PressEthic

CNN is taking extra care to make sure readers understand that they're supposed to be laughing at their articles; at least, at the ones by satire titan, The Onion.

In a strange twist of the nerdy news site partnering with its witty bully, CNN this month started posting articles from what the New Yorker once called "the funniest publication in the United States." Vistors peel away several layers of warnings to get to the funny stuff, distinguishing satire from the Situation Room.

For example, with this recent story, Mars rover beginning to hate Mars, there is an Onion banner on top; the word "Satire" preceeding the headline; a faint, but visible Onion logo and SATIRE in big green letters backdropping the story; and this disclaimer:

Editor's note: This may look like a real news story, but it's NOT. It is from The Onion, a humor publication that calls itself "America's finest news source." CNN may beg to differ, but we do enjoy a good laugh and hope you will enjoy a weekly selection of their satire.

I'm glad CNN is taking such careful precautions, but they kind of ruin the joke with all of the screaming about it, well, just being a joke.

It's also silly to have Onion articles on CNN.com in the first place. Frankly, I think The Onion is way past its prime. Are they trying to appeal to the coveted 18-35 market? Or maybe they just sincerely appreciate The Onion's humor, as the Editor's note suggests. Whatever the case, it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. I wonder if anyone will be ignorant enough to think one of the stories is true!