CenterHigh
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
← Today's headlines
18 sources checked · Left, Center, and Right included · 3h ago
Different Spin
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
1 Left12 Center5 Right
DIFFERENT SPIN
HOW EACH SIDE WORDED IT
Left-leaningCenter-left2 Empire State Building climbers in custody after apparently getting engaged at the top
CBS NewsHigh
climberscustodyafter
Right-leaningLove Above: Daredevil Couple Gets Engaged During Death-Defying Climb of Empire State Building Spire
TwitchyMixed
Center baseline · 
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst)High2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
As of July 2, 2026 at 4:16 AM, this is how Optics News reads the wording differences in this story.
What happened Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
The headline split The left frames it as "2 Empire State Building climbers in custody after apparently getting engaged at the top". The right frames it as "Love Above: Daredevil Couple Gets Engaged During Death-Defying Climb of Empire State Buil...".
Match confidence High confidence. 18 sources checked, Left/Center/Right all represented. Best read as a clear framing signal — not a fact-check.
Same-event confidenceHigh
18 sources across Left, Center, and Right all describe the same event.
Framing confidenceStrong
76/99 — headlines create a clearly different first impression.
WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED
Left / center-left2 Empire State Building climbers in custody after apparently getting engaged at the top
CBS News · Center-left · News report
Center2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst) · Center · News report
Right / center-rightCouple arrested after scaling Empire State Building
Sky News · Center-right · News report
SEE THE HEADLINES
Open source
CenterHigh
BBC WorldNews report · Jul 2, 4:16 AM
Watch: Couple scale Empire State Building, get engaged and are arrested
The two were atop the 1,454 ft (443 m) building for at least ten minutes and displayed a large banner before climbing down.
Center-leftHigh
CBS NewsNews report · Jul 2, 3:35 AM
2 Empire State Building climbers in custody after apparently getting engaged at the top
climberscustodyafterapparentlygetting
Two people climbed to the top of New York City's Empire State Building, unfurled a banner, and then apparently got engaged Wednesday afternoon.
CenterMostly Factual
ABC7 New YorkNews report · Jul 2, 2:37 AM
Daredevil couple climbs to top of Empire State Building with pro-peace banner, gets engaged
The two masked climbers unfurled a banner before getting engaged in an apparent attempt to take their love to new heights.
Center-rightHigh
Sky NewsNews report · Jul 2, 2:32 AM
Couple arrested after scaling Empire State Building
A couple have been arrested after scaling the Empire State Building in an apparent marriage proposal.
RightMixed
TwitchyNews report · Jul 2, 2:30 AM
Love Above: Daredevil Couple Gets Engaged During Death-Defying Climb of Empire State Building Spire
Show all 18 sources
Center-rightMixed
Daily MailNews report · Jul 2, 2:27 AM
Daredevils who scaled Empire State Building facing MULTIPLE charges after flying protest banner and sky-high proposal at 1,454 feet
Daredevils Angela Nikolau, 33, and Vanya Beerkus, 32, were hit with a slew of charges following Wednesday's sky high stunt.
CenterHigh
The Star-Ledger (NJ.com)News report · Jul 2, 1:20 AM
Couple who scaled Empire State Building for marriage proposal are from N.J.
A New Jersey couple known for rooftopping scaled the Empire State Building antenna for a masked, dramatic engagement.
RightVery Low
The Gateway PunditNews report · Jul 2, 1:20 AM
Police Bodycam Footage Shows Moment Daredevil Couple Who Scaled Empire State Building Taken Into Custody (VIDEO)
The NYPD on Wednesday afternoon released police bodycam footage of their arrest of a masked couple who climbed the Empire State Building’s spire and unfurled a banner.
CenterMostly Factual
The Post-Standard (Syracuse)News report · Jul 2, 12:38 AM
Videos: Couple scales Empire State Building antenna for apparent marriage proposal
The two people unfurled a banner with a quote about the "power of love"
CenterHigh
WPIX PIX11 (Nexstar, New York)News report · Jul 2, 12:28 AM
Empire State Building climbers may have been exposed to radio waves, source says
NEW YORK (PIX11) – The social media influencers who climbed atop the Empire State Building Wednesday afternoon may have been exposed to radio waves, according to a source familiar with the...
CenterHigh
WTAE Pittsburgh (Hearst)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
CenterHigh
KCRA3 Sacramento (Hearst)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
CenterHigh
WISN12 Milwaukee (Hearst)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
CenterHigh
WLWT Cincinnati (Hearst)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
CenterHigh
WYFF4 (Hearst, Greenville)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
CenterHigh
WMTW8 (Hearst, Portland ME)News report · Jul 2, 12:12 AM
2 people in police custody after flying banner at top of Empire State Building
Two people waving a banner were seen at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City Wednesday.
RightMixed
Western JournalNews report · Jul 1, 11:50 PM
Two People Climb to the Top of Empire State Building Antenna, Fly Banner with Message
climbantenna
If it’s not a match made in heaven, they sure are trying. After a daredevil couple — a man and a woman, both masked — scaled to the topmost point […]
Details76/99 Wording Gap · High confidence · 18 sources
76/99 Wording GapHigh confidence18 sources · 3 bias bucketsStable · 18 sources · all three buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report
SOURCE MAP CHANGES
Jul 1, 11:50 PM: Western Journal joined the source map.
Jul 2, 12:12 AM: WDSU New Orleans (Hearst) joined the source map.
Jul 2, 12:12 AM: WTAE Pittsburgh (Hearst) joined the source map.
Jul 2, 12:12 AM: KCRA3 Sacramento (Hearst) joined the source map.
Now: Wording Gap is 76/99 and story health is stable · 18 sources · all three buckets · comparable news format.