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> [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. In context: > is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode i

by nhebb 9y ago

> [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. In context: > is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. "reviewing" is the key word. > [...] make an announcement But we won't know what the policy will be until they make the announcement. There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. > This is why journalists think so many of their readers lack the skills to read the ingredient list for bottled water. That was petty.

matt4077 9y ago
In even more context: "The Trump administration is likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries, but is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday." That means, literally, that officials said: "['We are' or 'The Trump administration is'] likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries" The uncertainty expressed by 'likely' is just that: uncertainty. It's not speculation by the journalist, who is actually just repeating what his sources told him. To criticise such reporting means you will never hear about any policy until it becomes law. That would mean nobody would ever get a chance to weigh in until after the fact. > There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. What's even more important is what's outside those two paragraphs: namely the name "Reuters", and the authors' byline: "Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson". The are institutions/people, and to a certain extend the whole system is build on the idea of trust, in the same way that you trust the neighbour you've known for years to water your plants when you're away.

by nhebb 9y ago

matt4077 9y ago

In even more context: "The Trump administration is likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries, but is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday." That means, literally, that officials said: "['We are' or 'The Trump administration is'] likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries" The uncertainty expressed by 'likely' is just that: uncertainty. It's not speculation by the journalist, who is actually just repeating what his sources told him. To criticise such reporting means you will never hear about any policy until it becomes law. That would mean nobody would ever get a chance to weigh in until after the fact. > There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. What's even more important is what's outside those two paragraphs: namely the name "Reuters", and the authors' byline: "Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson". The are institutions/people, and to a certain extend the whole system is build on the idea of trust, in the same way that you trust the neighbour you've known for years to water your plants when you're away.