By Boris Pavlov, Year 11
It may seem ironic that this is an article about the faults of the media; however, it is essential that the biases of the journalism industry are dealt with if the values it upholds are to be maintained. The News is the primary source of information for the majority of us. With a world so large and complicated, it is impossible to discover everything ourselves. So, the media has taken it upon themselves to inform the public with world events, new discoveries and all the latest occurrences. However, having been around for quite some time, it is time to address its shortcomings.
Most of us have probably heard of the terrible blaze that engulfed the Notre Dame. On the other hand, the massacre in Mali of 160 Fulani herders on March 23rd went largely untalked about. People were quick to pledge over a billion dollars for the former, and many hadn’t even heard of the latter. This is a serious issue that is, fittingly, also ignored.
Biases exist in each and every one of us. However, journalism claims to be as objective as possible. For it to have become so centred on events in the developed world is a catastrophe. On almost every occasion, a tragedy that has occured in the United States or Europe has received more coverage that those in lesser developed countries.
Even if this is because catastrophes are rarer in countries with lower crime, that should be all the more reason to spend time addressing issues that are larger and more endemic, rather than anomalies.
Although arguments could be made that people might be more interested in local events, if they are not presented with the whole picture, how can we hope to act in the crises that affect countless millions? Humanity is bound by its universal qualities, and it is what makes us human to want to help each other. The lack of representation of devastating issues that plague underdeveloped areas of the world hinders our ability to do so. The Media has failed us in this regard.
That isn’t to say that they are entirely to blame. Though they have shown considerable inexcusable bias to the developed world in their coverage, we do not seem to care enough to type in a couple of extra words on Google to find out what has happened elsewhere. Even if we cannot help personally in every situation, without being informed, we cannot even begin to try to help.
Overall, it is important to remember that, unfortunately, the industry we rely on for our information is flawed, and that without our intervention, whether by spending more time to find articles pertaining to global events, or through our recognition of its faults, it is impossible to solve the issues that truly matter.
