OT - More bad news, and a curious headline

[QuikSand]

It's tough to find anythign but bad news in the headlines these days. Today, there's an awful story about a leisure flight in Kenya that crashed, killing all aboard.

The lead paragraph of the AP story sums it up - sounds pretty awful:

NAIROBI, Kenya - A chartered aircraft carrying three families to a game reserve plowed into Mount Kenya, killing all 12 American tourists and the two South African pilots on board, officials said Sunday.

I have to admit that I find curious the particular headline that was chosen (at least by the Yahoo! AP wire) for the piece:

12 Americans Killed in Kenya Plane Crash

It's a sad story... and the headline, in context, tells another pretty sad story on a whole different level.

Much like the discussion about political "house of cards" - there's room for criticism on both ends of this. This is the coverage we demand, and the media oblige.

[Radii]

This may not be the best place for this rant, but eh, screw it. My (somewhat newly) ex-girlfriend and I had huge "debates" about the American view of the world and the way the news is presented. It all came about when she learned that I listen to NPR(All Things Considered and Marketplace specifically) every chance I get. Her response to this was basically "Why would you want to listen to those commie bastards?" ... we disagreed greatly on political issues, and we were both pretty rigid in our beliefs, so this wasn't a suprise to me.

However, here's what WAS a suprise. I explained my reason for enjoying NPR so much as such:

"Everywhere I look in the American News Media, I see the American perspective on things. It may have a conservative or a liberal bias, but it's still a distinctly American impresion. I think that, ESPICIALLY in a time of conflict such as this, that it is extremely important to listen to, and understand how others around the world view us. I like the stories from correspondants that live in France, and Germany, and England, who truly understand the situations over there and can offer a story from their perspective. I don't want to be told how to think, but I want to understand how other people in other areas of the world think, and NPR seems to be a great place to get that perspective"

I also mentioned the enjoyment I get out of their totally random stories on life in other places, the stories they've done on daily life in Iraq and Afghanastan, and the random off the wall stories they do on stuff...

Her response to me?

"Why do you care? They are all wrong. I don't understand why you want to listen to such nonsense."


Is this a common thought? Why? I know this is a little different than the article involving the , but it seems in the same vein. The whole idea seems to be that if it doesn't matter what happens around the world if it doesn't directly effect me. Who cares how many people die in Africa, unless they die along with Americans, or of course, if they bring their dirty diseases over here.

I have my political and idealogical differences with people, but I really lost some respect for the close-mindedness of this person after this little discussion.

/end rant

[JonInMiddleGA]

Quik -- Although I think I see what you're saying, I don't really agree with the reasoning you're putting behind it.

A headline is supposed to capture the attention of the reader or, alternately, give them the most critical information in the story.

It would be rather unrealistic to believe that the typical American reader would have anything more than the most casual interest in the story if there weren't Americans involved. And especially not clearing it on the National wire.

Similarly, once the identities are released, it's highly likely that there'll be state wire service version that read something like
"4 Georgians killed in Kenyan crash" or whatever is appropriate. Those too will focus attention on the most interesting aspect of the story to the intended audience.

And that's not really an editorial style that's limited to AP or to the U.S. For example, there were BBC headlines in their Iraqi coverage that did the same thing with British casualties.

Like I said, I see what you're getting at, but it doesn't seem all that callous (or whatever) to me for a headline to focus on whatever is going to be of the most interest to the intended reader.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by JonInMiddleGA
Like I said, I see what you're getting at, but it doesn't seem all that callous (or whatever) to me for a headline to focus on whatever is going to be of the most interest to the intended reader.

I don't think it's callous to make this observation, either - in fact, I agree with it. I guess I feel a vague sense of chagrin that ignoring the non-Americans is so clearly "of the most interest" to most of us (myself included - not trying to be holier-then-thou).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Quik -- but if this latest example bothers you in some fashion, then does it also bother you also that my local News at 6 broadcast will mention two fatalities in a car crash 15 miles from my house but your local News at 6 won't mention a word about the same crash?

What I getting at here is that it's same situation, just taken down to another level of localization.

[QuikSand]

I see your point, and I'm not really raising hell about it here. Of course it makes more sense to talk about the two local car crashes instead of the one in my city. I understand that.

There is one difference, though, in this case than in your example. This isn't a matter of whether the item is newsworthy, it's a matter of how to package the news.

The news story in this case is judged worthy of reporting to everyone, but the headline (desigend to gain attention) lists the American count only, with absolutely no mention of the fact that two South Africans perished as well. You're right - without mention that there were Americans involved, it's a non-issue here in the USA (it probably is anyway), but that particular decision just seems cold-hearted. I guess it's the specificity that bothered me the most.

I know it's probably rational... I really can't fault them for handling it that way, but it might have settled in better with me had they written the headline something like "Kenya Crash Claims 14, Including 12 Americans."

[Anrhydeddu]

From Foxnews.com

Plane Crashes Into Mount Kenya
12 Americans, 2 South Africans on board; all believed killed

I guess just presenting the facts, including mentioning both nationalities, is just a right-wing conspiracy.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu

If that's for me, I think it's misplaced.

[Anrhydeddu]

No, sorry, it was intended for those slamming foxnews for not being extreme left.

[Cornhuskerly]

Anrhydeddu- I'm not trying to debate here (I have no place in this thread, to be honest), but I looked at Foxnews.com and found this as the actual title: "Plane Crashes Into Mount Kenya; 12 Americans Aboard". Am I looking in the wrong place??

[Anrhydeddu]

Hmmm, I see this..

[Cornhuskerly]

Ah, I see...I had followed the link to the actual article without reading what the link said...thanks.

[Mac Howard]

I don't think there's anything particularly "American" about this, QS, the same approach is certainly true of Britain and Australia from my experience. The Bali terrorist atrocity killed over 200 people but sometimes you would be tempted to assume over here that it was only 88 Australians. I can recall similar situations in the UK with regard to IRA terrorism - two killed in London was much more important than twenty in Belfast.

People throughout the world tend to be very self-oriented not just in the US

[ColtCrazy]

The fact that we are so egocentric should not shock anyone. Personally, I prefer the BBC News to CNN if I want to know what's going on in the world without a horrible bias. While it's a small percentage that act that way, it's takes just a few "If it's not American, it doesn't matter" attitudes to make us look bad world wide.
This argument could also be applied to the French. They get bashed for being self-centered, but it's really the government and some Parisians that are like that, the rest of France are pretty good, friendly people.

[GrantDawg]

The headline here: " 12 from Atlanta family killed in Kenya crash." This was a major money family, who were involved a good number of charities in the area. Sad.

[Marc Vaughan]

All media outlets the world around bias their reporting to the people they hope will purchase/watch their items.

If you doubt this consider this headline from a Southampton newspaper many many years ago ...

"Southampton man drowns at sea"

The event ... nothing less than the sinking of the Titanic.

[andy m]

isn't that an urban myth? i've heard the same thing but for a newspaper in scotland.

[Critch]

There's an bit from an old comedy movie from the 40's (I think) where the main guy reads a headline from a newspaper to an old Scottish guy.

"250 die in train crash. Scotsman hurts hand"

"Oh, the poor man" says the old Scottish guy.

Just seems natural that people are more concerned with people from their own nation.

Can't remember which movie that is, though.

[ctmason]

Originally posted by QuikSand

There is one difference, though, in this case than in your example. This isn't a matter of whether the item is newsworthy, it's a matter of how to package the news.

The news story in this case is judged worthy of reporting to everyone, but the headline (desigend to gain attention) lists the American count only, with absolutely no mention of the fact that two South Africans perished as well.

No, newsworthiness is ABSOLUTELY the issue in this case. The fact that Americans were aboard is what makes it newsworthy to Americans.

And really, I'm not just arguing semantics here. The newsworthiness of the piece depends upon local impact, that's one of the foundations of what makes a story newsworthy.

Would this have still been reported (at all) if no Americans were aboard? Highly unlikely. It isn't unique or dramatic enough to be considered newsworthy. And I'm sorry for sounding callous, but more people would have to be involved before it showed up on CNN/FOX/NBC's radar.

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by Critch

"250 die in train crash. Scotsman hurts hand"

The local Baltimore newscasts were/are notorious for doing this (at least in my book).

[albionmoonlight]

This thread has made me challenge some assumptions.

I, too, seem to care more about what happens to people based, in large part, on geography.

Perhaps this attitude made more sense back in the day. Locals tended to have the same beliefs and experiences as other locals. Now, however, the world is much more well traveled and diverse.

I wonder, had I gotten to know those 14 people before they died, if I would have identified more with the 12 Americans than the 2 South Africans. Maybe--maybe not. My initial instinct, however, is to "care" more about the Americans.

I think that it is human nature to divide the world into "my people" and "not-my-people." I also think that I want to challenge myself to define "my people" as little as possible based on the accident of where someone happened to fall out of his mother's womb.

It is not an easy challenge. Just this morning I was at the Vietnam Memorial. There is a name in the wall that shares my last name and is from Louisiana. I am not directly related to this man. However, seeing his name on the wall always hits me more than all of the other names. All we share is a name and a probable distant bloodline, but that is enough to hit me in a special way. Again, I believe that as humans, we WANT to feel belonging with certain smaller groups of people. Looking at the criteria we use in determining the people with whom we want to identify, however, is somewhat eye-opening.

And, Anrhydeddu, I am not a foxnews basher (I may poke some good natured fun every so often); I think that they noticed a void and did a good job filling it and giving a lot of the public what it wants. In fairness to those who do not like foxnews, however, I think that it is more accurate to say that their complaint is based on the fact that the news is presented with a slight right-of-center slant, not that it is not extreme liberalism.

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by albionmoonlight
And, Anrhydeddu, I am not a foxnews basher (I may poke some good natured fun every so often); I think that they noticed a void and did a good job filling it and giving a lot of the public what it wants. In fairness to those who do not like foxnews, however, I think that it is more accurate to say that their complaint is based on the fact that the news is presented with a slight right-of-center slant, not that it is not extreme liberalism.

It was a weekend-type flippant remark but there is some truth in that. How come certain folks complain that Foxnews may be slight right-of-center but say nothing when CNN/CBS/NBC/ABC/etc. present their news more than slight left-of-center? There are those that call Fox extreme right and I would reserve the right to call nearly everything else extreme left just to provide perspective even though both are not correct.

Regarding this issue and the points you brought up, it is definitely human nature to want to identify with a group - it gives us a measure of self worth. When a certain group makes news, those that are part of that group can make some shared connection. Sports teams and their fans are a common example of this.

[Leonidas]

This is a pet peeve of mine. The media treats these things as though the lives of Americans are more important than the other people who were killed. I'm as patriotic as anyone, but this kind of coverage comes off a bit arrogant.

To take it a step further, the local media in North Carolina made a big deal that the people killed in this crash had close friends from North Carolina. This is there way to give it further relevance to the viewing population. I'm waiting for the report like this: "8 people died in a plane crash in Peru this morning, two of them Americans who once drove through North Carolina on a family trip to Disney World. Just a tragedy for the Triangle area."

[Dutch]

Well, like I said during or after the Iraq war.

When i flipped on CNN one night, the old blonde lady says, "Well.....things are not looking good in Iraq...." while shaking her head, "....we will be right back after this to talk with a family member of one of the deceased young American boys who lost his life fighting in the desert...."

I had to turn it off, too depressing...and it hurt to watch that.

The next morning, I'm watching Fox News and the Host is talking by satellite with an embedded reporter in Baghdad who is with a Marine patrol. The host discovers they are looking for bad guys and they find them when the bad guys shoot at them. The host asks to talk to one of the Marines.

Host: How long have you been in the Marines?
Soldier: I'm actually a reservist, called up last month.
Host: Really? What did you do before?
Soldier: Worked at Wal-mart and go to night school.
Host: Wow. Here this kid is, working at Wal-mart last month, now he's in the middle of Baghdad fighting for the United States of America and freedom. Simply amazing.





You know what? Is that slanted in favor of our efforts in Iraq? Yes it is. But it made me feel good to know that civilians, especially a media person, no less, cared enough to appreciate what Americans do by adding a positive spin to it.

So....if the media says good news, are they biased? And what exactly is the harm that has so many people cringing over it? And why do they take such delight in the former story on CNN??? I don't get it. But many people believe the following logic.

Bad News = Truth
Good News = Pulling the wool over their eyes

I disagree.

[Radii]

My only gripe with Fox News is their claim of being fair and balanced. I don't like CNN or Fox News.

I would disagree with the above statement:

Bad News = Truth
Good News = Pulling the wool over their eyes


Remember this the next time there's a liberal in control of the white house and Fox News is reporting bad news and CNN is reporting good news.

Maybe it won't work out that way but it'll be interesting to find out. And no, I know it's not that black and white either. Remember, I don't like watching either of them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Leonidas, according to the local reports here around Atlanta, there was quite a bit more than a casual connection between

The patriach of the family taught at Duke for 19 years.

One of the sons was an investment firm manager in Chapel Hill & was a board member of several state environmental organizations.

And virtually every member of the family received their degrees from either Duke or UNC-Chapel Hill.

Sounds like maybe you heard a pretty poorly worded account of the victims.

[Dutch]

Remember this the next time there's a liberal in control of the white house and Fox News is reporting bad news and CNN is reporting good news.

Actually, if it does work out that way at least both Democrats and Republicans have a station to watch that allows them to watch the news they want to watch it.