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3 sources checked · 2 source groups included · 1h ago

Still Watching

No charges over dog attack that killed Christchurch boy

Stuff (New Zealand) and Radio New Zealand describe the same event in different terms.

1 Left2 Center0 Right
Still watching. Optics is waiting for a cleaner match before calling the split.

STILL WATCHING

As of August 23, 2026 at 11:32 PM, this is how Optics News reads the wording differences in this story.

What happened The one-year-old boy was attacked by a cross-breed dog that lived at an Aranui property on 14 August.
The headline split The left frames it as "No charges laid following dog attack that killed Christchurch toddler". The center frames it as "Aranui dog attack: Police will not charge anyone after Christchurch toddler’s death".
Match confidence Medium confidence. 3 sources across 2 bias buckets. Useful framing signal — check the source list before sharing.
Same-event confidenceMedium

3 sources across 2 bias buckets agree on the event.

Framing confidenceMild

43/99 — small wording differences, not a major framing split.

WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED

Left / center-leftNo charges laid following dog attack that killed Christchurch toddler

Stuff (New Zealand) · Center-left · News report

CenterNo charges over dog attack that killed Christchurch boy

Radio New Zealand · Center · News report

Right / center-rightNo matching source in this bucket yet.

Optics keeps watching for pickup.

SEE THE HEADLINES

Center-leftMostly Factual
Stuff (New Zealand)News report · Aug 23, 11:32 PM

No charges laid following dog attack that killed Christchurch toddler

Sonny-Charles Watson, 1, was fatally attacked by a cross-breed dog and sustained cat an address on Basingstoke St, Aranui on August 14.

Open source
CenterHigh
Radio New ZealandNews report · Aug 23, 10:52 PM

No charges over dog attack that killed Christchurch boy

The one-year-old boy was attacked by a cross-breed dog that lived at an Aranui property on 14 August.

Open source
CenterMostly Factual
NZ HeraldNews report · Aug 23, 10:50 PM

Aranui dog attack: Police will not charge anyone after Christchurch toddler’s death

Sonny-Charles Watson died in a dog attack at an Aranui home earlier this month.

Open source
Details43/99 Wording Gap · Medium confidence · 3 sources
43/99 Wording GapMedium confidence3 sources · 2 bias bucketsLive match · 3 sources · 2 buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report

SOURCE MAP CHANGES

Aug 23, 10:50 PM: NZ Herald joined the source map.

Aug 23, 10:52 PM: Radio New Zealand joined the source map.

Aug 23, 11:32 PM: Stuff (New Zealand) joined the source map.

Now: Wording Gap is 43/99 and story health is live match · 3 sources · 2 buckets · comparable news format.