The Motley Fool has an interesting article looking at how the media treat the same press release differently.
The example they use is McDonalds recent results press release. In the release they announce excellent financial performance (sales up 18%) but warn that there will be charges in the fourth quarter to support it’s “revitalization” plan.
Author Devan Goldstein points out that the news was covered subtly differently by different outlets, e.g.:
“McDonalds sees more revamp costs” – CBS Marketwatch
“McDonalds same-store sales up 8.4%” – Reuters
Devan advises readers:
“As you sort through the news, remember that you may not be getting the whole story from any one source, and that the dizzying array of headlines may be quite conflicting. So be a Fool and educate yourself. You’ll be much better equipped to deal with the news and numbers that speed your way every day. After all, while we do our best to give you our take on the news every day, you can’t base your investment decisions on just one point of view.”
Sound advice indeed…
Murphy's Law 