In a world that is obsessed with sending
and receiving stimulating information at an increasingly swift pace, it is nearly
impossible to accurately convey the severity of issue, especially one like modern
slavery and what should be done to end it, through media. This is due, in large
part, to sensationalism brought on by the idea that one must follow a “status
quo” when it comes to writing publications, screenplays, etc.
According to reporter Imam Abdullah Antepli, people on a global
level are more interested in reading about the “he said, then she said” of an
argument or watching the blood and gore of a movie or news report than the
actual issue at hand. Such was true after the winner of this past year’s Miss
America Pageant was announced, and in movies such as Blood Diamond and Taken.
Writers who, knowingly or not, alter facts in an attempt to write the best
story or achieve the most sales are misleading people. As Antepli put it,
Obviously not every quote or morsel of
information a writer uncovers while researching a topic can be included in a
screenplay or published in a newspaper or magazine; each paper submitted would
swell to the thickness of a dictionary if that were the case. Yet, in this era
that seeks to transmit, faster than light, only the most interesting news,
critical and relevant information is beginning to slip through the cracks. In
a “How To” website concerning the proper
construction of a news article, writers are encouraged to compile enormous
amounts of information during the research process and then sift through the
stack, picking and choosing the “best” quotations and tidbits, to put together
the most interesting report possible. Yes, reporters must check and recheck
information when writing an article, especially when a person is being quoted.
However, just because the facts of an article are correct, does not necessarily
mean that they are being properly represented.
So
how is sensationalism around the world ended? Should new ordinances be put into
place on a governmental level to ensure that all facts and quotations are
accurately represented? What can be done to make audiences more receptive to understanding
and compelled to take a stand against the issues presented by the media?
With so many stories and events happening, it is hard to get the full story. The question at the end of the article is exactly what we should be asking: what else can be done to make things interesting to read without sensationalizing it? Why can't we have true media instead of everything being cut up, rearranged and cutting out the important parts. We should educate people to realize something is being sensationalized and to do more research if something is untrue. It would be a start to the end of sensationalism and to use it a more educational way.
ReplyDeleteI think that sensationalism in media is a major contributor to misinformation among the population. I'm not exactly unique in this opinion. I just wonder what there is to be done, can a standard of journalistic integrity be reestablished? I don't believe that any sort of governmental regulation would help. I suppose it might be better to lead people to alternatives sources of information. I think the problem might not be the media but the media we choose to consume. There are some networks, like Al Jazeera, that are starting to provide more accurate commentary from a mainstream platform. Al Jazeera does have some government influence that might have helped this. Can we fix media in the United States? I think we're asking for a different mindset. I might want to look at a comparison between reporting done by mainstream news options as opposed to the less traditional. I don't think it's possible to eliminate bias or reverse television news (aired for ratings). I think we should consider where news is going and how new trends in communication might help alleviate some of this tension.
ReplyDeleteEliminating sensationalism would be impossible because it is so popular and easy. The media is doing their job of giving the people what the want to hear and never what they need to hear. Sensationalism is not just a problem in the public media but also in everyday conversation. Everyone does this: When you tell a story to a friend you add some extra elements to the story just to make it more interesting so that you won't lose your friends attention. So can we really expect the media to stop sensationalism, if we do it so often ourselves?
ReplyDeleteI do not think you'll ever be able to get rid of sensationalism. Every writer tells their story with a specific agenda and they ant to compel their audience. Although the whole story might not get told they do not want to be boring, they want to keep their job. It's just the same with you writing your opinion on this, you could have easily just stated some facts without all of the extra information, but you want to make an interesting argument. Sensationalism will most likely never get taken away because we use it so commonly.
ReplyDelete