Plan B Forum

CNN has mistaken a flag displaying sex toy symbols for that of terrorist organisation Islamic State in a report it aired on London's Gay Pride parade.



In an 'exclusive' report which ran on Saturday, a CNN correspondent went on air to claim she was the only one to notice an ISIS jihad flag being waved among gay pride crowds.

But to the broadcaster's embarrassment, the satirical flag was adorned not with Arabic lettering, but symbols of sex toys.

8) Is there a way in which we can permanently enter this incident into the journalism vernacular?

Liam Stack, of the New York Times, had an excellent suggestion along these lines:

Liam Stack
@liamstack‏

Best part of CNN/ISIS/dildo flag story?CNN producers will have to start asking "is this thing we're about to report just a bunch of dildos?"

1:49 PM - 27 Jun 2015

Henceforth, whenever CNN drastically flubs or overstates a nonsense threat, such segments shall be known as "just a bunch of dildos."

To wit:

"Did you see that CNN bit about how ISIS is recruiting female fighters using nutella and kittens?"

"Yeah, but I think that story might turn out to be just a bunch of dildos."

One reporter called the flag "a very bad mimicry, but a very clear attempt to mimic, the ISIS flag."

CNN described the writing on the flag as "gobbledygook."

In fact, it was dildos and butt plugs.

CNN described the writing on the flag as "gobbledygook."