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31 Killed in Iraq, 200 injured - Iraqi lives not worth reporting eh?

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Reply 40

Inzamam99

Original post by Dirac Delta Function

Especially to other Muslims. The terrorists who murdered those 50 people in Iraq yesterday were Muslims.

Yep. And also in the West.

Reply 41

Aj12

Original post by MENDACIUM

Don't give it equal time - that's too representative.

Don't even give it 50/50

But surely 25/75?

Or better - don't have a media blackout?

I appreciate what you have said by the way. I am not arguing for a non-bias representative media. I am asking for one that does not have clear bias and blackouts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22149863
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/15/iraq-bombings-wave-attacks.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-15/bomb-attacks-across-iraq-kill-202c-injure-200/4630608
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/iraq-bombing
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/9995143/Dozens-killed-across-Iraq.html

I'd hardly call this a media blackout. Whilst the Boston bombing did take precedent there has been coverage.

Reply 42

tazarooni89

I suppose the reason why a bomb in Iraq isn't such breaking news these days is because it's kind of expected these days. It's a bit like reporting stories about Africans dying from drinking unclean water, or China banning a popular website, or a South American drug gang being uncovered, or an American police officer getting shot. People have read it so often that they become slightly emotionally immune to it. Whereas a random attack in the USA with no apparent motive, especially at an event where British people are involved, probably takes people a little more by surprise.

Also, I supposed due to cultural ties with the USA, the British media is more likely to report about things happening there, regardless of what the story happens to be - whether it's an election, celebrity gossip, a natural disaster, a bomb or whatever.

Reply 43

Alex-Torres

It's just propaganda to sway us Westerners to support the war on terror.

Why do you think this never made major news channels?

Reply 44

HouseLannister

It says a lot about the intelligence and/or agenda of someone who apparently cannot fathom why there is greater coverage.

I don't need to explain why there is huge domestic coverage of it in the US, but as to other Western countries:

1) In Britain (and I am sure this applies to other Western countries), a terrorist attack on US soil has more implications for us than on Iraqi soil because it increases the threat level here.

2) Britain (and other Western countries) share language, culture, religion (and so on) with the US so naturally there is going to more interest in attack on US soil from Western countries. This is as natural as Cambodians being more concerned and shocked about a terrorist attack on Thai soil than, say, the Norwegian bombings.

3) As a superpower, an attack on US soil has wide implications for Western countries (many of whom are part of NATO) and indeed the world.

4) The media will cover shocking and out-of-the-ordinary events more so than what is perceived as less so. As someone remarked in another thread: a man biting a dog is much more newsworthy than a dog biting a man.

5) Sadly, bombings in places like Iraq are so commonplace that people have become desensitised to it and it is not seen as a shocking event. I don't feel this is a good thing, of course - but as I mentioned, the Western media will naturally put more coverage on what it perceives as more shocking events. The Western media would probably cover a terrorist attack in Iraq to a much greater extent if it was an extremely rare event.

An Iraqi life is not less valuable than an American life, but it is in the interest of Western countries to hear more about the death of an American life in a terrorist attack (as it has wider implications for Western countries) than the Iraqi death.

Do you honestly think that, if an Iraqi visitor in Britain was hit by a car - British people would fail to help and be less distressed by it than an American visitor being hit by a car? The vast majority of Western people hold the 'ideology' (as you say) that all life is valuable.

Your entire post is essentially a strawman argument.

Reply 45

Telecaster Steak

It's just like how, when a plane crashes, the one or two British people on board get special mention. Or like how, when a major natural disaster happens, the focus is on the British tourists rather than the people who actually ****ing live there.

People are blinded by their primitive tribal mentality, reinforced by certain media outlets...

Reply 46

HouseLannister

Original post by MENDACIUM

When was the last time you spoke out against Darfur and/or other humanitarian crisises which are not related to the 'War on Terror'?

You moan that the West does not care enough about tradgedies in Muslim countries but I imagine your post history reveals that you have only spoken out against deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. or that you are more vocal about Muslim deaths than non-Muslim deaths (this is what I am getting from the current tone of your posts).

Some Muslims complain that the West values a Western life over a Muslim life by lack of coverage, yet it would also appear (by this logic) that Muslims making this argument value a Muslim life over a non-Muslim by their own lack of coverage of non-Muslim tragedies and how vocal they are in relation to Muslim deaths compared to non-Muslim deaths. By hijacking this event in order to push your agenda and using Iraq as the sole example already reinforces this.

If the West are hypocrites then so are you.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 47

arichmond64

Supposedly 30 innocent people bombed by the US at a wedding party in Afgan................... but that doesn't matter does it. :s-smilie:

Such BS

Reply 48

HouseLannister

Original post by arichmond64

Supposedly 30 innocent people bombed by the US at a wedding party in Afgan................... but that doesn't matter does it. :s-smilie:

Such BS

Who said it doesn't matter?

Reply 49

RachaelBee

They report what sells. Simple as. It's not about whether people care or not, it's the shock factor it has.

Just a thought, is it perhaps due to the ease of coverage as well? Sell more papers, with fewer risks and for less work.

Reply 50

pessimist

In my opinion it's because it is (to some degree) expected in Iraq (or the public's perception is this). Whereas, an attack like yesterday's is completely unexpected.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 51

HumanSupremacist

Original post by Aj12

As someone pointed out in the Boston thread people expect bombings and murder in Iraq so its not really breaking News. A bombing in America is. It's not right and in an ideal world the populace would not be so jaded but there you go.

Bombings have become even more constant and terrifying in Iraq since the Americans came in. The country is in an even worse state.

Reply 52

nespix

Original post by mc1000

I think the crucial thing to remember here is that attacks like this in the Middle East tend to be par for the course. Conflict, violence and general evil in this part of the world is so common that it basically isn't news any more. It's terrible, obviously, but it's become the norm. I think this is why people in developed countries are often more saddened by attacks happening in societies with a similar level of development than they are on countries where conflict is rife - the people in Western society go about their day completely oblivious of the fact that any kind of life threatening violence will befall them. To me, this makes news of a death all the more tragic.

America is a Western country that in most aspects is several centuries more developed than places such as Iran. So when an attack happens here, it's so much more random and unexpected. These are people who went out to see a marathon; no-one was expecting an attack. In the Newtown massacre... who the hell goes to school in a Western country and expects to be killed? Everyone in these events expects to go out for the day and to get home alive. Yet in Iran, if you're a civilian who goes outside, the risk of being killed is so much higher - it's a known risk and there's a relatively high chance you'll be caught up in an explosion or a shooting. It's just not as newsworthy, terrible though it is.

Let's also not forget the global implications for an attack on America. Although only a couple of people were killed, this random attack could now turn out to be one of the pivotal moments of the century. For these reasons it is so much more newsworthy than just yet another attack in the Middle East.

How can you say it's more random just because it's a more 'developed' country? The earthquake in Iran wasn't exactly 'planned'... Also America creates these 'global implications' itself. It blows everything completely out of proportion and just creates divides because it considers itself to be far more superior than other countries. The Boston attack is certainly sad and I'm not condemning it by any means but America is just so neocon.

Reply 53

mc1000

Original post by nespix

I wasn't referring to the earthquake. That's had plenty of media coverage so far, and will continue to do so as long as there are developments in events.

Agreed about America, although that doesn't contradict the point I was making.

Reply 54

sucess

Original post by Pyratheon

Media bias? Yes, people tend to care more about an explosion in their back yard than halfway across the world.

usa is halfway across the world lol

Reply 55

james22

For the same reason the thousands killed every year in car accidents aren't reported. The number of deaths and injuries at Bostan would not be unheard of in a major pile up on the M1.

Reply 56

james22

Original post by sucess

usa is halfway across the world lol

Politically close, actual distance is of little relevence.

Reply 57

Steevee

Original post by HumanSupremacist

Bombings have become even more constant and terrifying in Iraq since the Americans came in. The country is in an even worse state.

You can hardly blame the US for the fact that there's religious loonies out there willing to blow up themselves and dozens of civilians in the name of their god.

Reply 58

sandy95

Original post by Dragonfly07

You see bombs going off in Iraq every day, reporting every single one of them would be boring.

Boring you say? So were you entertained when you heard about the boston bombing then?

Reply 59

sandy95

Original post by Steevee

You can hardly blame the US for the fact that there's religious loonies out there willing to blow up themselves and dozens of civilians in the name of their god.