In defense of accusations that mainstream media loves mass shootings Alisyn Camerota of CNN says they aren't ratings gold because Americans are sick of it, but the networks actions speak louder than her words. We see the perp in these reports much more than the victims. Here is an article from experts begging the media to quit making these nutjobs famous, and yet they continue to do it... because it's ratings gold. I doubt you need me you to do the search showing CNN breaking these rules for the media on how they should deal with mass shooters. (because they break them all the time)
https://drive.google.com/.../0B4Z7VkWcwLk.../view
https://www.reportingonmassshootings.org/
This plays on human’s genetic disposition to "fear" when statistically it's not something you "should" be afraid of. We had 606 mass shooting deaths in 2016, and while every death is sad, and those who die young are the worst to bear, we have over 2 million people die a year in this country. Rather than spending all this energy on something that accounts for a small percentage of deaths why not work on helping the 40+ thousands who commit suicide a year? Champion stem cell research and prevent the over 100+ thousand who die from Alzheimer’s. Stop denying climate change and fight to save the 150+ thousand a year who die from chronic lower respiratory disease. There are countries that have guns without mass shootings, as well as it being debatable that removal of guns reduces crime. (It may reduce murder slightly depending on where you look and how many years out you look but it increases rape, burglary, etc)
https://www.massshootingtracker.org/data/2016
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm
Rather than address the mass shooter address what is causing of the problem: Wealth inequality in America. Rather than giving the rich huge tax cuts and killing 100’s thousands in other countries because the military complex desires us to do it. Make it so our education system is funded so we can be more competitive with other countries in our education. Make it so our health care is funded so the families don’t stress about getting the treatment they need. Make it so that both parents don’t have to work two jobs just to afford to pay the bills and have the money needed for their children. Make it so that the 60+ thousand veterans are no longer homeless. Make it so that the 40+ million who are food-insecure in this country can stop worrying about where (and if) their next meal is coming from. Make it so that young people can see a bright future again in this country.
We have a finite amount of energy to champion causes I understand that guns may seem to be the problem because of the way media agencies like CNN spam them, but they are just a symptom of the greater problem affecting 99% of Americas who are struggling to make ends meet. It may be callous to turn away from those deaths (or any deaths) and say, “other things are more important”, but we are talking about the greater good of the 320 million people who live in America, and the media spends WAY too much time making these shooters famous.
If you are interested in debating me on this topic you are more than welcome to come to ForDebating.com and challenge me to a debate (or I can create it if you prefer) about whichever point I’ve made that you would like to contest. I hope that we can have a rational discuss over a very serious topic that takes the of lives of way too many Americans.
Subscription Note:
Choosing to subscribe to this topic will automatically register you for email notifications for comments and updates on this thread.
Email notifications will be sent out daily by default unless specified otherwise on your account which you can edit by going to your userpage here and clicking on the subscriptions tab.
1. I agree, news organizations extensively cover mass shootings as it is ratings gold. Just like covering tRump is. But do not pigeonhole CNN, every major news organization does this.
2. You are right, mass shooting deaths statistically is a much much smaller problem then many other forms of death caused by others, that cuts life short. Automobile related deaths caused by others is a much greater number than mass shooting deaths. Ofcourse we need to compare as best as we can apples to apples. How many mass homicide use of a motorized vehicle deaths have there been in the US? Let me tell you that number is MUCH smaller than mass shootings.
Things like suicide, alzheimer's and even climate change really does not compare well to mass shootings. We are talking pretty extreme apples to oranges in those cases. Yes real problems that affect lots more people that need to be addressed. But if we can get past the political BS and gun lobby groups, there is some real, easy economical solutions to cut down the number of deaths from mass shootings. Easy sensible things. Suicide, alzheimer's, and climate change are much bigger problems that are also much more difficult to fix. Also, who says we can not work on both of these things at once? Especially considering how easy it is to cut down the number of mass shootings would be if we cut through the bull shit.
3. I absolutely agree with you that wealth/income inequality is a huge problem and plays a role in nearly every major issue this country faces. Again I stress, that while mass shootings is a smaller number statistically, it also has easy solutions. You again specifically mention CNN, and then later, media in general. Do you have a particular dislike for CNN over other media outlets?
I do agree in general, media spends to much time making these shooters famous, but then they do go by the ratings, which means they are putting out informations that their audiences tune in to. The problem in turn lies on the people watching what they want to watch.
#1 Agree it is more than just CNN but that was just a quote from CNN so I used it.
#2 Finite about of energy. If we are going to spend this much time in the news about gun control and mass shootings shouldn't it be something that impacts a large percentage of lives? Also the "fix" for the other is just as easy as the "fix" for gun control... change the regulations... boom problem solved.
#3 This post is a response to a video CNN had saying they did not "love" mass shootings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IDpQPW-l44 And no it's not just CNN it's media in general, it's just that CNN denied it, and wants to act like they are so astonished anyone would say such a thing...
Ah got it. It seems we are on the same page then. At least on points 1 and 3.
On point 2, I agree, more and better coverage on things that impact more of our lives should be done. I personally like Vice News, (weekly edition instead of daily,) as they tend to cover important news that does not make the major news organizations, but needs to be talked about. (Disappointed in Vice News when it came out there was some sexual misconduct happening behind the scenes however.)
I disagree that the underlying solutions to alleviate mass shootings is as same difficulty wise as tackling things like climate change, inequality, alzheimer's, and a whole other host of problems that affects and claims many more lives, however, I will agree even small incremental fixes to things like obesity/diabetes will page huge dividends in terms of lives saved and overall quality of life.
I do agree all of them have roughly equal difficulty in terms of dealing with public opinion and moving the needle on the politics side of things. The needle has been bent so far over in the "profits for large corporations" and extremely wealthy individuals, it seems that is the only thing Washington manages to get done lately is dupe the masses while further enriching the elite few. (A process further accelerated by the current multi billionaire tRump administration.)
News media is a business but it is also a reflection of society documenting the way society is going.
Yes, the axiom "If it bleeds, it leads" is profound and true but if we are not made aware of events then we will not know until they hit us square in the face. I regard journalism the noblest profession as I regard propaganda the most heinous of crimes.
By holding a lamp up for all to see journalism is truly a pillar of freedom and democracy. It holds people accountable and for that, we must respect true journalism!
Mainstream media hasn't been true journalism in years in my opinion. It's bias and pushing an agenda that the 6 or so owners want. It's taking the place of religion as a way to control the masses in my opinion. Now I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "fake news" but it's anything but objective.
I disagree of course I get my news from NPR BBC and PBS BEFORE I go to the other places. I never get my info from FOX NEWSMAX Clear Channel or any conservative propaganda mill!
I find that people who believe the conservative/liberal division tend to feel like their news outlets aren't bias but the other parties outlets are propaganda. So they can see the bias when they don't have to deal with their own confirmation bias I guess. Guess what the liberals believe your sites are propaganda mills too.
Attachments
Attach Image/Video?:
@Mark Coveny
Wow. I never seen a more biased picture. Looking at the source of that picture it is an edited picture put out by a random small time blogger I never heard of. (1776 regime)
I do hope you put that up as a joke. Or to illustrate that even listing of right/left news organizations from random edited pictures is total gibberish nonsense.
Only a fool would consider Washington Post and NY times as poor quality garbage left. Where Breitbart is high quality, not garbage right, and infowars medium quality not garbage right. And no right leaning news organizations at all are of "poor quality." Or garbage right.
There is biases, then their is pictures like this where people can only hope it was put out as a joke or flame bait.
Yeah, that is the part that really blew my mind.
@LogicForTW
Not as a joke, but to prove a point. Everyone I've ever met who labeled themselves one of the two options presented by the ruling plutocracy believes the other side is bias propaganda. I'm just sitting here and think you both are correct, and both sides are bias propaganda. Objective journalism is dying if not dead, it was bought an paid for by the 6 companies that control the vast majority of "news" people ingest.
The right is poor, the left is poor, but the people controlling the politicians are rich and they absolutely love to see the right and left fighting as poor vs poor is so much better in their mind than poor vs rich, and they can just keep screwing this country over while we fight about things that aren't nearly as important as the huge gap in wealth inequality.
@Mark Coveny
The chart you posted was a clear piece of propaganda and YOu state that everything else is propaganda...how crazy is that!?
@Mark Coveny
Agree with you there, I definitely see biases on both sides, and agree the overall quality of all the major media organizations could use some serious work.
And certainly seems like just about everyone on the left and right are losing right now, while the rich elite billionaires continue to rob the country blind.
I absolutely agree that wealth inequality is completely out of hand in this country these days, (and in the world in many ways.) And wealth/income inequality is a major factor of nearly every major issue in this country. And left unchecked at the rate it is going will destroy this country for 99% of the people that live here.
People voting in a self proclaimed billionaire as a fix to their problems are deeply, DEEPLY! mislead.
I will also argue, that while most all news media is already deeply lacking, some, are worse than others. Cough, infowars, cough, Breitbart, cough, hack, cough, national enquirer, and other pure tabloids etc.
Part of the problem of course is the change in revenue streams. The near extinction of newspapers, and in the age of internet with ad blockers, TV with DVR, news organizations are losing money hand over fist, and are forced to get new revenue streams that leaves them that much more vulnerable to being controlled.
The internet gives everyone a mouthpiece and a platform, and with short attention spans most everyone has, no one fact checks or looks outside their own echo chambers.
I even realize I am guilty of this at times, and try to force myself to look at the other side and seek out alternative news sources that show journalistic integrity. While I will say I am not full on liberal, I definitely tend to favor the liberal side. (I consider myself somewhere off the chart on the liberal/conservative chart. Simply being an atheist takes me off the chart in a lot of ways.
I can agree with that, and I've gotten caught sharing stuff I haven't facted checked. (but it's rare)
One caveat - I don't think the changes in revenue stream would make such a big difference if there weren't the issues with wealth inequality.
I just see so many problems, and those problems are compounded by the lack of money in the 99%. I mean look at inflation. They keep printing more money, and most of it goes to the top 1% which makes what the bottom 99% has worth even less. Medical makes it insane on our seniors and don't get me started about how we treat our vets. (grrr) If there were more money in the bottom the consumer based economy that we have would work better rather than being squeezed to the point of breaking. If Russia and China get of the petrodollar America could literally have it's fiat monetary system collapse like Greece, and it all goes back to wealth inequality. If we don't address it rather than the few choices they give us to hotly debate, we are going to be screwed in 15 or 30 years, or whatever in my opinion.