Crime Stories

Does the media sensationalize crime stories? Are you scared? Safer today or 20 yrs ago?

My theory is that the media over-hypes stories and convinces people that rapists, murders, drug dealers, and pedophiles are lurking behind every tree. For instance, how many times have you seen the story of a young pretty blonde who got raped and killed and the media give it nationwide coverage? Meanwhile the story of a young minority girl having the same thing happen gets only local coverage. People I know are convinced that society is going to hell in a hand basket because people just like them are being raped and murdered left and right. But the reality is that crime statistics show we are much safer today than 20 years ago. Isn't the media doing us all a disservice with national coverage of stories like Natalie Holloway? Your thoughts? http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm

Public Comments

We were definitely safer 20 years ago. It doesn't scare me. I am aware of my surroundings at all times and I am licensed to carry. I refuse to live scared.
From my small foay into journalism I have learned that "if it bleeds, it leads". So, yes, the media does sensationalize stories for the sake of ratings/circulation. People respond to fear, News outlets are out to make money and don't have any qualms about blowing up stories to make a buck.
The media sensationalizes anything that will sell air time, newspapers or magazines. I too have read statistics that show that we're all safer than we were 20 years ago. Many people think the 1950's were like heaven on earth, but child and wife beatings were rampant then and many minorities were lynched.
Absolutely, have you heard "if it bleeds, it leads?" Have you seen the SNL from about 15 years ago with Seinfield? They do a news room skit where Jerry keeps on saying things like "That item in your house just got more deadly. Stay tuned for more right after the break." Local news is especially guilty of this type of crap journalism. It's almost unwatchable.
Safer today. When I was a kid in the 70s, we were allowed to walk to the local general store alone, ride our bikes wherevere, play in the little woods behind the house. A few years ago, my sister-in-law wouldn't her two kids play in my parents' back yard, even though there were no streets or houses behind, wide open yard. Oddly, there are fewer child kidnappings today than when I was a kid, but thanks to the internet, CNN, MSNBC, FOX or whatever, it makes national news in minutes. So it seems like there are more kids being abducted, but in reality fewer are (and most are abducted by a family member anyway). It's just that now we on the east coast find out every detail about a kid who got kidnapped on the west coast.