Western bias in news media

[energythief]

It started when I was sent the following video in an email link. (It's CNN - safe for work)

edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/01/babies.tower/index.html#cnnSTCVideo


I clicked on it and watched it a few times, stunned by the video then laughing a few times despite myself. I showed it to a few coworkers, who also reacted the same. I shook my head at what a crazy world this is, closed the window, went about my day.

I then decided to share it with one more friend via email, and searching for the video (I'd long since deleted the original message with the link), I found it on the following blog:

openanthropology.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/cnns-mondo-cane-screaming-muslim-babies-in-india-and-gawking-journalists/

(The video is about halfway down the page.)

I took the time to read the page, and for some reason the author's had a deep and profound impact on me. I sat here for a while digesting what I read - certainly the article challenges the western-centric superiority complex built in to our culture. Still not sure what to make of it all, but it's rare that i encounter something that makes me just stop dead in my tracks and think.

I wanted to share with you all.

[scooter]

Interesting. I'm working on a documentary about the history of Fiji, which, as a non-Fijian, is a bit of a daunting task. One of the aspects of Fiji's history is cannibalism. The indigenous Fijians carry a fair bit of shame about that part of their history, and there's not much of an oral tradition about it because the early missionaries told them the practice was evil, horrible, and depraved. So as a result, most of the stories about cannibalism we have are from the missionaries themselves, who described the practice with the same kind of overlay or Western moralism and lack of cultural understanding as the article ET is referencing. And that's Western view is the interpretation that most indigenous Fijians, who are predominantly Christian and very religious, believe to this day. Some scholars have pointed out that in the lurid depictions provided by missionaries and early European visitors, there are lots of descriptions of severed body parts and heads being cut up and boiled, but not many of them actually being eaten, raising the possibility that some of this boiling was not for food but to prepare bodies for burial or disposal, especially after a big intertribal war when there were lots of bodies around and the danger of disease conveyed by decaying flesh. Everyone agrees some cannibalism took place, but why and what exactly it meant in its cultural context is hard to get at it, especially since the early Western media (ie. missionaries writing home to their audiences in Europe who were funding their work and would have been pleasantly horrified and righteously overjoyed to see their bringers of faith contending with such clear moral depravity, bringing light to the obvious darkness) provided their own authoritative view.

Sorry if this topic grosses anyone out.

[Haiku the Dreaded Leprechaun]

I can kind of see where the guy on the blog is coming from, however I don't fully agree on the whole idea of a bias. You have to consider the source this is from. CNN is based in the US therefore you will have a western center on the subject matter, just as if you were to check out news from India they wouldn't make this seem so strange. Other cultures always think about how bizzare cultures that aren't thiers act, especally when it comes to religion or superstition. Most westerners would think it odd to find a cow as a sacred anamal, and things like that. On the other hand there are cultures that look as the dog as a filthy anamal and would never consider even keeping one near thier house, let alone having one as a friend. Meanwhile in north america I would probably assume that more than half of the households have a dog that is treated as part of the family, and some people take that even further and treat a dog as if it were thier own child that they need to pamper and spend extreme amounts of money on. If those other cultures would run a report on that I bet it would make them look at us as strange and not understand how we can put up acting that such filth would be a family member. You could even look at the religious aspect, if a country is run by religion that is not christianity the would probably think it obsurd to take a child and dunk thier head in water just to "wash away sin" it would seem so wierd to anyone who doesn't understand the ritual.

Something else about CNN you must remember is that they are in it for attention. They use words like "terrify", and "horrible" along with plenty of other strong words to get attention. They are in it to make money, they run a business on "spinning" facts to make them look drastically different. They run miniscule things under a microsope to make them seem obsurd and not just ordinary. FOX news is the same way, amongst even the local news agencies.

If you want true reports with very little "spin", you should just check out NPR. I listen to them for news. For example they have run plenty of reports on the presidential canidates here in the states. Instead of focousing on the negitave aspects of one and positive aspects of another to create that kind of spin they get facts and opinions from all sides of the arguements. I have heard them interview all of the canidates, and even thier spouses. they run a lot of little human interest stories, and a bunch of other things that cross the whole spectrum of the world. This is the only place I found such even sounding news.

I guess what it comes down to is that it's not exactly a western bias out there, it seems to be more of a capitalist driven news system.

but then again this is just one mans opinion.

[stupidcheeseboy]

In an ideal world , which we don't live in, the job of the media is to inform us honestly and accurately.

Are we really ok with our news becoming more like entertainment?
And are we happy to accept that they do not remain neutral in disseminating information?
In this day and age can we really justify reporting on different cultural practices in such a way as to create disgust and lack of acceptance?

I am not naive as to the forces that influence the style of reporting our media adopt. We live in a culture that requires quicker and more dramatic sound bites in order to gain its attention. Although I am not unrealistic about the situation that western media is in should we not bear in mind what they are supposed to be achieving for us?

What is the point of watching a news report that requires you to question its validity and guard against being manipulated as best you can?

[Haiku the Dreaded Leprechaun]

I agree, the western media is way to commercialzed. Truthfully though, regardless of why, seeing those babies being thrown from that much of a height did make me cringe a little but what others believe is what the beliieve. I feel that if someone feels a specific way about something, let them like if someone spills salt they put some over thier right shoulder I don't think any less of them, or those who feel that walkind under a ladder, breaking a mirror, etc...

The I am sure for the most part, people like me or even most people who frequent this site feel are smart enough to know better. The plus side of this "sound bite" media is that it still brings some things to attention, even though they make a mountain out of a molehill those of us who want to dig deeper can do so by finding out. As for those who follow the media word for word let them. Ignorance is bliss, if those people want to be happy, let them. Like i said before, to anyone looking for fair coverage listen to NPR, that is the most middle of the road reporting I hear out there.

It is sad that the media has to resort to such things to gain attention just to keep things on the plus side.

[stupidcheeseboy]

Finding a news item disturbing is ok isn't it. I found watching those babies dropping hard too.There is plenty that we have become numb to, that should really upset us. We just dont need someone to tell us how to feel.

I take your point that people are free to choose ,although does truly fair coverage exist?
I know some sources are better than others and maybe I am just cynical.

[Haiku the Dreaded Leprechaun]

I don't think you are cynical, you see things for what they are. No matter where you look and who or what is the medium. There will always be a bias as long as it is people behind the information. The only true unbiased information is raw data and that is that. It is human nature to want to place your own point of view on things no matter what is being reported.

It is one of the many faults every person has, yet it is also what makes us who we are.