FabSwingers.com forum: Media representation

By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

This is a bit of a rambling thought that I’ve been having over the past few weeks/months regarding how much of the public consciousness is influenced by media representation of facts and stories.

The recent events have fed into this but I also find aspects of the story concerning, not in terms of the awful murder but in terms of *why* this story piqued the public consciousness.

Lots of people are attacked, murdered and assaulted daily, yet this story has caused this response...

My eternal question is ‘why?’ and this is no different, why certain stories seem to hit home. Madeline McCan, George Floyd, Captain Sir Tom Moore, Sarah Everard... why these stories and not others that are almost identical?

How much do you think that we are manipulated by media and what drives stories to take root?

Thoughts dear fabbers...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

Because information is always mediated through the lens of the conveyor.

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By *unnyLinguistMan
over a year ago

Wiltshire and London

"I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

Well, the news is out there; there are organisations such as Reuters who genuinely try to report the news, not spinning it as many other - more vociferous - media do.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Interesting post.

I have always wondered why certain crimes get picked up more than others too.

I think it has a lot to do with social media and blue tick accounts for example, when they tweet or post about certain things it tends to go viral, then the media picks it up & they take it to a whole other level.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Interesting post.

I have always wondered why certain crimes get picked up more than others too.

This really

Money, race and power play a big part unfortunately.

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

"Interesting post.

I have always wondered why certain crimes get picked up more than others too.

Interesting perspective, the idea of SM causing a feedback loop at to what stories are warranting further coverage or consumption makes sense to a certain degree

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

"I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

All news is edited for coverage and to be consumed by the purchasers/audience. It’s nothing new and any editor will have a personal bias as to the stories covered or pushed according to their tastes.

No news outlet is removed from this, the ones that feel unbiased are just matching with our tastes

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I strongly believe we get the media we deserve . An editor or reporter will identify a national mood or desire to get behind a common cause and somebody like Captain Sir Tom Moore will become a focus point for that mood. Something akin to hysteria overtakes the general public and suddenly he's knighted and almost sanctified. While people who've worked tirelessly for charity their whole lives, live and die unnoticed.

Main stream media in my opinion is little more than propaganda.

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By *andyfloss2000Woman
over a year ago

ashford

Because it was committed by someone who shd have been a protector we tell our kids if u need help ask a policeman x

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By *acey_RedWoman
over a year ago

Liverpool

I do believe they're using actual real issues to distract us from the shit show our government is at the moment. It's frustrating because they're actually really important issues that need to be addressed so it's difficult to ignore them. The media usually doesn't care but are now using it to their advantage. They also know they can use it to get us to turn on each other so the rich can continue to make obscene profits while we all struggle to get by but are too distracted by tearing chunks out of each other to notice.

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By *atnip make me purrWoman
over a year ago

Reading

"This is a bit of a rambling thought that I’ve been having over the past few weeks/months regarding how much of the public consciousness is influenced by media representation of facts and stories.

The recent events have fed into this but I also find aspects of the story concerning, not in terms of the awful murder but in terms of *why* this story piqued the public consciousness.

Lots of people are attacked, murdered and assaulted daily, yet this story has caused this response...

How much do you think that we are manipulated by media and what drives stories to take root?

Thoughts dear fabbers..."

Madeline Mccann and Sarah Everard both blonde and white and the parents/cop added extra dimensions.

George Floyd this wasn't just a shooting that takes a second but a prolonged assault that could have been stopped at any time. Sir Tom Moore was just super cute! We all wanted him for our grandfather.

Just my thoughts on why THESE stories.

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By *ljamMan
over a year ago

Edinburgh

I think you'd be as well to ask why a certain book becomes a best seller, or a certain song becomes a smash hit... it's a complicated mix of factors both within the book, music, or news story, and within society at large. Probably far too complicated to go into a post of any reasonable length...

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By *lym4realCouple
over a year ago

plymouth

Most of the news reported isn't news really and the joys of 24/7 rolling news and most times it's used to fit a agenda and a distraction and mostly they work on the fact that people forget what they have read and been led to believe ? like the Daily Fail...The Scum....etc etc who all openly backed the current lot in charge and the lot before and now they are all currently complaining about police numbers ?? the state of the NHS..Social care...the treatment of the elderly ?? and of course the whole freedom to protest ?? but only a short while ago were openly calling the BLM to be locked up and worse ?? vandals ?? and not forgetting all the children doing the earth march thing ?? gets very tiring ..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I’m not sure what the situation is with the U.K. media, but in France all the major newspapers, magazines, TV and radio channels are owned by a very small number of billionaires via their holding companies.

As a result the reporting of the news is biased towards whichever political these few people have. The put emphasis on the stories which suit their narrative and ignore those that don’t.

So who owns the media in the U.K. ? Could there be some of that too?

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

"I’m not sure what the situation is with the U.K. media, but in France all the major newspapers, magazines, TV and radio channels are owned by a very small number of billionaires via their holding companies.

As a result the reporting of the news is biased towards whichever political these few people have. The put emphasis on the stories which suit their narrative and ignore those that don’t.

So who owns the media in the U.K. ? Could there be some of that too?"

I think that’s the case in most nations now. Some media companies are multinational as well

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By *acey_RedWoman
over a year ago

Liverpool

As a result the reporting of the news is biased towards whichever political these few people have. The put emphasis on the stories which suit their narrative and ignore those that don’t.

So who owns the media in the U.K. ? Could there be some of that too?"

Most of it is owned by 1 billionaire

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

" Most of the news reported isn't news really and the joys of 24/7 rolling news and most times it's used to fit a agenda and a distraction and mostly they work on the fact that people forget what they have read and been led to believe ? like the Daily Fail...The Scum....etc etc who all openly backed the current lot in charge and the lot before and now they are all currently complaining about police numbers ?? the state of the NHS..Social care...the treatment of the elderly ?? and of course the whole freedom to protest ?? but only a short while ago were openly calling the BLM to be locked up and worse ?? vandals ?? and not forgetting all the children doing the earth march thing ?? gets very tiring ..

Picking out what you wrote at the start regarding the 24 hour news cycle is fairly important. The coverage of facts has passed on the conjecture and opinion, they don’t cover events so much as filling whilst events occur.

It’s kind of getting away from my OP though

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

"I think you'd be as well to ask why a certain book becomes a best seller, or a certain song becomes a smash hit... it's a complicated mix of factors both within the book, music, or news story, and within society at large. Probably far too complicated to go into a post of any reasonable length..."

That’s true, although those types of media tend to be a product of or tap into a common social trend, as opposed to the source.

I’m more asking; what is it about these specific stories and people that make them become suddenly so vital and relevant?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I do believe they're using actual real issues to distract us from the shit show our government is at the moment. It's frustrating because they're actually really important issues that need to be addressed so it's difficult to ignore them. The media usually doesn't care but are now using it to their advantage. They also know they can use it to get us to turn on each other so the rich can continue to make obscene profits while we all struggle to get by but are too distracted by tearing chunks out of each other to notice. "

Covid was number 1 news item for the last umpteen months. Now news item number 1 is shit stirring of a different kind.

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By *den-Valley-coupleCouple
over a year ago

Cumbria

Been sheep on the for years like holidays in UK buy a caravan look some talentless idiots has got a new house and the best one covid is going to kill you.

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

That’s true, although those types of media tend to be a product of or tap into a common social trend, as opposed to the source.

I’m more asking; what is it about these specific stories and people that make them become suddenly so vital and relevant? "

In many news outlets they seem to big up the article and promote it endlessly if the victim or perpetrator is perceived as good looking, sexy etc.. not fit to wrap chips in ..

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By *ea monkey OP Man
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

"This is a bit of a rambling thought that I’ve been having over the past few weeks/months regarding how much of the public consciousness is influenced by media representation of facts and stories.

The recent events have fed into this but I also find aspects of the story concerning, not in terms of the awful murder but in terms of *why* this story piqued the public consciousness.

Lots of people are attacked, murdered and assaulted daily, yet this story has caused this response...

How much do you think that we are manipulated by media and what drives stories to take root?

Thoughts dear fabbers...

Madeline Mccann and Sarah Everard both blonde and white and the parents/cop added extra dimensions.

Just my thoughts on why THESE stories."

Interesting points.

I did wonder if that was at least a part of the reason. Because they’re white, middle class and pretty, that hits harder as they can’t be easily dismissed as inviting issues. Of course that’s making large assumptions regarding societal bias and judgement.

In all honesty I can’t see *why* these stories hit hardest, when others didn’t, why the public consciousness was engaged to the point of inflammatory actions

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think it depends on what else is going on at the time and what story the media want to push.

In the whole of last year there was only one old man fund raising for the NHS.

Last week there was only one woman murdered.

Last summer all the UK beaches were heaving with people sat shoulder to shoulder.

9/11 was a good day to bury bad news.

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By *2000ManMan
over a year ago

Worthing

I preferred the news when it was just a single person reading it. Too many 'talking heads' now given their opinion.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

Because information is always mediated through the lens of the conveyor.

Exactly. Knowledge is situated.

Foucault argues that there is not objective truth or science. Except maths obviously. But every truth is subjective and contingent on the subject spreading it. Consequently, we have to keep in mind that everything we read have biases one way or another.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I've said for a while now, years ago, the media used to report the news, now they push opinions and agendas.

You get right wing news, you get left wing news, why can't we just get the news and let make our own informed opinion?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

People are lemmings.

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