Regarding the Pain of Others

Jeffrey Martin

Lesson 1 Reading Summary

Moeller, S. D. (2006). "REGARDING THE PAIN OF OTHERS":MEDIA, BIAS AND THE COVERAGE OF DISASTERS. Journal of International Affairs, 173-196.

Theme:  The media is biased in its coverage of disasters. 

Summary:  News Outlets will pick and choose which stories to present in America based on sensationalism and how much they think it will shake people up.  The disasters covered by the media often differ from those focused in on by governments and world aid organizations.  “The American media covered the hurricanes in the United States to a far greater extent than disasters elsewhere despite great disparities in casualty figures” (Moeller, 2006). 

·         Media sources tend to focus on controversy, Americans at risk, violence, and human interest stories. 

·         American media usually focuses on American stories.  “While network television has increasingly abdicated the role of covering international news with its own correspondents and world events are covered poorly if at all in most media outlets” (Moeller, 2006). 

·         News stations will often resort to showing the worst side of disasters, rather than focusing on the good happening.

·         Death and destruction sell, neighbors helping one another does not.

I often grow tired of news stations only focusing on the negative aspects of disasters.  During the cleanup of Hurricane Katrina, the media focused in on the worst possible aspects of the disaster.  They also reported what was sensational and what was popular.  Much of what was initially reported was based on conjecture and hearsay, and ended up being false. There was little coverage of those who were able to heed government warnings and evacuate. 

This is important to remember, because as emergency responders we will be in the lime light during disasters.  How we respond can be ignored (good deeds) or focused in on (mistakes/bad things) by the media.  We must be careful how we conduct ourselves.  We have seen time and time again where the media has vilified a good public servant, and this person gets forced out of their job.

Other reading:  Fisher, J. (2011). Media and disaster public policy. Unpublished manuscript, Emergency

Services, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah.

“One of the immediate results of news coverage of Katrina, was the firing of Michael

Brown, the director of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in the midst of

government response to the hurricane” .