Mothers crying as they search for their babies, husbands angered and grief-stricken at the sight of their broken homes and dead or injured children being carried away by officers. Such images of horrific events are never easy to view. Images of natural disasters and of war aren’t easy, either. However, there should be no bias in the gathering of news – a story is a story whether it reflects positively or negatively on our society. Biased judgments are made when material is deemed “suitable” or “not suitable” for the viewers.
If you follow the journalistic concept that news is news no matter what, then shocking photos of both tsunamis and war should be treated the same. It is up to the news organizations to decide what degree of realism their photos exemplify? If images of fluffy white bunnies and flowers are as controversial as they want to go, so be it. If they decide to show an image of a dead boy in the middle of a horrific tragedy, it should be shown in both the desecration of war and horror of natural disaster.
When the Iraq war entered its darkest period, photos of death in the streets and hundreds of flag-draped coffins were withheld from newspapers and from television broadcasts. News anchors explained it was in respect to sensitive viewers. Since the tsunami, however, I turn on the news and the same disturbing footage that was previously too drastic for television, is on all the major channels. The only difference is that they’re not pictures of war but of a natural disaster on the screen. Dead children, towns in ruins and mourning families displayed from station to station. Such hypocritical selection is not reflective of pure journalism.
In my journalism studies, one of the most drilled lessons has been there are no bad stories. You report what happens, that is our job. The lack of war images, especially in such a controversial war, seems highly suspicious. They are hiding the images of war from us. Do they want us to believe that if we don’t see the dreadful ravages of battle, then we can pretend it is not really happening? Does it then create a disengagement of responsibility for both American citizens and American government officials?
The documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11” displayed images and footage of battle and destruction far more extreme than any war clips on television.
However, not one week ago I saw tsunami footage that reflected the same kind of horror and showed the faces of death as seen in Michael Moore’s controversial project. Who, then, is disingenuous in their reporting to the American people?
Journalists today need to look back to their school books and remember news is news, good, bad or indifferent.
Bias displayed by omission or imbalance is a disservice to the American public and a black mark on the journalistic world.