The document discusses the biases and influences that affect news media reporting. It argues that news media pushes biases, administers panic, and plays toward ratings and money rather than providing purely factual information. This creates an environment of misinformation where the public lacks consideration of alternative perspectives. The document urges young people to be critical thinkers and resist being immediately influenced by news media, which can skew reports through emotional manipulation and disregard for context or common factors behind certain events.

2. THE EFFECTS OF NEWS MEDIA ON THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE
• The detrimental effects of television are often discussed when talking
about young adults, claiming it brainwashes and negativlely influences
young minds. Such statements are typically applied with exclusion to
factual media such as news reports. However, the news, which
acknowledge daily as a reliable source of information , influences the
minds of the American people, as they assume all news is purely
factual. I believe it to be vastly important , as young adults, to be critical
of the information we are provided, and resist immediate influences of
televised news and its tendency to
• Push a Bias
• Administrate panic
• Play toward “ratings”
• … as well as Reporting in favor of “Money”

3. NEWS PUSHING A BIAS
The assumption is often made that news is news, and to simply watch or read
television or articles concerning current events assures that a truth will be
received. In reality, political, racial, and religious bias can completely effect the
legitimacy of a report. Innocent or guilty. Right or Wrong. All are skewed based
on the moral compass of the producer of the work.
However, when a great majority of people relate and accept one biased
interpretation, and lack all other considerations, it creates an environment of
misinterpretation and misinformation.
Some interpretations begin with fact, but through manipulation of the emotional
basis of a story, it loses factual meaning, and instead forms an argument of
passion rather than logic and fact.
News therefore reports with a strong bias, rather than, as most of us believe, with a
basis totally in truth. Any report of emotion or dogma may be skewed due to the
personal beliefs of the reporter.
Example : The reports and subsequent discussions surrounding the Trayvon Martin
case tended to address less factual argument, instead relying on the emotional
nature of the case for many.

4. Pushing A Bias
This image reflects the bias of televised news
reports in that the pointing man emphasizes the
large fire so greatly to the women, that he, and they
completely disregard the smaller fire. Despite the
fact that they may feel its heat or acknowledge its
presence due to its close proximity, the women hear
less and see less emphasis on it, so the thought is
forgotten.

5. PANIC AT THE STUDIO
• It is the tendency of national news to report everything as a state of
hyperbole, that is, of vast substantial importance. Because a report of “
a small flood” would disinterest most, “ a flood wreaking havoc” is
reported instead. But these kinds of hyperbole, often assisted by
heartbreaking images of wreckage and people, also function only to
keep people interested and consistent in watching the news, rather than
reporting factual statements.
• These reports also disregard the reasons or the commonality behind
certain tragedies. “ Massive flooding”, accompanied by images of
ruined property are reported of the south eastern areas almost every
year. These areas often have a flood season, so a flood causes no true
damage because they are prepared for it, but news media portrays it as
a tragedy.
• They also tend to ignore general science or logic, instead persisting
public fears. When the “2012 apocalypse” came into the public eye, this
false prediction was reported on almost every day, and often
accompanied with stories of natural disaster and economic failure,
creating an “end is near” sense for the listener.
Example: Tsunami in California as a result of the 2011 earthquake in Japan. Some of
California’s coastline experienced a jostling at the hands of the tsunami, but nowhere
near to the degree at which it was reported. Our area specifically received nothing
more than a few extra surf able waves. “On the U.S. mainland, wave heights from
Alaska to California ranged from less than a foot to more than 8 feet. The highest
measurement, 8.1 feet, was at Crescent City, California.”

6. This image may be interpreted as a representation of News
generating panic by understanding the woman in the center to be
the general public, and the two other people as the news. They
surround her and gesture towards the large flame, which she
shows a fascination toward with the look of awe upon her face.
But by surrounding her, they prevent her from looking further to
the true nature of the fire behind her, which is significantly less
frightening.

7. ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN…
In correlation to the administered panic, news programs
function on the necessity to be popular among
audiences. However in an effort to become popular, news
media often emphasizes the stories which will be
interesting, rather than those that are immediately
relevant or useful.
Example: EBOLA. It was massively reported on in news and
magazines, yet posed no legitimate threat to the general
American population.

8. When considering the influences of rating on news
media, this image uses the combined interests of the
two women to influence what the man talks and
gestures towards. Because they are already interested,
he wants to keep their interest, and therefore talks about
the larger fire rather than the smaller one, despite the
possible relevance of the smaller fire.

9. AYE. MUST BE THE MONEY…
Furthermore, in connection ton the last two points, news media
plays a money game. They foremost attempt to gain and
sustain the influences of audiences to gain a profit, but they
also must cater to those people who directly influence their
finances. Wealthy businesses and people who provide for the
broadcasting company greatly influences the material in such
reports because their money quantitatively represents their
influence.
This practice, especially with respect to local news, creates an
uneven distribution of news relevant to all of the community.
Wealthier areas of the community receive more positive and
personally relevant reports, because the wealth of their
specific community provides for the newscasts.
Example: Seaside High school, in comparison to other schools in close proximity,
receives little to no positive reinforcement from our local community news.

10. By considering the flames as different groups of people, separated by
their wealth or prominence in the community, and all three people as
the News media, it represents the inequality in News reports, favoring
the wealth and prominence of one group, and ignoring the
comparable, yet still unacknowledged beauty of the other.

11. THINK ABOUT IT…
The news implements selfish bias, and ultimate greed in its
reports. Rather than acting as a public service, the news
inappropriately skews news reports, and denies the
public from forming their own opinions, and rather forces
them upon people.
However, the public may forms these opinions, but because
they lack the understanding behind such opinions it
creates a cycle of misinformation
Most relevant to us, the lack of positive news reports for our
community in particular, persists the idea that we are
“less than” any other group. Our students and citizens
are incredibly successful, and competitively intelligent
people, but the rest of our area cannot realize that,
because the majority of positive articles for athletes and
students go to the private schools and “money schools”
of the area.

12. It is important, that we, as the future
of the country, critically examine
these media influences, and form
educated opinions, to protect
ourselves, and our society, from
complete misinformation.

13. Thank You.
Works Cited
Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
<http://statenews.com/article/2014/11
/ebola-coverage>.
Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.scsun-
news.com/ci_23768519>.
Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/a
siapcf/03/11/japan.quake/>.