How much does the media exaggerate?

How much does the media exaggerate?

By Alexis Galarza

More often than not, we often see the media adding in crazy details and finding a way to twist the story in enough directions to be completely blown out of proportion. The media has a way of taking ordinary boring stories and then creating a completely different story. It can often make the original story sound much worse than it is. They also take more significant news such as a wildfire or earthquake and decide to create their story around the big events. Not considering that smaller news like a new store opening up might be important for locals as well.

In most newspapers, social media, news channels, and wherever you might get your news, the bad is showcased more than the good. Take, for example, the worldwide pandemic. It is not rare seeing a new story revolving around the same general concept of the pandemic every day. However, people are usually flooded with all the negative information. People often tend to stick with their beliefs and believe anything they see or read from their standpoint, and stray away from other views typically calling it fake news. With only being fed the bad news, it is not surprising when people are so negative about certain situations. 

For example, news about the coronavirus getting worse and deaths rising might distract you from the fact that some good things come from the situation.

Alarabiya.net states, “Venice’s waterways are clearer than they have been for years.” Venice waters are often too cloudy due to the sediment stirred up by boats to see the schools of fish. However, because the waters are now being used less, you can see the fish. All coming together to reveal how the people are commonly left out of the loop, clouding their ability to see good news from the bad. 

There is also the fact that some people believe others minimize the news. Although the news should not overwhelm people with bad news, they should not leave out important information such as statistics. Leaving out information like this can lead them to believe something completely different from what they would if they had the needed information. 

Once again, using the pandemic as an example. President Donald Trump often criticizes the media for being “fake news” overall filling many Americans’ heads with false hope and knowledge.

For instance, Trump said, “We were very prepared. The only thing we weren’t prepared for was the media.” In other words, saying how the pandemic was handled, but the media was going out of control. Just as how the media can be blown out of proportion, the media can also drastically be cut back. People are not getting any valuable information and are always told that a situation is less problematic than it is.

The media has always been biased, some outlets more than others. Biased news outlets can guide people in the wrong direction. Just as different social media sites use algorithms to create content that you would enjoy, news channels and websites can do the same. Although it is a little different, some news channels range from the left and right sides. For example, if you were to read off a more right side news page, you would most likely be fed conservative beliefs and opinions on how the left side is of less importance or knowledge. Reading unbiased news can help guide you in the right direction and keep you far from fake news and allow you to obtain knowledge that stays true to the story or belief. (allsides.com). 

Overall, people largely rely on the media as a resource for their knowledge about what is going worldwide. However, the media is very flexible. Whether it be exaggerating or minimizing, the story is never how it truly is. The way the media tends to overfill people with bad news demonstrates how news stories can be adjusted far from the truth. Being fed more of one biased side is not going to do anyone any good.

The media should look deeper into what they are putting forward into the world to read and have equally based sides with more information rather than opinions. However, people should take responsibility, and make sure they are getting the true story and not just biased sides often creating an echo. 

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