Murder and terror blackout

Media craze comes in seasons. Probably because one high-profile case (often shocking, tragic and sudden) often leads to the reporting of cases similar to it. News-worthy, they call it. Just like suicide cases after a financial crisis; gun laws after random massacres by depressed and neglected (mental illness activists are crying out for more funding to treat more patients) murder and terror has hogged the headlines. Face it, do you want to know more about LIMA or the notorious congregation of people? :)

Terrorist, some call them. Then they were "linked to terrorists". Mainstream and alternative media are at loggerheads at what is the actual situation. People who are on the ground tells a different story. Like the problems facing one of the many structures of our motherland, one of the people I met asked, why is the shutdown scantily reported? What ensued was various speculations and views on what happened. And when we report the (actual?) situation, will it fuel the cause of the perpetrators? like the gun massacre in Virginia High, Finland and the case of Robert Hawkins of late?

The debate is: is lack of information actually fueling the sentiment or diffusing the situation? =)

I WANT TO BE FAMOUS - SHOULD THE MEDIA STOP HELPING?

Robert Hawkins predicted in his suicide note that he’d be famous once he carried out his plan, and he was right. Yesterday, he killed eight people and himself in a Nebraska shopping mall and today his face and name is featured on thousands of TV stations, websites and newspapers.Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people at Virginia Tech in April. He too was confident the media would play its part. Between his two attacks he sent a video to a major US network and days later we all watched him.

Is it time the media took a collective decision to report such massacres with only the bare facts? No pictures, no suicide note, no videos, in the public domain. No live reports from the scene and no blanket coverage? Could it work? Should it be done?

TERRORIST RAGE: NOT JUST MIDDLE EASTERN PROBLEM

Alicia Crall

In a terrorist attack last Tuesday, one congressman and one civilian were killed and several local councilmen and radio journalists were injured in a bombing in an upscale cafe'.

If this story does not sound familiar, it is because it was barely covered in the news media. Considering how "terrorist aware" the news has become, why did this story not merit coverage?
It is because this terrorist bombing took place, not in the Middle East, but in Columbia.

I found this story while on the CNN Web site. I watch the news regularly, so I was surprised a terrorist attack killing a government official was not reported.

Click here to read more...

Debatabase has this to say: Terrorism, should not be allowed publicity

Cheers, and till we meet, have a great training!

PS: the debate research and ppt slides can be summarized and uploaded here for the benefit for those unable to attend the training.