling.

I’m betting it’s #3

People that argue that the media has a responsibility to objectively report the news are simply dishonest and lazy. The only person responsible for your knowledge is you. Just because we live in a nation that regurgitates rumors and headlines as fact doesn’t make it an acceptable practice. Following the majority off of a cliff still leaves you dead…and in this case, ignorant as well.