Read about how news outlets often distort our views of current events, especially now.
Edited by Samantha Liu
The first two days after the unjust killing of George Floyd, the biggest topic of discussion from news sources like CNN and Fox was President Trump’s tweet about twitter labeling his statements as “false information”. While this trivial feud was occurring, thousands of men and women marched the streets of Minneapolis to protest. Popular news channels first mentioned the protests once precincts were on fire, tear gas was used, and curfews were set. The media is influential in shaping the public’s view on any given situation, which gives news outlets and journalists the power to construct a distorted narrative they want their viewers and readers to receive. The decisions they make are detrimental, for themselves and the stories they cover. When it comes to the recent protests for the countless black victims of police brutality, the media faces a tough decision. On one hand, they can politicize these protests by highlighting the statements of figures such as President Trump. Content like this focuses on the violent downside of protests and riots in certain states, thus largely detracting from the crux of the BLM movement. On the other hand, journalists can also use their platform to remind others of the heart and purpose of the protests and riots: to bring awareness to issues of police brutality and systemic racism against African Americans. Scholars such as Douglas McLeod of the University of Missouri have pointed out how many media outlets participate in “protest paradigm,” which is a phenomenon that explains the media’s tendency to dramatize protest stories. By portraying protests as a disruption of peace, outlets damage the public’s opinion on the cause of the protests. When applied to the Black Lives Matter protests, protest paradigm especially impacts older generations such as Baby Boomers and Gen X, who receive most of their news from well-known press sources, which have their own biases and agendas. The younger generation has seen the impactful, nonviolent parts of the protests due to social media platforms such as Twitter, where it seems new videos and information from the movement are trending every day. In reality, the media fails to recognize the peaceful protests because they tend not to garner traction, and instead feature the violence for greater shock impact. An example of a peaceful protest was in Camden, New Jersey, where Police Chief Joseph Wysocki and other officers walked alongside protesters holding up a Black Lives Matter Poster. Resident Wilson Morales sees the police as a part of the community, “We ain’t really had no riots like that...They are making sure everything is safe. I’ve seen officers asking, ‘Are you OK?’ and that’s good. I like the communication.” However, protestors understand that peaceful protests like Camden’s are not shown on a national level. Knowing this, protestors try to seek ways to get public attention, resorting to looting and raiding public places. While it may be difficult to reconcile violence towards stores and other establishments, it is crucial to remember the media’s proclivity for sensationalizing social protests. Keep the purpose of the movement in mind, as that is the only way to create real change and bring justice for the many individuals like George Floyd.
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