Is this being over cautious?

Tringa

Tringa

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Dave
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This report

www.bbc.co.uk

Solway Coast bird flu death numbers 'unprecedented'

Avian flu has left a reserve on the Solway Coast dealing with "unprecedented" numbers of dead geese.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk

on the BBC news website is titled, 'Solway Coast bird flu death numbers 'unprecedented'

The report is about large number of predominantly barnacle geese that have been found dead on the Solway coast and contains two images of dead birds and it begins with this bullet point -

This story contains images that some people may find distressing.

Neither of the images are gory in any way, just two photos each of a single bird dead on the ground so why the warning?

Most of us have seen a dead bird now and again and the title gives a bit of a clue what it might contain; isn't the warning way over the top?

Dave
 
Hmmmm! perhaps?

I too wonder about the use of 'warnings' and surmise that much has either been triggered by court cases e.g. McD's hot pies or (as likely in the case you mention) corporate fear of negative complaint responses.

In other words the working assumption that if folk are not forewarned and see something uncomfortable/shocking to them they will make an official complaint.
 
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I don't think that it is over the top at all.
Some people may find the pictures distressing and they have been warned.
Others will not find them distressing so can ignore the warning.
 
h
Steep said:
It's clickbait, warn of something gory and more people will read it.
Click to expand...

Don't agree, Hugh. The warning is in small italics and could easily be missed. I think Box Brownie has got it right. Such are the times we live in that all and sundry have to 'cover' themselves. You hear the same for a news report or more often,that a tv a documentary, ' contains language or some language/scenes that some viewers may find offensive/distressing. Ofcom has a set of guidelines ..eg what language should not be used before the 9.00pm so-called watershed. It lists several examples. At the top of the guidance page it gives a warning about the examples. The BBC ,in their guidance rules state that warning of particular content must be given.

Ironically, I don't ever recall any wildlife programmes..I'm thinking particularly of those by Davud Attenborough over the years, give a warning. Many scenes involving hunting contain distressing scenes of prey being torn apart whilst it's alive. What viewers don't hear are the screams of that prey.
 
Tringa said:
This report

www.bbc.co.uk

Solway Coast bird flu death numbers 'unprecedented'

Avian flu has left a reserve on the Solway Coast dealing with "unprecedented" numbers of dead geese.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk

on the BBC news website is titled, 'Solway Coast bird flu death numbers 'unprecedented'

The report is about large number of predominantly barnacle geese that have been found dead on the Solway coast and contains two images of dead birds and it begins with this bullet point -

This story contains images that some people may find distressing.

Neither of the images are gory in any way, just two photos each of a single bird dead on the ground so why the warning?

Most of us have seen a dead bird now and again and the title gives a bit of a clue what it might contain; isn't the warning way over the top?

Dave
Click to expand...
Yes, its OTT, anybody clicking on a story headlining bird death should expect to see dead birds! Also the Beeb are setting themselves up for a fall because if they employ these warnings all the time someone will catch them out and complain/sue if the Beeb miss one :(.
 
Steep said:
It's clickbait, warn of something gory and more people will read it.
Click to expand...

I had an afterthought about your mention of clickbait because I didn't relate this article to what I see online when reading news items. Some..most,really, of the 'headline' is clearly designed to appeal to the darker side of peoples' psyche in some cases and just curiosity in others. I rarely look at them but have for a couple and one was the rescue of a dog that had drifted out to sea on a large chunk of ice..Russia, I think and it went on and on with 'Next page'. Very frustrating. Fishermen rescued it. I had to laugh at another when someone posted the result on page 1 stating.." To save you going through it all the answer is....lol.

Re the wildlife examples, there's always a lead-in filming the predator so people do have a chance to move channel.

No matter what the diverging opinions are it's summed up well by suvv.
 
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