Media Magnet

My consumption of crime and media news is probably on par with most people in today’s society. Everytime I hear or see crime in the media, something just draws me in. It is like a magnet, I seem to gravitate towards crime stories. We are so fascinated by crime. What is it about crime that draws us in? For me it is the combination of the person and the crime committed (but mostly the crime). Anything that involves death or bloody violence, I would have heard about it. I have more of a tendency to be drawn to these stories. Our society is basically surrounded by crime-related material as it is the topic that dominates the media. With today’s advancement in technology we can get our media fix from just about anywhere. Unless you’re living under a rock, it is pretty hard to escape.  

I probably do not give as much time as I should to other news in the media. I guess with big news such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and other natural disasters I do make the extra effort to tune in. However, if you were to ask me about something a bit more general I would not be able to give you much. I think if people are interest in a particular topic, sirens go off in your brain. Be it the news on TV, the newspaper or the internet, crime stories are the first topic to grab my attention. If I see crime-related stories that I interest me in the Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph or any other relevant papers I cut them out. If I see something on Channel 7’s 6pm news, Four Corners or Australian Story I record it. If I want something from the internet it is only a click away. It’s so handy and convenient. You could say I have somewhat of a crime library at home (even though it does make me sound like I’m a hoarder).

When I hear about crime and famous people I just get annoyed (yes I’m taking about you Charlie Sheen). Would we really be devoting that much time to this story if it was someone else, an unknown person? The media is like a dog with a bone when it comes to such stories. We are a world obsessed with celebrities. It must be so hard for them knowing that they cannot escape the media spotlight.

With all that we consume and how crime is the dominating topic in the news, it is hard for us not to be influenced by the media (Surette 2007, p.2). We all know that the media can exaggerate and put their own spin on the stories, however, I for one hope that I can make an informed decision about what I hear, see and read for myself.

References:


Surette, R, 2007, Media, crime, and criminal justice: Images, realities, and policies, Thomson Wadsworth, Canada