Picky Media
The verdict in the Scott Peterson case was announced today. As anyone could have predicted, he was given the death penelty. Good, I believe the jury made the right decision. Anyone who takes another human life should be given the same fate. "An eye for an eye..."
But that's not what this post is really about, although I will be talking about the Peterson case a good bit. What I want to talk about is media stupidity.
The media gave hours and hours of coverage to this case. From the moment Laci Peterson went missing, the media went into hyper mode to talk about the case. They had experts on Larry King Live to discuss it. They had live coverage of almost every aspect of this case.
It was overkill.
It was stupid.
What made this case different or more special than any other murder case? Do you realize that about 16,500 people were murdered in this country last year? That's an average of about 45 people a day.
Read that again. And click the story I have linked above if you don't believe me.
On average 45 people were murdered last year. Yet, just about the only murder case we heard about was the Laci Peterson case. Why is this? Was it because Scott and Laci Peterson were "pretty?" Was it because it was in Modesto, California? Was it because of the seriousness of the murder (not only was she murdered but their unborn child)? I don't have those answers. I just know that it was unfair. What makes this case any different from the other 44 or so people who were killed that day? I can assure you, the other murders committed around that time were no less serious and I'm sure some were even more vicious than Laci Peterson's murder.
I just don't see how this case deserved any more attention than any other murder case. A young lady in my home town was killed not too long ago. Where were the CNN cameras to cover her murder? Did Larry King interview her grieving family? No. Does anyone outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi know that Mandy Davis was raped and murdered by some monster of a man? No.
The media will only give this sort of attention to cases that have a "good story." As a professional, I understand why they do this. But it wasn't mean that I think it's right. It all comes down to ratings, my friend. Numbers (ratings and sales figures) are what drive news reporting, not the truth or anything else nobile. If a network or station believes that it can get ratings by sensationalizing one certain story or issue, they'll do it.
This is part of the reason why the media are losing creadability with the people.
In an ideal world, I would prefer that the media wouldn't pick-and-choose which stories it wanted to cover but I know that this isn't an ideal world and that that will never happen. It's just unfortunate that the preception is given that the life of a young lady in Modesto, California, is worth more than the life of a young lady in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Maybe the old saying is true: "Preception is reality."
--Jonathan
But that's not what this post is really about, although I will be talking about the Peterson case a good bit. What I want to talk about is media stupidity.
The media gave hours and hours of coverage to this case. From the moment Laci Peterson went missing, the media went into hyper mode to talk about the case. They had experts on Larry King Live to discuss it. They had live coverage of almost every aspect of this case.
It was overkill.
It was stupid.
What made this case different or more special than any other murder case? Do you realize that about 16,500 people were murdered in this country last year? That's an average of about 45 people a day.
Read that again. And click the story I have linked above if you don't believe me.
On average 45 people were murdered last year. Yet, just about the only murder case we heard about was the Laci Peterson case. Why is this? Was it because Scott and Laci Peterson were "pretty?" Was it because it was in Modesto, California? Was it because of the seriousness of the murder (not only was she murdered but their unborn child)? I don't have those answers. I just know that it was unfair. What makes this case any different from the other 44 or so people who were killed that day? I can assure you, the other murders committed around that time were no less serious and I'm sure some were even more vicious than Laci Peterson's murder.
I just don't see how this case deserved any more attention than any other murder case. A young lady in my home town was killed not too long ago. Where were the CNN cameras to cover her murder? Did Larry King interview her grieving family? No. Does anyone outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi know that Mandy Davis was raped and murdered by some monster of a man? No.
The media will only give this sort of attention to cases that have a "good story." As a professional, I understand why they do this. But it wasn't mean that I think it's right. It all comes down to ratings, my friend. Numbers (ratings and sales figures) are what drive news reporting, not the truth or anything else nobile. If a network or station believes that it can get ratings by sensationalizing one certain story or issue, they'll do it.
This is part of the reason why the media are losing creadability with the people.
In an ideal world, I would prefer that the media wouldn't pick-and-choose which stories it wanted to cover but I know that this isn't an ideal world and that that will never happen. It's just unfortunate that the preception is given that the life of a young lady in Modesto, California, is worth more than the life of a young lady in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Maybe the old saying is true: "Preception is reality."
--Jonathan
posted by Jonathan at
10:29 PM
1 Comments:
You are absolutely right in your questioning of whether a murder in California is more "glamourous" than a murder in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Nevermind that the young girl whom you speak of that was murderded in Philadelphia, Mississippi was horribly killed and then chopped to pieces and her body parts thrown into a pond. I suppose that is not news worthy compared to the sensationalism of the Scott Peterson trial and verdict. Nonetheless, the central issue here is "reality TV". Americans are obsessed with reality TV and murder is certainly "real", especially if it occurs in California and the murderer is a good looking young man with a sexy looking "chick" on the side. About as real as it gets don't your think? I'm reminded of that song "Give Me Dirty Laundry".
Dad
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Anonymous, At
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