Lets Not Forget…

One thing I can’t stand/don’t understand about the American mainstream media with their zillion different 24/7 news sources on TV, online and in print, is how they seem to only be able to cover one “major” news story at a time, regardless of whatever else is going on in the world. Look at the Governor Sanford scandal, for example- when it became known that he had skipped off to South America to be with his mistress, the media abruptly decreased the amount of Iran coverage and began covering the Sanford train wreck, much to the dismay of Gov. Sanford. Then, Michael Jackson dies and boots Gov. Sanford off the front page and TV screen as though the whole thing had never happened. And for that, I am sure Sanford is eternally grateful. And while certainly untimely, unexpected and tragic, I am not sure the death of MJ warrants 24hr around-the-clock coverage given that we are still fighting two wars (remember Iraq? You know, that country we invaded to prevent a nuclear holocaust and to bomb the Iraqi people to hell and back or at least until they said “uncle” and acknowledged that our American way of life was far superior to their former system), the people of Iran who oppose the current corrupt government are still being targeted, arrested and killed with impunity and while it is much less of a sexy story to cover, many descent, tax-paying American citizens are out of work, losing their homes and unable to afford basic health care.

So, lets not forget that while most of us have the luxury of changing the channel when it all gets to be a bit too much lets not forget that the media’s coverage priorities are not necessarily based upon a desire to educate us about what is going on in the world nor is it based necessarily upon urgency or severity, but rather ratings and market share. So just because Iran has all but disappeared from the headlines, the crisis goes on.

Candles are lit at a rally in support of Iranian election protesters organized by Amnesty International in New York City.

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