CRMJ 201 Chapter : CRMJ 201 "Crime in the News" article Notes.pdf
31 Jan 2014
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Glassner, crime in the news : misperception of true extent of dangers and threats. Americans are afraid of the wrong things (crime, drugs, plane crashes, health scares) When in reality we have never been safer. Fear comes from politics, media, advocacy groups, marketers aim to gain votes, ratings, donations, and profits by exploiting individuals and social anxieties and blowing dangers out of proportions. Shocking, yet easy to relate details of crime. Underlying social significance, revealing some kind of societal crisis. Journalist are fond of crimes stories that help them make sense of some other phenomenon they are having trouble covering. They lower their professional standards and skepticism to pursue the ideal crime story. The online article had stories showing how the media exaggerates stories or how they don"t follow up the facts: stories of halloween sadist in the 1970s and 1980s. There was never a real case: child pornographer. Adult guilt about having strangers taking care of children.
