Article Abstract:
Prime-time television crime stories range from the truth as presented by news programs to the truth as depicted by 'true-life reenactments' of crimes such as 'Unsolved Mysteries' or 'America's Most Wanted' to crime-oriented tabloid series such as 'Hard Copy' and 'Inside Edition' which blur the distinction between news and reenactment. This concentration on crime and the dreary statistic that one in thirty Americans is the victim of violent crime leads to a state of public fear. Also, use of real police in many series guarantees that brutality and police transgressions will not be accurately portrayed.
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Article Abstract:
Each of us forms a personal cosmology of fear based on our perceptions of the world which are formed in part by press coverage of events relevant to our personal safety and survival. These cosmologies are not formed at a conscious level, and they may be largely shared by the public. Though the press is often blamed for distorting facts and increasing our fears, this is unfair. The press does influence our beliefs, but indirectly via reinforcement. The press should educate and this requires accuracy in statistics, descriptive detail and an indication of social relevance of violent crime.
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Article Abstract:
The media attends celebrated cases for their sensation value, often ignoring the plights of the poor or underprivileged. Notorious individuals such as Michael Milken or Leona Helmsley suffer at the hands of the press more for their attitude than their actual guilt. The case of Lenell Geeter, a black engineer wrongly convicted of robbery in a xenophobic Texas town, who was freed after media coverage of his case demonstrates the power the media wields when they can be motivated by public outrage.
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic: