Over the past few years, online news platforms and social media sites have heavily impacted journalism and how people obtain their information. Citizens have access to numerous sites that not only allow them to stay up to date on popular local, national, and global stories, but also give them the most updated information pertaining to said stories. Personally, I do not have a preference in terms of which platform a person chooses to get their news from: online, print or the traditional televised program. My concerns lie with the content that is being published or broadcasted to the general public.
It doesn’t matter if I pick up a newspaper, browse online, or watch the 6 o’clock news -- I know that I will discover one story, but most likely more, that highlights some of the most negative and traumatic events that happen nationally and internationally. Of course, I was always aware that negative stories were always going to be present on whichever news source I went to, but it wasn’t until this year that certain aspects of this negative news reporting seemed odd to me. This semester, my media writing professor asked my class to find news articles to share in a Google document. For the first half of the semester, it was an easy task. I found current events and copied and pasted the link to the document in a matter of minutes. But after hearing so many negative stories, my professor made the executive decision to require us to find positive news, which was significantly more difficult.
It makes me question why so many different news platforms are reporting copious amounts of the same negative stories. There is a saying, “If it bleeds, it leads,” which basically means that the media has a better chance of intriguing an audience if it's reporting on violence, murder, and other crime-related incidents. As an aspiring journalist, I’m not comfortable with heavily focusing on tragic situations just to ensure that people are reading my articles. But I know the problem is not solely with the media; I put partial blame on the audience as well. I wish there was some way that we could rid ourselves of this negative addiction -- that we would sooner want to hear about a veteran donating a kidney to a former friend in combat as opposed to the sentencing of a murderer.
If we must report negative news, I believe reporters should not dwell on the individual who has committed the crime; it only publicizes it even more and gives criminals an undeserved popularity. We’re always given the names of the murderers, the criminals, the convicted, but I’d rather give acknowledgment to the victims. I want to hear their story because their ability to tell it was unrightfully taken from them. We invest so much of our time in negative stories that it only breeds more negativity from the audience -- like we are trapped in a never-ending negative discussion. I appreciate the people who post positive comments and send their condolences to the affected parties.
Recently, tragedy struck in Paris, France. I am overwhelmed with the amount of love and support that other countries are showing to France during this difficult time. When Paris turned off the Eiffel Tower’s lights to honor those who had lost their lives, countries around the world lit up their landmarks with blue, white, and red to show their support.
In addition to this, Facebook has released a blue, white, and red-striped filter that people can apply to their profile pictures to further show their support. The social media site also used its Safety Check feature to allow people near the attack to confirm their safety, so Facebook could send out a status blast to their friends, informing them that their loved one was safe. Other images have surfaced across the Internet of the Eiffel Tower with the hashtag “Pray for Paris” across it that people have shared through various social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. People continue to show their support through social media. Paris citizens posted online, stating that they have opened up their homes to individuals who are stranded in the city from the attack.
Bad things occur every day, so to expect zero coverage on negative stories is irrational, impossible, and impractical. In no way am I saying that these events should not be reported or that the public should remain in the dark about what’s happening. I just hope that journalists continue to report on what’s important in terms of negative news and show the same love and support we are giving for Paris in all other tragic events that happen. And if at all possible, to look for positive stories to share with the world. As journalists, it is our job to report on what’s happening in the world, but we are responsible for exemplifying positivity, support, and hope to show our audience that there is still light amid the darkness.
