Monday, January 03, 2005
Can we only cover one disaster at a time?
Armageddon Online asks this question.
Why is it that when one story of importance breaks (and the tsunamis are a tragedy) they shift 75% of their focus and resources to it, and blow off or put every other story as a footnote? Maybe no one taught them the fine art if multi-tasking? We are bombarded daily with all forms of mass media - and every single time it seems we only get 1/2 the story, 1/2 the coverage, and 1/2 of the truth... and extended coverage on things like "michael jackson" and "scott peterson" which more people probably know about than the situation in Iraq.
The last week - Iraq Who?
This is a blessing in disguise for the Bush Administration - sad as it tmay be. Take the heat off the mess in Iraq - once again, out of sight, out of mind. The country saw a surge of massively important political developments and deadly attacks that could cripple elections set for the 30th, and none of them saw fit to cover nearly any of it. For instance, on Monday, insurgents tried to assassinate Abdul Aziz alHakim, a Shi'ite leader who is among the candidates for the election. (Any idea what that would do to a US election if somone tried to kill a candidate one month before elections?) The same day, the leading Sunni Arab party withdrew from the race, which is going to push the legitimacy even farther off track.
The last 4 days of the week, insurgents mounted a campaign of violence that used shocking new tactics. One was to lure police into booby trapped or rigged buildings and another was to target an American bases with squad-sized units and attempt to used simultaneous car bombs. Now I know the US claim is that these are all tactics of "desperation" - but look at the toll it's taking all across the country. Dozens of Iraqis, many of them police, and 4 US servicemen were killed this week alone. This after the deadliest last few months in Iraq for the US.
-=> Last half of 2004 deadliest ever for US troops in Iraq
-=> Car bomb attack kills 19 Iraqis
-=> Iraq Ushers in 2005 With Deadly Attacks
-=> Threats from insurgents intent on forcing Iraq's January 30 poll into chaos.
-=> Iraq's election officials resign fearing reprisals
I flipped on CNN this morning. They did their normal lead in which they don't give ANY news - just a headline, then they broke away to more 24/7 tsunami coverage.
A friend of mine asked me "Isn't mass media the one responsible for destroying the war effort?"
-=> U.S. media still hiding bad news from Americans
I have heard Tsunami reports constantly. It's on the front page of the newspapers. Yes, we do see some about Iraq on the inside pages, but it isn't much and it does take the eye off the Iraq situation, because most people look at the front of the paper and skip through the rest. If something catches their eye, they might stop and read it, but if it is not out there blaring at them, it is pretty well ignored. Some people read the newspaper thoroughly, but the biggest share who do get a paper don't seem to have a lot of time to read it.
Why is it that when one story of importance breaks (and the tsunamis are a tragedy) they shift 75% of their focus and resources to it, and blow off or put every other story as a footnote? Maybe no one taught them the fine art if multi-tasking? We are bombarded daily with all forms of mass media - and every single time it seems we only get 1/2 the story, 1/2 the coverage, and 1/2 of the truth... and extended coverage on things like "michael jackson" and "scott peterson" which more people probably know about than the situation in Iraq.
The last week - Iraq Who?
This is a blessing in disguise for the Bush Administration - sad as it tmay be. Take the heat off the mess in Iraq - once again, out of sight, out of mind. The country saw a surge of massively important political developments and deadly attacks that could cripple elections set for the 30th, and none of them saw fit to cover nearly any of it. For instance, on Monday, insurgents tried to assassinate Abdul Aziz alHakim, a Shi'ite leader who is among the candidates for the election. (Any idea what that would do to a US election if somone tried to kill a candidate one month before elections?) The same day, the leading Sunni Arab party withdrew from the race, which is going to push the legitimacy even farther off track.
The last 4 days of the week, insurgents mounted a campaign of violence that used shocking new tactics. One was to lure police into booby trapped or rigged buildings and another was to target an American bases with squad-sized units and attempt to used simultaneous car bombs. Now I know the US claim is that these are all tactics of "desperation" - but look at the toll it's taking all across the country. Dozens of Iraqis, many of them police, and 4 US servicemen were killed this week alone. This after the deadliest last few months in Iraq for the US.
-=> Last half of 2004 deadliest ever for US troops in Iraq
-=> Car bomb attack kills 19 Iraqis
-=> Iraq Ushers in 2005 With Deadly Attacks
-=> Threats from insurgents intent on forcing Iraq's January 30 poll into chaos.
-=> Iraq's election officials resign fearing reprisals
I flipped on CNN this morning. They did their normal lead in which they don't give ANY news - just a headline, then they broke away to more 24/7 tsunami coverage.
A friend of mine asked me "Isn't mass media the one responsible for destroying the war effort?"
-=> U.S. media still hiding bad news from Americans
I have heard Tsunami reports constantly. It's on the front page of the newspapers. Yes, we do see some about Iraq on the inside pages, but it isn't much and it does take the eye off the Iraq situation, because most people look at the front of the paper and skip through the rest. If something catches their eye, they might stop and read it, but if it is not out there blaring at them, it is pretty well ignored. Some people read the newspaper thoroughly, but the biggest share who do get a paper don't seem to have a lot of time to read it.
Comments:
<< Home
la princessa triste
your website looks like it would be a lot of fun to read. I will do so as I improve on the Spanish:)
your website looks like it would be a lot of fun to read. I will do so as I improve on the Spanish:)
and bad press for being cheap is better than the focus of Iraq, right?
weblackey
Post a Comment
weblackey
# posted by 
: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 7:16:00 PM
: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 7:16:00 PM << Home
