Abuse of Media: "Truth" without Evidence

[EEK]

Ever see a story that the media riled up the masses, only to see the narrative change with more evidence after certain groups got riled already? The Brown and Wilson case really got people of my community upset for example. When more facts came out, there were no opinions changed because sides were chosen regardless of evidence. When the story first broke I was mad, cause it seemed some innocent guy just put his hands up and got shot. Turns out there was robbery, assault on a cop, etc = a lot more to it. Another example was when Rolling Stone magazine had retracted its article about a brutal gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity, after the release of a report concluded the widely discredited piece was the result of failures at every stage of the "reporting" process.

 

[ThePhantasm]

The media does this all the time. People need to understand that news stories are just that... storytelling, not the raw facts. They are often based in biased conjecture, especially in the initial moments after an event.

The media is still a great source of information, you just have to be critical and discerning about what you read, and for pete's sake be patient and wait for the facts to come out fully before leaping to conclusions.

 

[BatmanVSuperman]

In terms of the Brown case, I'd say that Sharpton had plenty to do with riling up crowds of people within the community. I would not solely place the rush to judgement of that case towards the media.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Sharpton wouldn't have gotten involved had it not been a huge media story.

 

[BatmanVSuperman]

Sharpton wouldn't have gotten involved had it not been a huge media story.

Good point.

 

[EEK]

Sharpton IS part of the media. He is an activist of self promotion and money. It's not that black lives truly matter to him. It certainly isn't about facts mattering to him. When new evidence comes out that shows a cop was clear of wrong doing are you seeing him admit being wrong? No he doubles down and tries to continue riling up racial tension. Scum.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

The media doesn't have to agree with Sharpton to see that his controversy creates more problems and a larger story. The hands up narrative was so huge, and now looking at the evidence it seems it never even happened. That's pretty messed up. It remains a popular saying in the black community towards stories of cops/black men even now.

 

[Destructus86]

Ever see a story that the media riled up the masses, only to see the narrative change with more evidence after certain groups got riled already? The Brown and Wilson case really got people of my community upset for example. When more facts came out, there were no opinions changed because sides were chosen regardless of evidence. When the story first broke I was mad, cause it seemed some innocent guy just put his hands up and got shot. Turns out there was robbery, assault on a cop, etc = a lot more to it. Another example was when Rolling Stone magazine had retracted its article about a brutal gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity, after the release of a report concluded the widely discredited piece was the result of failures at every stage of the "reporting" process.

The media realizes it's in it's best interest (money) to appeal to the general populaces post-modernistic views....sadly.

 

[Schlosser85]

Just look at Subway Jared. The investigation was about a former co worker, not Jared himself, yet the media worded it's headlines to make it sound like Jared himself got busted with child porn.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Just look at Subway Jared. The investigation was about a former co worker, not Jared himself, yet the media worded it's headlines to make it sound like Jared himself got busted with child porn.

Man you aren't kidding. The media basically ruined that mans life for something he had no involvement with. I keep seeing everyone posting memes on Bookface and Tweeter and seeing articles about how Subway is doing everything they can to sever all ties with him ASAP. All because the media wanted to write up a flashy headline to get clicks on their webpages. It's freaking sad

 

[Lily Adler]

Tom Hardy is caught picking his nose! Does he have a cocaine addiction!?! I'm Nancy Grace and it's time to let out the lawyers about cokehead!

 

[KevanG]

Personally depending on some of the headlines, if I was Jarod I'd sue. That's rather severe libel. They basically state in several of the headlines I've read that he was found with child pornography. Most still haven't updated it.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

It's a mixed bag.

The media profits off of sensationalism sometimes.

But other times media exposing police abuse, corporate wrong doing and government corruption is the only way authority figures are held accountable.

There's really not much public oversight over some of these authority figures.

You guys think the police who shot a man in the back or the ones who nickel rode another man to death would be facing charges without the media?

Nope. The only reason charges were brought was public outrage over the media footage.

Often the media is the only public oversight there is.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

It's a mixed bag.

The media profits off of sensationalism sometimes.

But other times media exposing police abuse, corporate wrong doing and government corruption is the only way authority figures are held accountable.

There's really not much public oversight over some of these authority figures.

You guys think the police who shot a man in the back or the ones who nickel rode another man to death would be facing charges without the media?

Nope. The only reason charges were brought was public outrage over the media footage.

Often the media is the only public oversight there is.

Dude you know I'm right there with you but what they did to Jarrod was just wrong man. Seriously his life is ruined. Now when the average Joe thinks of Jarrod the Subway guy they immediately think he is a freaking child molester. The court of public opinion is a fickle b**** with a great short term memory for stupid headlines that they don't even bother reading the article on

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Dude you know I'm right there with you but what they did to Jarrod was just wrong man. Seriously his life is ruined. Now when the average Joe thinks of Jarrod the Subway guy they immediately think he is a freaking child molester. The court of public opinion is a fickle b**** with a great short term memory for stupid headlines that they don't even bother reading the article on

The media can be sloppy and even malicious but there are also times where there would be zero accountability for police and other authority figues if the abuse video or whistleblower didn't make the news.

 

[zeroapoc]

The worst offender.

And I'm saying this about a woman who went to the same college as me.

 

[KevanG]

The problem is that even with the good they do, the fact that they have almost no accountability for the damage they do . There has been quite a bit of corruption found out and terrible people made public but then there's cases like this where a mans name is irreparably stained with this stigma.

 

[SuperFerret]

The media calling out abuses of power is problematic because if they're not reliable for other stories, when do you know when to believe them?

 

[Schlosser85]

The worst offender.

And I'm saying this about a woman who went to the same college as me.

She drove a mother of a mudered child to suicide once by incessantly hounding her about whether she did it herself. Literally.

 

[Teelie]

The media does have a loose definition of what the words truth, honest, fact, accuracy and ethical mean. They very have a 100% track record of failing to have at least 3/4 of those in their reporting and none of them can knock out a 5/5.

When was the last time there was an explosive revelation and they managed to not get something wrong with it?

 

[EEK]

The worst offender.

And I'm saying this about a woman who went to the same college as me.

That lady in Gone Girl was too accurate