When I first began this blog I realized the use of harsh and gruesome words about the subject gave off a negative bias on the issue of whaling. To keep a neutral standpoint and only talk about the coverage of the topic, I found it was best to use objective terms and discourse. An article published by MSNBC did not seem to see eye to eye with me on this concept. The descriptive story titled, "Sea turned red with blood as Faroe Islanders hunt pilot whales" showcases it's bias on the controversial issue in the title alone. This gory depiction of the scene at hand does not put a pleasant initial image in the readers mind.
They then come to the warning portion of the article. MSNBC places a warning label at the top of the article stating:
This post contains graphic images which some viewers may find disturbing.
The choice to choose these particular images and then proceed to describe them in this manner shows the news outlet has some what of a negative bias on the issue.
The real indication of MSNBC's tilt on whaling is the word choices and discourse they use throughout the article. Words like herd, hunt, slaughter and kill are all used throughout the story. The decision to use these kinds of gruesome words put them on the right wing of the contention in a very outright manner.
Along with their words MSNBC's images, held true to their warning, also do not shed a positive or even neutral light on whaling. A lot of blood and guts are included in the photographs along with graphic depictions of the scenes. The photos are grim and do not shed a neutral or positive light on the issue whatsoever.
The content of MSNBC's article on the Faroe Island's recent whaling resembles that of a People's Daily Online article. Although this particular story does not have the gory discourse behind it, it mimics MSNBC's piece with a bold and repelling title, "Cruel Scenes of Whaling", and numerous graphic photos that very much deter the reader from any positive thoughts. There is no article, but the first bold word of the title gives off the outlets opinion on the issue of whaling.
Nice angle on this post Abbey.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point that a lot can be revealed about a person's (or reporter's) viewpoint based on just one or two words that they use.
A lot of that language can turn some people off, but can also convey a message that galvanizs others. The right balance can be hard to find.
In the case of the Faroe Islands, it must be hard to report these hunts objectively; it seems the underlying advocation for them is that it is a cultural tradition--something that an outsider probably has no way of identifying with.
Also the claim that these whales are hunted for food falls a little flat, as many specimens are found to be too polluted to safely eat--another environmental calamity.
This blog points out the difficulty that media institutions and reporters face with remaining bias on a given topic. Although it is the job of journalists to present a neutral perspective to the public, personal agendas and beliefs often come into play. Many people who are not familiar with the issue can be easily swayed by the media they consume without being informed of opposing viewpoints.
ReplyDeleteThis blog also proves the power that images hold over people. By showing graphic photos, a publication can manipulate people's emotions and evoke sympathy. This makes it easy to promote personal values and perspectives.
While whaling is a cause that I would hope people would support putting a stop to, this blog serves as a great example of some of the flaws of environmental media that we have discussed in class.