Should we believe what we read?

by: Romany Howes (9 December 2014)

A recent show, entitled Eaten Alive has upset a number of people because, it is claimed, the show’s title was misleading. The show which was aired on the Discovery Channel last Sunday has been attacked by critics and has caused the explorer who promised that he would be eaten alive by a giant snake to admit it was misleading.

According to reports on Sky News, US naturalist Paul Rosolie attempted the heavily-trailed stunt wearing a protective suit (with a tail so that he could be easily pulled out of, God forbid, anything went wrong).

Viewers were left hugely disappointed when the said explorer lost his bottle after the 18 stone serpent was shown “rearing up and striking him in the face, before coiling itself around his body and swallowing his helmet. His plaintive call for help – "I'm calling it, I need help!" – saw him immediately pulled out.

Comments flooded in after the show: “. . . I'm ridiculously disappointed," said one. Really? Did we, the great viewing public really expect the swallowing of a man by a giant snake to be screened on TV? No of course we didn’t: but we looked at and read the headline and tuned in . . . just in case!

Whatever you write, make sure that there is no cause for misrepresentation. In this instance, we should be glad that the headline was misleading. When in doubt, find a reputable proofreading service and get your work checked over before you send it out to an expectant audience.

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