spin control

noun

1. Slang. an attempt to give a bias to news coverage, especially of a political candidate or event.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spin control¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Idioms and Phrases

Manipulation of news, especially political news, as in The White House press secretary is a master of spin control . This idiom uses spin in the sense of “interpretation,” that is, how something will be interpreted by the public (also see put a spin on ). [c. 1980] Also see spin doctor .

Example Sentences

“I’m doing a lot of things very well, a couple of things to work on – spin control was not very good today,” Pieters said.

From Seattle Times

In a paper in Nature, Noël et al.1 report an approach that allows low-power spin control using an electric field.

From Nature

“I’m pleased the things I’ve been working on, wedges, distance control, spin control were spot-on this week so I’m very pleased with it.”

From Reuters

“Two decades later, Barr is now attorney general himself -- and defending another president who has repeatedly blasted a special counsel's investigation of his activities. … Barr's 1998 comments about ‘spin control’ came several months after he co-authored a public statement with three fellow former attorneys general expressing concern that attacks on Starr from officials in the Clinton administration appeared ‘to have the improper purpose of influencing and impeding an ongoing criminal investigation and intimidating possible jurors, witnesses and even investigators.’

From Washington Post

The head gets thicker from low heel to high toe to increase forgiveness and raise the center of gravity for trajectory and spin control.

From Golf Digest