I am guessing you can think of the two words coming out of everyone’s mouth in the past two weeks: SWINE FLU. Yes, this vicious and vastly spreading disease is rampaging across the entire world. Well, that is what you would take from any news broadcast that you might have watched. CNN, ABC, NBC, and FOX are all cashing in on this headline that they know people will turn on the news to hear about. However, the headlines are deceiving and unnecessarily frightening and overextending the intensity of this sickness. It has already been scientifically decided that the H1N1 virus is simply a “garden variety form of influenza” (Patti) and as we discussed in class, influenza already results in about 35,000 deaths every year. Swine flu has just become a buzz word that the news is using to make people obsess over it, and of course tune in to hear the most recent news.
The major news broadcasters must be running out of subjects to talk about since the Swine Flu, or H1N1 virus as this seems to be coming out of every broadcast journalist’s mouth. It is apparent that commercial bias is at play here. “The news media are money-making businesses. As such, they must deliver a good product to their customers to make a profit” (Rhetorica). The news must broadcast and emphasis whatever is going to draw in the largest audience and the highest ratings. I used April 27 as my study date to look at news reports since it seems in the middle of all of the coverage. On CNN’s health segment “Paging Dr. Gupta” immediately starts with saying that the swine flu is being referred to as an “emergency of international concern which is how they begin to describe pandemics.” A number of possible cases are represented on a map before talking about the number of possible deaths. Dr. Gupta interviews another doctor who is a specialist in infectious diseases who he asks questions for more information about the possible cases. She basically gives the same advice that you would give to prevent any other type of influenza, which does not really suggest that this is any different than the normal flu. All of this is presented in a strictly informational way that has the effect that its segment name’s connotation — ‘Swine Flu Fears.’ FOX News’ own segment called ‘Swine Flu Fears’ starts by saying this is a health emergency and speaking in a grave voice about the 20 possible cases that had arose. They also interview a doctor who while saying we need to remain calm has a news banner underneath reading “Fears of swine flu spread: Over 100 dead, 1,614 sickened in Mexico” which is not necessarily what you want to read while trying to calm down about the virus. The doctor brings up how face masks “spread fear” after just saying that there could be a secondary wave of the virus. Everything just sounds pretty scary and foreboding that while it is a mild case now, that may change.
The Daily Show has a much different way of reporting this news event and it certainly is much more entertaining. On his April 27 show he juxtaposes new clips talking about the ‘widespread pandemic’ and ‘health emergency’ with ridiculing jokes to coincide with a graphic that said “Snoutbreak ’09.” Since no one seems to be focusing at all on the fact that Obama’s first 100 days had passed as President, he jokes that this will be our last 100 days because of this ‘deadly’ virus. He then goes on to say the swine flu ranks last on things that can kill you in Mexico after ‘Piñata Accident,’ completely undermining how the news media is blowing this virus up as an emergency. The fact that there are only a few possible cases in countries they are making it sound like a widespread issue which Stewart responds by saying “we are in for a good old fashioned scare off.” Every aspect of this supposedly serious issue is made fun of, but it is a good dose of realism so that some people can take a step back and really think about what news stations are saying. He contextualizes everything and uses clips to defend his thoughts, making his point valid even though it’s all for the sake of a good laugh. While his show seems like a better representation of the truth, not the fanaticized version that the news suggests, it is unfair to compare Stewart’s form of journalism to major networks. “Stewart and his fake correspondents are freed from the media's preoccupation with balance, the fixation with fairness. They have no obligation to deliver the day's most important news, if that news is too depressing, too complicated or too boring. Their sole allegiance is to comedy” (Smolkin). While his show does present the news in a factual way it should not be taken more seriously than a comedic take on the situation. This does in some ways undermine the fact that this virus is killing people and spreading which should be known so that people can take certain precautions, however I think it helps people stay more levelheaded about the realities of this flu being alike the normal kind that goes around every winter.
The efforts of these news stations must be paying off because you can see references to the swine flu everywhere. UMBC has plastered directions about washing hands and covering your mouth when you cough at a very strange time of the year to be warning people of catching a cold and all you need to do is look at the myUMBC headlines feed to see that the most ‘pawpular’ articles are all dealing with the virus. It’s also pleasant to see that people are taking a more lighthearted approach like Jon Stewart to this incident, such as the owner of this face mask.
Articles:
“Media/Political Bias” by Rhetorica
“What the Mainstream Media can Learn From John Stewart” by Rachel Smolkin
“Swine Flu Strain Called ‘Garden Variety’ Form Of Influenza” by John Patti
Videos:
CNN
FOX News
The Daily Show
The major news broadcasters must be running out of subjects to talk about since the Swine Flu, or H1N1 virus as this seems to be coming out of every broadcast journalist’s mouth. It is apparent that commercial bias is at play here. “The news media are money-making businesses. As such, they must deliver a good product to their customers to make a profit” (Rhetorica). The news must broadcast and emphasis whatever is going to draw in the largest audience and the highest ratings. I used April 27 as my study date to look at news reports since it seems in the middle of all of the coverage. On CNN’s health segment “Paging Dr. Gupta” immediately starts with saying that the swine flu is being referred to as an “emergency of international concern which is how they begin to describe pandemics.” A number of possible cases are represented on a map before talking about the number of possible deaths. Dr. Gupta interviews another doctor who is a specialist in infectious diseases who he asks questions for more information about the possible cases. She basically gives the same advice that you would give to prevent any other type of influenza, which does not really suggest that this is any different than the normal flu. All of this is presented in a strictly informational way that has the effect that its segment name’s connotation — ‘Swine Flu Fears.’ FOX News’ own segment called ‘Swine Flu Fears’ starts by saying this is a health emergency and speaking in a grave voice about the 20 possible cases that had arose. They also interview a doctor who while saying we need to remain calm has a news banner underneath reading “Fears of swine flu spread: Over 100 dead, 1,614 sickened in Mexico” which is not necessarily what you want to read while trying to calm down about the virus. The doctor brings up how face masks “spread fear” after just saying that there could be a secondary wave of the virus. Everything just sounds pretty scary and foreboding that while it is a mild case now, that may change.
The Daily Show has a much different way of reporting this news event and it certainly is much more entertaining. On his April 27 show he juxtaposes new clips talking about the ‘widespread pandemic’ and ‘health emergency’ with ridiculing jokes to coincide with a graphic that said “Snoutbreak ’09.” Since no one seems to be focusing at all on the fact that Obama’s first 100 days had passed as President, he jokes that this will be our last 100 days because of this ‘deadly’ virus. He then goes on to say the swine flu ranks last on things that can kill you in Mexico after ‘Piñata Accident,’ completely undermining how the news media is blowing this virus up as an emergency. The fact that there are only a few possible cases in countries they are making it sound like a widespread issue which Stewart responds by saying “we are in for a good old fashioned scare off.” Every aspect of this supposedly serious issue is made fun of, but it is a good dose of realism so that some people can take a step back and really think about what news stations are saying. He contextualizes everything and uses clips to defend his thoughts, making his point valid even though it’s all for the sake of a good laugh. While his show seems like a better representation of the truth, not the fanaticized version that the news suggests, it is unfair to compare Stewart’s form of journalism to major networks. “Stewart and his fake correspondents are freed from the media's preoccupation with balance, the fixation with fairness. They have no obligation to deliver the day's most important news, if that news is too depressing, too complicated or too boring. Their sole allegiance is to comedy” (Smolkin). While his show does present the news in a factual way it should not be taken more seriously than a comedic take on the situation. This does in some ways undermine the fact that this virus is killing people and spreading which should be known so that people can take certain precautions, however I think it helps people stay more levelheaded about the realities of this flu being alike the normal kind that goes around every winter.
The efforts of these news stations must be paying off because you can see references to the swine flu everywhere. UMBC has plastered directions about washing hands and covering your mouth when you cough at a very strange time of the year to be warning people of catching a cold and all you need to do is look at the myUMBC headlines feed to see that the most ‘pawpular’ articles are all dealing with the virus. It’s also pleasant to see that people are taking a more lighthearted approach like Jon Stewart to this incident, such as the owner of this face mask.
Articles:
“Media/Political Bias” by Rhetorica
“What the Mainstream Media can Learn From John Stewart” by Rachel Smolkin
“Swine Flu Strain Called ‘Garden Variety’ Form Of Influenza” by John Patti
Videos:
CNN
FOX News
The Daily Show
