SPIN·DETECTOR

How the coverage framed it

Coverage of this story was largely uniform across all three outlets, with a bias spread of zero points separating the most-left from the most-right headline. All outlets relied on plain, wire-style language centered on factual reporting: each headline named alfalfa sprouts as the source, referenced a multistate or multi-state scope, and used neutral verbs such as "linked," "tied," or "recalls." The primary differences were structural rather than ideological — Star Tribune localized the story by identifying "Minnesota grower's alfalfa sprouts," ABC led with the corporate action ("Company recalls") and included specific case numbers ("55 sickened"), while Neutral News used the most generic framing ("Prompting Recall"). None of the outlets employed loaded language, assigned blame beyond factual attribution, or framed the outbreak through any political lens. Readers across these sources would have received essentially the same neutral, factual account of the public health event.