Somtimes important news is ignored or drowned out by more “popular” news. I say “popular” because the public is more receptive to it.
For example, is the public going to take more interest in the runners-up of American Idol or a boring Congressional bill? How about an actor’s sex scandal versus corporate tax evasion? The proof is apparent when you consider that more people vote on American Idol than for a presidential election.
Sometimes more important news seems to be ignored or drowned out on purpose. Take the “Runaway Bride” case of 2005. While the media went cuckoo over this story, another story was being ignored that was more important. See if you can find it online…
Other stories get placed on a ticker tape at the bottom of a news channel or printed on page A6 of a major newspaper – under the fold, towards the bottom.
Other stories don’t get ignored or drowned out. They get censored altogether. It took the British media to print Greg Palast’s report on the George W. Bush campaign’s voter-purge in Florida in 2000. That should have been front-page headlines of a major newspaper here in America – above the fold, right smack in your face.
Or how about the case of Jane Akre and Fox News? She wanted to report on hormones in our milk – something we would all want to know about. Fox News canned the story because of a threatened lawsuit.
The only way to find out about these kinds of stories is to search the internet for blogs or other trusted websites. Also, keep an eye on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show or Stephen Colbert’s The Colbert Report – they are funny and entertaining, but they do have a knack for keeping up with what’s important in a world full of distractions.
Finally, there is Project Censored, a website and annual publication of news you just aren’t hearing about. As a concerned citizen, it is up to you to find sources for news that you can count on and consistently question everything you read. Pay attention to the smoke that issues out of the popular media channels and dig for the stories that you deem most important, not what they think you need to hear.
Pssst…watch for the day before Thanksgiving every year. Congress loves to pass unpopular bills through while no one is watching.
The Devil's Advocate 