The Problem With White Wash Online News
We all love the thrill of anticipation of some kind of major breaking news, event, or development. Even when it is nothing big, we love to hear the news and see the exciting headlines unfold. It’s hard to ignore the many news channels, radio shows, and television programs that are all but feeding the media beast. As an avid news reader myself, I have found myself eagerly awaiting just about every new development in stories across the media.
News can be divided into two broad categories: human interest and unusual news. Human interest stories are stories that tell us about people, places, or things in an interesting way. For instance, you may have read news about a newly installed security camera at a local airport. A man who had recently made trips to Boston to gamble in the Red Sox Stadium was shot and killed by police after pulling a gun at them. This news story tells us about someone involved with a public organization or place of business.
Unusual news stories are those that are more in-depth and that make a splash. Take the story of toddler “Snoop Dog” who bit a stranger on the arm during a shopping mall walk. This story caused a huge stir because it was captured on video and went viral quickly. That story, however, was not only newsworthy because of its news value, but also because of the public controversy that the incident created. While it is true that Snoop Dog may indeed have bitten the individual, he had also been wearing a leash at the time and this meant that the entire episode was caught on tape. In this case, Snoop Dog may be seen as a unique individual who shares a common thread with other strange human beings, thus making him a unique story.
There are two types of news that have broad appeal: those that are important to all, and those that are interesting to a specific group of people. A story like the one mentioned above would fall into the first category. However, even if the news story you are reading has broad appeal, it does not mean that it is relevant to everyone. Take, for example, the recent story about a man aged 65 who became the victim of animal cruelty. The man’s story may be important to a lot of people, but not to others.
We must remember that the words we choose to describe something can sometimes have their own meaning even when the situation being described does not fit the expected norms. For example, the term “crooked,” when used to refer to someone with a crooked spine, may actually mean something else. The word “crooked,” in this instance, refers to an unusual shape that the person is noted for, rather than their actual spines.
News-gathering can be fun, and many people enjoy the process of putting together a short article or even an essay on a particular subject or event. But there is a right way and a wrong way to use modern technology to accomplish this goal. Unfortunately, one aspect of the Internet that can pose problems for journalists is whitewash. As a writer or editor, you need to realize when you have crossed the line and lost your place in the community-not only online, but also in print.