Reflection Post #4
Whenever I think about the news medias coverage of mass shootings I always remember what was said about the shooters and rarely about the victims. I think that thing that stood out the most to me was the words that the news media uses to describe mass shootings and how they wanted to get news out quickly so they didn't really fact check until after the fact. I think that the way that the media covers mass shootings makes me think that they don't happen that often in America because they only cover the ones that have an attention grabbing backstory or with the most casualties. When I found out that there are actually a lot more mass shootings than the ones on the news I was shocked.
I think that when the media covers mass shootings it does inform people that they do actually happen. Also when they do happen the news media has become better at talking to the victims instead of focusing on just the shooters. I think that the drawbacks are that news media really likes to capitalize on the feelings of the victims sometimes which makes it hard for the victims to deal with it. The other drawback is that sometimes the media does try to make things seem bigger than they are with crazy headlines and specials. I think that if the news treated them as they were which is mass shootings rather than what they sometimes treat them as which is a conspiracy.
I think that if the news just made sure that they checked their facts before broadcasting the news they could help with some of the problems that they make. I feel like if the also didn't try to make people sympathize with the shooters they could also be better. I think that the news media has become better in some aspects of their coverage of mass shootings but I think that they could improve more.
When the media doesn't get all their facts straight it does present a lot of confusion and sometimes seems to over dramatize the situation to people whom are watching the broadcast. When that happens the individuals that are watching the broadcast immediately pull out their cell phones and start texting or posting stuff about it on Facebook or twitter which causes even more confusion. It all seems to be more focus put on the shooter rather than the victims and that it is something that needs to be improved.
ReplyDeleteMedia outlets rarely cover the victims of a mass shooting until the following days of an event like this. Often times this is because the chaos and fear provoked by the shooters/suspects keeps people watching their outlets. There is also a ton more information about the suspects at first and its easier them to put a solid story together about them, than to fact check important information about the victims. One little bit of information can spread like wildfire. In a matter of minutes every news site has that information and it is so critical that the information is correct. Media outlets need to work harder to fact check information instead of this rush type of reporting.
ReplyDeleteJasmine,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I also said that I tend to always remember the shooters' names or pictures over the victims, and this is a serious problem. The media are so quick and consistent to focus on the shooter that the victims often get lost in the background. I agree that the media really try to draw people into a story and gain viewers by making the most ridiculous and dramatic headlines as possible, which can lead to people thinking they happen more than they do. You bring up a great point about sympathizing with the shooters, and I think this is often done possibly unintentionally by saying he/she had a hard family life or was bullied, etc. Great ideas!
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I agree with you about what you said in regards to media outlets rushing to give information out to the public. I feel as though media outlets rush to give information to the public without fact checking to be the first ones to get the coverage and the views. I feel that sometimes they are more concerned with the number of views and people talking about their broadcast than what is actually going on. Media outlets how images and videos that they know will bring viewers in without thinking about how the survivors and victims families will feel. I also thought you made a great point when you mentioned how not all mass shootings are in the media, only the ones with an attention grabbing backstory that they can dramatize to the public.
Hi Jasmine! I had the same initial knowledge of the Columbine shooters as you did before taking this class. I seemed to know a lot more about the shooters, than I did the victims. Which is wrong and discredits their memory. But, it did not occur to me that this was an issue because the media coverings I was watching were mainly focused around the shooters. I actually had an opposite thought process when it came to how frequently school shootings occur in the USA. I thought that there were more school shootings in America than there actually are because of how much the media focuses on them.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of the media playing to the emotions of the audience, that is unfortunately the way that these news outlets get views, as you correctly pointed out. The more vivacious and intense the headline, the more attention grabbing it is. The saying "Never let a good crisis go to waste" springs to mind. They'll use the tragedy of the event to improve their views and ratings, putting the health of the community secondary to the views. It's such a shame how they can make an already horrible situation, worse. Great Post
ReplyDeleteThis post was really interesting because it made me think about my own thoughts on mass shootings while i was reading. I definitely agree that when looking back on past shootings that identity of the shooters are something that i remember more than the victims themselves. The media does its best to sell a story and a story of the mass shooting type is national headlines, headlines that bring in ratings. Although i do believe that focus is on the tragedy, I cant help but think that maybe sometimes that media tries to shift focus to what people want to hear and see rather than what they should hear and see.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that if media chose to make sure all their information they were reporting was factual their reporting would be more responsible but unfortunately I believe they choose to report more on what is going to get them more views and response than what is actually the truth.
ReplyDelete