Tsunami reports dominate other emergency coverage in media
The MediaGaurdian reports from Reuters that the Asian tsunami received more media attention in the first six weeks following its destruction than did the world’s top 10 “forgotten” emergencies through out the entire year. By analyzing coverage of 200 English-language newspapers Reuters’ new humanitarian news site, Reuters AlertNet, revealed the world media’s neglect in covering other atrocities such as the wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, disasters in Sudan, and HIV/AIDS. Coverage of the tsunami was enticing, as its simple and dramatic visuals easily invoked great despair in readers.
Killing an estimated 300,000 victims, the tsunami had received 34,992 citations in two months of coverage, compared to 7,661 mentions of the conflict in Sudan and to 3,119 articles within the last year referring to the war in Congo, which now carries a death toll of 4 million people. Apart from human conflicts, other areas deemed neglected by the media include infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Difficulties in finding refreshing stories to help audiences empathize and logistical obstacles constitute reasons why some emergencies receive less coverage. Yet for other emergencies to receive monetary donations comparable to those seen by tsunami victims, the media must make greater efforts in their coverage to attract audiences.
Source: MediaGaurdian
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