- Second rabies case confirmed in Gaston…- Charlotte Observer
- Officers describe grisly crime scene in…- WCNC
- Police: Rock Hill man stabs robbers with…- Rock Hill Herald
- And more a few hours later ...
- Police: Teen shot at Ind. middle school, student in custody
- Cheerleader's death, boyfriend's trial…- Charlotte Observer
- Fallen Tarheel mascot honored during Sweet 16 game- WCNC
- 1 dead in SC plane crash- Rock Hill Herald
Friday, March 25, 2011
In today's random violent crime and bad news ...
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Media tends to focus on random crimes and especially if murder is involve, the top stories are random and some involve murder, violence even in animals....These goes with what we have learned about how the media selects what is portrayed to get more audience. But another important aspect is how they focus on the "law enforcement" to get resources and coverage....
ReplyDeleteAs we have learned local police officers and departments receive over 74 percent of media coverage, and how they reinforce their role as law enforcement, heroes, and experts in criminality.
Jason Ray (the UNC mascot) went to our high school before he went to Chapel Hill, and his parents still live in our neighborhood. I remember when he died (four years ago now) thinking at first that it was a really touching story (the guy who got his heart I think eventually came and visited Concord), and then wondering how many people in Concord died and were organ donors every year, or how many between Concord and Newark. I think we have to accept that sometimes there is a place for a "good story," but this could definitely be pointed out as an instance of the fascination with tragedy as well as telling an individual story without the global context.
ReplyDeleteWhen examining the story about the young cheerleader's death, it doesn't surprise me as to why the media would report on it. The case involves a young girl who is brutally murdered. One thing that we have learned from class is that violence sells. They include some gruesome details about the violent crime. For instance, she was shot in the head with a shotgun, the crime scene was covered in blood and a piece of human skull may have been discovered near the bedroom door. In chapter three, it discusses how homocide is usually news because it is considered the most serious type of crime. The media also cover this type of story because the victim was a female. Chapter three also mentions that murders of women are most likely to be covered.
ReplyDeleteThe story on the Indiana school shooting is a prime example of how the media report on unusual and violent crimes. In chapter three, school violence is discussed. In recent years, shool violence has been covered a great amount. The public has the misconceptions that school violence happens all the time and that children are at the greatest danger in places like schools. In reality, school violence has declined since the 90's. The majority of children are killed at home, usually by someone they know. The media also reports on this type of story because it is about a teen suspect who may have shot a fellow student. The media reports on violence. They also report on youth when it involves bad news. What the media should tell the public is that the prevalence of school shootings isn't increasing, that school shootings make up a small percentage of killings and killings by juveniles, and that children are three times more likely to be killed by an adult. The public will continue to believe these misconceptions as long as the media broadcasts these types of stories.
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