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Does Media News Coverage Encourage Crime?
Introduction
In a survey conducted in 17, ninety five percent of the 1,500 people that responded said they wanted more information about crime. Over the years, there have been many studies of News Media and crime coverage. This survey indicates that viewers want to see crime. The more violent the crime the more there is interest. "People want to know about crime." (Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, 00). The News Media commonly uses extensive coverage of violent crime to increase ratings. With this emphasis on violence, is it possible that this type of news coverage incites copycat crimes? In the pages that follow, we will discuss the positive and negative effects that the media has on crime.
Media Coverage and Influences
The media has the power to influence viewer's understanding of reality, by the way the story is reported. The information reported is often, as the person reporting the story perceives it. The viewer has the responsibility to glean the facts from a reported story and make a decision as to how they feel about the story. It still remains that freedom of information and keeping the public informed is a valued freedom.
In Craig Jensen's article Censorship Threatens Freedom of the Press, he states, "The media's responsibility is to present information that is important to everyday life." This information is commonly presented in a way to attract attention, and when the media does this, people read the stories in the newspapers or watch the stories on television.
Keeping democracy safe in America requires an informed press. We understand that out country must have a free press. Freedom of expression has been a fundamental foundation for a democratic society (PUCL, 18). It is important for our news media outlets to report the truth, and if information is changed, or censored it would not be possible to present the facts as they actually happened.
Should Media be Censored?
Should news coverage censor details pertaining to the war on Iraq? The advancement of technology in media coverage allows viewers to see as well as feel the war with Iraq in a way that they have never experienced. From Tank-cams to -D studio graphics, details pertaining to the Iraq war are ubiquitous. Due to the effects that certain stories have on national security, news stations should hold personal responsibility for the information being reported in their name. People should be educated through facts. News stories that have speculation posing as information has no purpose in the news.
What details should be censored? Censorship in news coverage should have an appropriate place among news stations. Keeping the viewing audience in mind is more important than showing gruesome pictures that fill the masses with fear. Some censorship is in use only to protect the military locations in Iraq. One idea to censor media is to put more restrictions on journalists who continue to stay at the front lines with their assigned military personnel. Allow them to describe the successes and failures of the military group they are assigned to without passing on details of certain personnel strengths and locations.
After the tragedy of September 11, 001, news is reported on security measures at our city airports in detail. The coverage of the new security actions helped to ensure Americans that transportation by flight was safe, but these stories should reflect the problems that continue to face security employees without giving crucial information to potential terrorists. These few examples illustrate the need for censorship in circumstances where the American public needs to know, but do not need to know detailed information.
When national security is at stake, the media has a responsibility to inform the public without negatively affecting the lives of the public or military personnel.
Media Coverage may Contribute to Crime Rate
Excessive media coverage of a criminal event can lead to many offshoots of copycat crimes. Many of these copycats have obtained their ideas from television news coverage, newspapers, the Internet, musical recordings, or movies. Even though it is believed that the media is the cause of many of the copycat crimes, there is little to no scientific documentation to prove this theory.
There have been many studies done that can show evidence of some specific types of criminal behavior, however, there are no studies that can give absolute proof that the media is the cause. There is evidence, though; that the media does provide detailed descriptions of how certain crimes are committed giving potential criminals the ability to reproduce the crime.
There are those who say that the people who commit these copycat crimes are probably troubled individuals who have already been in trouble with the law and that they are predisposed to violence. When asked about the crime one perpetrator stated "I was imitating a character from a scene I saw in a film…" This brings up the question of responsibility. Who should be responsible for the amount of violence the media shows. In our opinion, the people who run the television networks should take a harder look at what they are showing to the youth of America. One of the many causes of influence to young criminals might be linked back to the television programs or movies that are seen by young people every day.
There are numerous articles written on this topic and many examples of how life imitates the media. There are instances of children accidentally killing other children resulting from programming such as WWF Wrestling or a show like Jackass. There are cases of young people committing terrible crimes such as murder, assault, rape and robbery in the name of movie scenes or media stories they have been exposed to. There are cases where the media has had an adverse affect on the viewing public. Listed below are three reasons
1. "Desensitization to real world violence"
. "Fear of being victimized, leading to mistrust of others and possible purchase of weapons for protection"
. "Imitation or learning of aggressive attitudes and behaviors" (www.mediascope.org)
Point number one refers to the public perception of violence as they are exposed to excessive violence in the movies and the media. The constant visual experience of violence in the media has a desensitizing effect on the public. Point number two refers to violence seen in the media and how it affects the public. The third point refers to how media violence results in learned aggressive behavior, especially in young people, that could result in criminal behavior. It must be stated however, that there must be some responsibility or accountability held by the viewing public when it comes to viewing these shows. The viewer must realize that much of what they may see is for entertainment value.
"The bad news is what sells the good news." In other words, the way it works and
McLuhan makes this point brilliantly in Understanding Media in 164 most television is good news. "The good news is the advertising. That's what it's about, and the bad news the dead guys and the crime is to get the suckers into the tent, get you the emotional pitch to set up the advertising. First, they give you the vision of hell, which is what scares the person, the audience, and the viewer. This is what sets up the good news, which is the advertising, which is the way the game is played. So the idea that the media as a whole does bad news is just not true at all. It's part of the pitch. It's the freak show in order to sell the snow cones." (Lewis Lapham, Harpers', June 1)
A Penn State medical lab study takes a rather cynical view of positive and negative story reporting in today's media. " Based on the theory that negative messages have a short cut to cognitive processes for survival purposes and that they prepare the viewer for action, it was expected that negative news segments would cause more arousal in viewers than do the positive news segments." (PSU's Medical Lab Negative News Study)
News Survives from Negative News
Disaster strikes anytime, anywhere and when it does, the media plays a critical role in the aftermath. It is unfortunate that the most reported news is bad news. Therefore, it is no wonder that we are still hearing tidbits of the OJ Simpson murder trial, Jon Benet Ramsey murder, the space shuttle Columbia explosion, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Columbine High School shooting, and recently, the Kobe Bryant rape case.
Let us look as the Columbine High School shooting as an example. Facts were presented in the beginning. In order for them to dig deeper into the details of the story, they began interviewing eyewitnesses. Then the reporters interviewed people who knew the eyewitnesses, as each story became a quest for an exclusive story. The Columbine High School shootings soon became front-page news and the media news channels became consumed with the story. Soon it was learned that the shooters were outcasts in their own school. These malcontents figured that they would kill the more popular students, athletes and the more demanding teachers.
Negative news breeds even more negative news. There have been several reports of local school students planning similar shooting sprees at their high schools. Because of the extensive reporting regarding the Columbine High School shootings, students who discovered that a group of local students were planning this type of activity immediately reported the students to authorities. In this case media reporting alerted students that this type of activity is a very serious matter and that if the activity is not reported, their lives may be in danger. However, the students that were planning these shootings were obviously inspired by the Columbine shooters.
Learned Behaviors from Our Violent Environment
The revolving cycle of youth gangs in the inner cities has been highly publicized by the print and broadcast media alike. These sometimes-violent gangs are largely seen in the poorest parts of major cities the United States but are now seen in smaller towns around the country. The media reports their illegal gang activity on a daily basis. In some of the more outrageous gangs, a new member must be beaten by the other members of the gang as part of the initiation into the group. In the 180's gang members in the inner cities were commonly asked to kill random firemen or policemen as part of the initiation. This type of activity gets the media involved at all levels. Lead stories on the evening news and headlines in the morning newspaper cover the shocking details.
This brings up the question, "Does media reporting increase gang rivalries and gang violence?" Many would say that the media is promoting the violence by getting live video from crime scenes and obtaining interviews from the locals in the effected neighborhoods. The gang members see the results of their crimes on every television station in the area. The rival gangs are outraged that someone from their group has been assaulted which forces them to react in kind. While the media does supply the sickening details, the fact remains that gangs are a part of the inner city culture.
Gangs in the cities have been around since the 1th century. In New York rival gangs based on heritage have been killing one another for many years. English gangs, Irish gangs, Jewish gangs and Italian gangs fought for their territories and their lives as part of their daily lives. These gangs grew to include African-American gangs and Hispanic gangs and later Asian gangs and Russian gangs. The concept was similar in each case. The newest and often the poorest immigrant groups were forced to live under the worst conditions. The children of the immigrants band together as protection from the prejudices they were forced to live under. They begin to assert power in numbers, initially by stealing and offering protection in their own neighborhood, then branching out to other locales. As the local gangs branch out of their local area they come in contact with other gangs. This is where the high-profile conflict begins (Chamberlain 00).
The media is expected to cover the criminal acts these gangs inflict on one another just as they cover wars, kidnappings, murders and natural disasters. The question is asked, "Does the media coverage encourage criminal acts?" It is a matter of how these stories are reported as to how it affects the neighborhoods where these gangs reside. The sensationalist type headline reporting can be seen as irresponsible. "Another gruesome gang murder in the downtown area." "More on the ten o'clock news." A more even reporting style, that shows the effects of the families of the victims, add balance to these types of stories. Including stories involving inner-city youth who stayed clear of gang activity due to a strong family influence is another great way to provide balanced reporting. Follow up stories involving these inner-city students who go on to scholastic or athletic success also provide balanced coverage. This balanced type of reporting allows viewers outside the affected area to see young people from gang-infested areas become successful. This helps to dispel stereotyping often associated with inner-city youth. Success stories involving inner-city youth can positively affect the children living in these oppressed areas. When they see other young people who have the same difficulties become successful, they are encouraged to become successful as well. These positive stories reported in the media, can then be viewed as a deterrent to the growth of gang violence.
Conclusion
The media provides needed information, makes announcements, and gives instructions regarding services that are available to the public. They are and have been for many years a resource for the community and can provide the public with needed information regarding health and safety issues. Weather reports and updates concerning the recent California fires for example give local residents much needed information that will help to keep families and their property safe. However, some high-profile cases such as the Kobe Bryant rape case are over-covered simply because of the entertainment value of the story. Too much trauma-related news is influencing television viewing and may have a negative impact, especially on impressionable children and those that are prone to crime. There is sometimes a fine line drawn between the local news and the entertainment programs. Especially when it comes to high profile entertainers and athletes. The endless details of what should be essentially a private matter are reported daily.
As difficult as some stories are to watch on television, read about in newspapers and magazines, many still find it nearly impossible to turn away. Whatever the reason, it is important for the public to understand the effects that the media has on our everyday lives. It is important for each of us to get our news from several news sources. Furthermore we must search every source for the details that are important to us personally and important to our families.
Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission (00, 05/15/00). American Crime. Retrieved October , 00, http//www.acvcc.state.al.us/asads/mediacoverage.htm.
Jensen, C. (). Censorship Threatens Freedom of the Press. Retrieved October 0, 00, http//galent.galegroup.com.
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (18, July 18). Freedom of the Press. Retrieved October 0, 00, http//www.pucl.org/from-archives/freedom-press.htm.
American Medical Association (15). Media Violence Should be Treated as a Public Health Problem. Retrieved October 14,00, http//galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?
Anderson, P. (). Does the news media encourage criminal acts. Retrieved October 1, 00, http//www.kaos000.net/archives/soapbox/mediacrimes.html
Barr, C. (). Learning Behavior from A violent Environment. Retrieved October 1, 00, http//userpages.wittenberg.edu/RIcorvati/barr.htm
Callahan, S. & Appleyard, B. (00, October 1, 00). Violence in the Media Should Be Censored Retrieved October 1, 00, http//galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?
Chamberlain, Ted C. (00). Gangs of New York Fact vs. Fiction. Article for National Geographic Magazine. March 4, 00.
Carl, J. (). Censorship Threatens Freedom of the Press. Retrieved October 10, 00, http//galent.galegroup.com/servlet/OVCR?c=10&ste=17&docNum=X01004608&bC.
Strossel, J. (00). The Extent of Crime Has Been Exaggerated by the Media. , Retrieved October 15, 00, http//galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?c=1&ste=17&docNum=X01004115&bCo
Articles about copycat crimes published by national journals and periodicals over the past several years.
http//www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/cc.htm
Copycat crimes often committed by alienated individuals (11/4/18). By Marc Ransford Communications Manager. MUNCIE, Ind.
http//www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,170, -101-65,00.html
Youve got your kicks, now I want mine. I know Im not the only sicko torturing my old toys.
http//www.geocities.com/torturedtroll/copycat.html
Examine the troubling trend of crimes that imitate those shown in the movies. Manuel Noriega
http//www.foximas.com/video_dvd/copycat-crimes.htm
Copycat crimes a sinister legacy
http//hyper.vcsun.org/HyperNews/battias/get/cs446/news/6.html? Nogifs
1. Media-Police Collaboration
"On the other hand, police officials complain that the press help to encourage criminal and rebellious attitudes among the kingdom's young. The press insistent on publishing confidential details about a running investigation, says police officials, complicate it, and thus help criminals escape justice."
Saudi writer calls for media-police collaboration on crime, security issues BBC Monitoring Middle East - Political. London May 5, 00. Pg. 1
. Does Media Coverage Incite Copycat Killers?
"Those of us who work in the media like to argue that our roles as the public's watchdog and bulletin board serve important, positive purposes as well as negative ones. Even in this tragedy, those purposes have been served."
Does media coverage incite copycat killers? [ALL Edition] Journal Star. Peoria Jun , 1. Pg. A.4
. Free Press and Copycat Killers.
"But these times present a special kind of dilemma for the news media. The violence-prone in many cases get their kicks from their coverage, and others are spurred to copycatting there may be reason, on occasion, to withhold investigative information."
Free press and copycat killers [All Editions. =. Sunday] DANIEL SCHORR. The Record. Bergen County, N.J. Oct 1, 00. Pg. O.04
4. The Limits of Media Power
"People just don't heed the media that much. What they absorb represents one factor in what they believe and how they behave. Their experiences, habits, views and prejudices count for more. They trust their judgments, not ours. Because the media arc everywhere-and inspire much resentment-their influence is routinely exaggerated. The mistake is in confusing visibility with power, and the media are often complicit in the confusion. We embrace the mythology, because it flatters our self-importance. The truth is that we echo, amplify, influence and refine public opinion but rarely create or manipulate it. In a democracy, that' just fine."
The limits of media power Robert J Samuelson. Newsweek. New York Oct 6, 00. Vol. 14, Issue. 14; pg. 45
5. Presumed Innocence. Not on Cable TV News
"Jurors aren't going to be basing their decisions on what Geraldo said," Mr. Erwin Chemerinsky, a law professor at the University of Southern California, said. If they did, O. J. Simpson would have been found guilty."
Presumed Innocence? Not on Cable TV News Jim Rutenberg. New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y. Apr 6, 00. Pg. A.16
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