To go as far as saying that I have a keen interest in the news I am presented with would be misguided. For as long as I can remember I have been hesitant at the thought of finding out about all the positive and negative happenings that go on in the world through the media and I try to stay away from both television and newspaper accounts of news daily. As for the radio? Well, to digress, my car battery died and I don’t know the code to restart the radio so my days of driving loud have come to a sudden halt. To get back on track, if I DO see the news I will leave if it is not the sporting segment, though I will come back at 6:30 for the full report and I will usually only turn to the back page of the paper, which I ashamedly admit is usually the Daily Telegraph. In terms of my consumption of crime and media news, well I suppose I will revert to my opening point, why should I put myself through the pain and suffering of such a negative form of information, daily? (Even though, and to my demise even the sports section seems to be turning into some kind of media spectacle, just give me sport!).
Now, I know it seems crazy; a guy who is studying Social Science and Criminology at UNSW has no interest in who has been murdered and why, who’s importing buckets of cocaine into Australia and why are people being raped out west. Well, I do have an interest, as long as it doesn’t come from the news. I like to find things out of people who read, view and listen to the news but don’t fall for the B.S that comes with it; and when I hear about something that interests me I’ll do my own research to minus the B.S and gain an insight into the people who have made it big! In taking a note from this weeks readings, Jewkes highlights the fact that the news has an agenda, and that agenda leads to numerous implications such as targeting an audience and basing their news through varying manipulations to suit the “needs” of these people. So apparently, according to Yvonne, people want simplified, risky, one in a million, celebrity based, brutally violent, predictable spectacles spread all over the news and on loop!
THIS IS WHY MY CONSUMPTION OF CRIME AND MEDIA NEWS IS LIMITED! THANKYOU JEWKES!
