Question about the media using 'fear and consumption'

[KelleyKramer]

Michael Moore had a lot in his documentary Bowling for Columbine about how the media uses fear.. Not just the national media, but also the local tv affiliate news.

No matter how insignificant, the news at 11 always had some kind of violent story.. There is even a cliché among the news anchors who bounce around from market to market.. 'If it bleeds it leads'.

Personally, I always was annoyed with the media scare tactics about diseases. There is always some story that is the newest killer disease but it never materializes.. West Nile virus, sars, monkey pox, the swine flu .. and on and on.

When that’s not leading the news, they are talking about germs and how there is mad cow disease, salmonella.. wash your hands with a dish brush after handling raw meat.. Cook your eggs until they are hard as a rock.

There are always local reports about the health department rating of local restaurants.. Horror stories about rats in the kitchen, or employees who left food out for two days.

And we all know how the Bush/Cheney crew have used terror alerts, and their Orwellian color coded scale of the 'terror level'.

I have a friend who is into all these serial killer shows on cable. I give her a hard time by calling A&E the 'serial killers training channel' lol!

A few of my poker buddies like Cold Case Files, and they all love watching COPS.. with the criminals all over our streets being chased down.

Not even counting all the 'psycho story' type books in the stores, a lot of my friends are into these movies like Silence of the Lambs or Monster.

National networks and cable news, local affiliate newscasts, cable programming, book publishing, network shows, the US government, movies, it goes on and on.

That’s a wide range there.. In one way or another, this fear factor seems to be at all levels of our media.

When you consider the implications, for example the part of local news always showing any violence they can find to lead the news show... Its almost a psychology related subject ..

My question is ...

Are there any good books out from a reputable author that deal with this ??


Best!
Kelley

[HEyHEY]

1. Not sure about books but

I agree US media does concentrate on such things way too much. However, I don't think it's the fear they're going after, I think it's the shock and paper sales. I mean would you pick up a paper with "Everything's fine" on the front?

Actually, I probably would.

[shraby]

2. Then we have the rags at

the checkout (I call their headlines my laugh of the day) but people actually buy those things and believe the stories in them.
I remember one that said a woman gave birth while skydiving.

[HEyHEY]

3. The best EVER

was "Farmer kills 20 pound grasshopper" and there was a picture of him holding this HUGE grasshopper like it was a deer or something.

[LibertyorDeath]

5. LOL

I remember that one too funny. :)

How you doin?

Good night for the Liberals considering all the pre election

Conservative hype

Our riding went to the Cons by 45 votes over a excellent NDP candidate.

Man my hide is chapped

[HEyHEY]

6. It was SOOO close here

The Con beat out the NDP candidate by like 600 votes....at onepoint he had the lead. Damn that woulda been sweet.

[LibertyorDeath]

7. Wonder how many more were that close

I don't mind the Liberals but my heart is with the NDP

The conservative are like greed obsessed parasites IMO

[KelleyKramer]

4. I would definitely watch local news without ...

I would definitely watch local news without the 'if it bleeds it leads' part.

Actually, as far as my local market, the station that has a reputation for carrying too much gratuitous violence has ranked at the bottom of the ratings for years.

Disney lost 10's of millions by not carrying the F911 film. Viacom has turned down millions of dollars in advertising from MoveOn.org

Clear Channel radio banned the Dixie Chicks when they sold more concert tickets than any other musician that year.

MSNBC canceled Phil Donohue, their top rated show.

I'll stop there, but the list goes on and on.

The old cliché goes both ways.. When they tell you its all about money.. It has NOTHING to do with money..

In this case its all about politics.

[Fitzovich]

8. Lifetime

Don't forget Lifetime - The channel for abused women.