Is 'Branson Area Breaking News' a real news outlet?

BRANSON, Mo. — No, it's not real news, but it is news satire.

Branson Area Breaking News (BABN) — a Facebook page that was created in 2020 and now has almost 39,000 followers — is satire that can blend blurred lines between reality and fiction, with newsy social media posts sometimes so realistic they're often shared and seen as real news by thousands of southwest Missourians.

According to BABN, the world's first floating Dollar General has sailed across Table Rock Lake. The world's largest watermelon ever was grown in Branson. A 47-pound baby was born at a hospital in Branson, breaking a world record.

Those are all satirical writings from BABN, but other writings — including a recent BABN post that said Branson police arrested two people after they were caught living in the attic of a Wal-Mart in Branson — can come across as authentic hard news to unassuming people scrolling quickly through their social feeds.

The creator of BABN is a born-and-raised Branson resident who wishes to remain anonymous. Her pseudonym is "Margaret." She created the page independently but now has one other person who she bounces ideas off, and he occasionally writes stories, too.

Margaret told Ozarks First she's always been interested in humor and satire.

"I was active in a local Branson group when I decided to start a satire news page just to see what kind of reactions I’d get," Margaret said. "It was a hit. People who understood satire jumped in right away and played along in the comments. The page really grew organically — people love to laugh, and satire offers a break from constant negativity and political noise."

Margaret said the page "took off" rather quickly when it was created in 2020. But after the initial buzz, she didn't have time to post regularly, so the page's growth remained stagnant for a while at around 7,500 followers.

At the beginning of this year, however, Margaret committed to posting consistent content every day, which helped BABN to grow up to nearly 39,000 followers in just half a year.

Margaret said she enjoys The Onion and other mainstream satire news outlets, but she's especially fond of locally-run satire pages. One of her favorites at the moment is a page called Celina 52 diner on Facebook.

And the local feedback she's received from her own community satire page has been more positive than negative, although there are the occasional critics.

"I’ve received both positive and negative feedback from the community," Margaret said. "Many local businesses have joined in on the fun — it gives them a unique way to engage with people in the area. Of course, I get some hate messages and angry comments too."

Margaret said some people don’t realize the page is satire, and even those who do sometimes still get upset with some of BABN's content.

"I don’t let the negativity bother me," she said. "The positive comments and messages far outweigh the negative ones. And honestly, part of the art of satire is making stories just believable enough to spark those reactions."

Margaret said she enjoys when people think BABN's posts are real news.

"It makes the page even more fun," she said. "Some of them argue, some get upset, and some eventually figure it out and join in on the fun. The page is clearly labeled as satire. I encourage everyone to read the tagline."

The tagline says BABN is a world-renowned satirical news organization that has received many awards for breaking news stories.

Some of Margaret's favorite BABN pieces include a story about Casey Anthony opening a daycare in Branson; the Arch being moved from St. Louis to Branson; and a story about a large group of bears overtaking Highway 65.

Regarding her future goals for BABN, Margaret said that in one year, she sees the page growing up to over 100,000 Facebook followers.

"We’ll have our own website, sell Branson-themed merchandise and promote local businesses," she said. "Eventually, I want BABN to be my full-time job. It’s something I truly love doing — and what could be better than turning your passion into a career? Satire is that for me."

Margaret said she appreciated the community's support.

"The page wouldn’t exist without all the people engaging with the content, and I’m excited to keep it going," she said.