Creating the story

Harry at Squaring the Globe notes that the Boston Globe is once again citing ubiquitous expert "Some" in its headlines again.

That perrennial newsroom celebrity, 'some', a fellow who often seems to make the Globe headlines, scores again in today’s Boston Globe in the front page above-the-fold headline:
Hospital crisis has some doubting O'Malley's leadership

However the headline is ill-suited to the article’s content. Of all the people quoted in the article by reporter Michael Paulson, only one is specifically critical of the Cardinal, and he is (surprise!) quoted first. All others quoted are either generic in their criticism or outright supportive of O’Malley. The lone critic quoted is Richard J. Santagati, president of Merrimack College.

Apparently in Globe newsroom arithmetic ‘some’ = 1 + 1 reporter.

As I've said before, when a reporter says "Some critics say..." or similar constructions, that's a clue that the reporter is talking about himself or people he wants to exist but can't find. It's making a story where there isn't one.

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