The writing skills of today's youth often make great waves when mentioned in the public media. The following article is based on 671 comments made about the writing skills of young people in selected newspapers and magazines from 1994 to 2005. The opinions and criteria presented will be analysed and patterns of reasoning which repeat themselves in their structure will also be identified. In addition to descriptions of discourse content, their structure will be presented and their connection with related discourses considered. This empirical study distinctly shows in which context and manner the subject of writing skills in young people is broached by the media. However, it also shows which image of writing skills in young people dominates in the public mind, as well as presenting to what degree this image is based on objective criteria or just a cliché.