DELETED

[TheBarefootBandit]

So this Air France plane has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean. There were 228 people on board and it's feared they might have all died. These are the facts. It's bad and I have no wish to make light of it.

But this isn't what I've heard. Given that I live in the UK, all my sources of news are, of course, geared towards British people. So all the headlines I've seen are "5 BRITISH PEOPLE FEARED DEAD! - Oh, and there might have been some foreigners as well". This is not nearly as bad as a headline I saw several months ago which read, pretty much word for word: "17 Britons missing as Burma death toll reaches 100,000". And this happens every time there's a major incident involving Britons in some way.

Am I the only one disgusted by this method of reporting? The message seems fairly clear: lots of people might have or definitely have died, but the ones from the country you live in are the only ones worth caring about. There are some dead foreigners too, but they eat funny food and they're all criminals anyway, so who cares? I realise this might have turned into something of a rant, but it really ticks me off.

So I put it to you: do you encounter much of this where you live, do you have any interesting examples and, above all, does it bother you as much as it bothers me?

There's always bias. Though nowhere near as dramatic take British sports commentary...

 

[Simalacrum]

something tells me this needs a poll!

also, it doesn't really bother me, I don't think the media are going out of their way to undermine foreigners as less important... its just people are more interested if people from their own country are involved.

 

[kaziard]

of course they report your own countries death toll. Like it or not if you hear about people dying in, for example, irael or germany or wherever you are gonna say "thats tragic" and then go on with your lives, if the number from your own country/town/city is reported it is more likely to stick in your head. Yes it is showing favouritism, but for a good reason.

 

[erridgeman]

I like you am English. If you had to choose on fear of your family and your self being tortured and killed who would you save a frenchie, a yank or a british citizian? I know who I would choose................ THE BRITISH ONE!!!!

 

[erridgeman]

plz don't kill me america!!

 

[ix_tab]

It happens a lot in Australian media.

I remember when the Bali Bombings happened, and 97 Australians died. That was awful. Hundreds of Balinese died. You wouldn't have known that if you relied on the Murdoch newspapers.

 

[Sanaj]

So this Air France plane has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean. There were 228 people on board and it's feared they might have all died. These are the facts. It's bad and I have no wish to make light of it.

But this isn't what I've heard. Given that I live in the UK, all my sources of news are, of course, geared towards British people. So all the headlines I've seen are "5 BRITISH PEOPLE FEARED DEAD! ..."

Sadly this method of news reporting is common, for me they don't have to be people from
my country in order for it to be important.

This is similar to wars when the single digit lives of North Americans matters more than the
hundreds of thousands of native people that died in their country.

I see why the news is reported in this way though.
People are more likely to be interested or engaged when a story might personally affect people that they know or care about personally.

So scobie, it's a common practice. I don't like it either but...eh, I can't change it.

 

[timmytom1]

Yeah but their dirty forigners why would anyone care?? (joke)

 

[Jay Cee]

Well we are pretty incredible.
In all seriousness though it is a problem I've addressed before with friends and it's simply a blend of propaganda and hypocrisy.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

So this Air France plane has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean. There were 228 people on board and it's feared they might have all died. These are the facts. It's bad and I have no wish to make light of it.

But this isn't what I've heard. Given that I live in the UK, all my sources of news are, of course, geared towards British people. So all the headlines I've seen are "5 BRITISH PEOPLE FEARED DEAD! - Oh, and there might have been some foreigners as well". This is not nearly as bad as a headline I saw several months ago which read, pretty much word for word: "17 Britons missing as Burma death toll reaches 100,000". And this happens every time there's a major incident involving Britons in some way.

Am I the only one disgusted by this method of reporting? The message seems fairly clear: lots of people might have or definitely have died, but the ones from the country you live in are the only ones worth caring about. There are some dead foreigners too, but they eat funny food and they're all criminals anyway, so who cares? I realise this might have turned into something of a rant, but it really ticks me off.

So I put it to you: do you encounter much of this where you live, do you have any interesting examples and, above all, does it bother you as much as it bothers me?

No you're not alone, and thank you very much for this thread as I need to let off some steam about media coverage myself. Heeeeere we go:
Yesterday I was watching the news, and one of the stories (if you can call it a 'story') they covered was that 2 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan. They named them and possibly said that their families had been informed. That was it. Then they went on to do a full 5 minute report, at least, about something to do with the fucking Chelsea football club and some manager. Since when does motherfucking football take precedence over human life?

Ugh, that feels so much better.

 

[Jay Cee]

I like you am English. If you had to choose on fear of your family and your self being tortured and killed who would you save a frenchie, a yank or a british citizian? I know who I would choose................ THE BRITISH ONE!!!!

Wow your pretentious.

I'm a Brit but I can't stand us. People aren't determined by race.

 

[timmytom1]

So this Air France plane has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean. There were 228 people on board and it's feared they might have all died. These are the facts. It's bad and I have no wish to make light of it.

But this isn't what I've heard. Given that I live in the UK, all my sources of news are, of course, geared towards British people. So all the headlines I've seen are "5 BRITISH PEOPLE FEARED DEAD! - Oh, and there might have been some foreigners as well". This is not nearly as bad as a headline I saw several months ago which read, pretty much word for word: "17 Britons missing as Burma death toll reaches 100,000". And this happens every time there's a major incident involving Britons in some way.

Am I the only one disgusted by this method of reporting? The message seems fairly clear: lots of people might have or definitely have died, but the ones from the country you live in are the only ones worth caring about. There are some dead foreigners too, but they eat funny food and they're all criminals anyway, so who cares? I realise this might have turned into something of a rant, but it really ticks me off.

So I put it to you: do you encounter much of this where you live, do you have any interesting examples and, above all, does it bother you as much as it bothers me?

I listend to ITV`s coverege of the champions league and the bias was so blatant it was hilarious

There's always bias. Though nowhere near as dramatic take British sports commentary...

I know i was listening to ITV`s champions league covereg and it was just hilarious how utterly bias they were at times

 

[A.I. Sigma]

why are you insulted?

You live in the UK its telling you fellow countrymen are missing or dead, most newspapers that are worth their salt mention the deathtoll not just the British Death toll, but that certain death toll is important to people, you completely missed the point and grossly exaggerated the thread, its not saying that the other people who died are any less, its saying your fellow country men died and is bringing that to your attention As well as others from other countries.

I'd have to agree with this statement. While it is tragic that others have died, they are from our country, and the people that live in Britain (who may not know what happened to their family members on that plane) would like some facts, even if they are vague.

 

[Nemo from Utopia]

I think you're a whiny little... *cough* you're overreacting.

They specify how many Britons were killed, because it the bigger number it is, ther bigger odds that it might have been someone you know who was there.
It's the same everywhere.

Exactly, 228 people dead is a tragedy but for the families of those 5 brits they need to know the details as that could be their daughter/dad whatever. Every country does it

...so the families find out from the media by them stating that 5 random britons were on board rather than the authorities? i'd worry if i found out someone i knew died on tv first. obviously the families will be watching the news or whatever to find out any new developments but i would hope that if a family member was on board they would have realised or been told before the media that something's gone wrong.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

The only thing I know about Air France is that Henry Hill made a mint ripping them off.

As for the other thing, selective reporting happens in every country. I suggest using the Internet to check up on news... Although in all honesty, I recommend NOT checking up on news at all.

 

[Nemo from Utopia]

It happens a lot in Australian media.

I remember when the Bali Bombings happened, and 97 Australians died. That was awful. Hundreds of Balinese died. You wouldn't have known that if you relied on the Murdoch newspapers.

rupert murdock is an evil genius and i say that in a non ironic or awed way. no one should have that much power over so many different forms of media. he basically proves what karl marx right and im not a communist...i could go on to rant but im sure no one relly cares so ill stop here

 

[Li1t]

I see it a different way. Do you really expect a breakdown of everyone by nationality whenever a disaster takes place? The headlines are only in the business of giving you the data relevant to their audience. If they put more data, they risk boring people. Broadcasting is a pretty cut-throat business, you know.

We live in a society with the potential to feed us so much information that we just can't process all of it. If every single death were reported in full, it would cost a lot to report and any given individual probably wouldn't take-in more than 1% of it. The news thus can't report it all, and so only covers what it believes to be of interest to its viewers.

Lastly we have the issue of the local casualties being headlined over the total death toll. Well, consider the fact that 150000+ people die every day. That's just a statistic, you can't really imagine 150 thousand people dieing. Unless a figure is brought-home with more information, it's just faceless 'people' who die. Well, I think that's what they're trying to do by listing the number of britons who're missing, to bring it home somewhat.

 

[Nemo from Utopia]

its a british newspaper selling to british people, why shouldn't it gear its stories towards brits? people in britain are far morelikly to know/careabout another british person than any of the other 223 people, im not saying its not tragic that they died, but the britsh are going to care more about the britsh deaths

i think thats the point reall. its how hitler got soo powerfull - no one cares about anything that doesnt affect them directly until it does. we let him do terrible things in germany but didnt bother to intervene until we realised that he might just be some kind of threat. thats an analogy by the way im not saying this is exactly the same just that your argument is a sympton of whats wrong with society in that why shouldnt we care about any life just the same regardless of country of origin? what if there was an aussie on the plane but he lived in england, would that be more interesting than an aussie who still lives in austraila? or less than a british resident who was born here?

 

[Sindre1]

The headline in my city?:
A 44 year old man from Askøy (a small island outside Bergen in Norway) may be dead after a plane has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean.
Thats it.

 

[ThePocketWeasel]

I was saying exactly what Scobie said yesterday when I first heard this on the news. The british government and media never seem to be bothered at all unless there's british people involved or there's a chance there is.

Then when they find out there's brits involved its like OH NO CATASTROPHE!! And then they want to help.