Information Poverty

Do you ever flick channels during the news at six? And have you noticed that many of the reports on any subject are copies word for word on several channels? You often assume these similar news items are picked up from other mainstream news sources, as interesting tidbits for your consumption. Hmm.
But so many news stories today are written by corporate PR departments with the slant towards guiding your thoughts about a certain subject. The so called yellow journalism. Indeed, what actual free journalism goes on today? Not much it seems. Mainstream=Corporate.

The School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, under the supervision of Dr. Kathleen Cross has released a study on the most under-reported news stories today. It says 25 but includes 100, some of which may shock you and others only confirm your suspicions of being manipulated. All are relevant to us living in a sane world.

- Like the under-reporting of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Suppressed so the boiling public doesn't decide to take occupying action against the nuclear industry? And we're wondering how radioactive that gyre of Japanese earthquake-meltdown debris floating toward North America is and how it may affect our beaches? Keep your toddlers out of the sun AND the sand!

- Or the fact that so called Big Pharma (nickname for huge pharmaceutical companies) engineer their clinical studies to put a warm light on the use of their drugs. But you watch CNN and see the long lists of ailments from using their drugs, don't you? (side effects always downplayed during the shots of 'all-better-now' smiling actors) Well, you should. Do you care that pharmaceutical company reps are within the US Government FDA agencies right now writing the laws on the use of their drugs? Do you care that they may have omitted the fact that deaths occurred during their testings?

- I don't see it on their list but it is a lingering suspicion on my own; the Gulf oil spill and the fact that there are rumors of it still leaking and the ability of the oil companies to keep people away from the disaster area while they hide the pollution! That is cheating the world but did you think oil companies were ethical? Did you believe they could simply snub the US Government to do what they want? Even keeping the US Navy away and tieing the President of America's hands.

- Would you be shocked to learn that in 2010, in the American Army, 462 soldiers were killed in the line of duty? While 468 committed suicide!
Well of course you would because we only get the reports of 'embedded' reporters now. Those who travel with an Army unit and stage their reporting to suit the military minds. The mental health of war will be ongoing for decades!

- And did you read anywhere about the CETA negotiations? Sort of like NAFTA, no benefit whatsoever to Canada but allowing European corporations access to government procurement actions, to our public institutions like hospitals and public utilities. And all behind closed doors. Like NAFTA. A secret from the people. Does our news media have a don't- ask-don't-tell policy?

The SFU list makes excellent reading or even browsing if you like. And you could, if you cared enough, pick one of these items and make it your own. Something to yell about. Or write about. Or research yourself. Or complain about to your local news source for their lack of coverage.

Spend a little time perusing the SFU School of Communication study. All the items show a Synopsis, Significance, Media Coverage and Original Source Material. Beats the mainstream media's unnamed sources all to hell! Especially when those sources are PR Department flacks.
If you do go and read the study, be sure to go to Appendix A: Alternative & Independent News Sites Used for Researching Stories. This is important for anyone pursuing information on their own. Appendix D has the top 100 Underreported Stories.

Yes we all know that the current news organizations are firmly controlled by corporate interests. And we see the scandal in Britain about movie stars phones being tapped, but it is far more serious than gossip folks, it is about our small planet and your health, your family's safety, and our democratic right to reliable reporting.
And we, as a public interested in the preservation of our very lives, need to know truth, and to recognize where to find it and who is lying to us. The SFU Under-Reported News Study is a tool to use. A source for a further independent pursuit of the real information. Truth.

So one would ask: Are our reporters just lazy, stupid or bought? If there is a reason we are being denied investigative news reporting, that reason must be secret too. But secrecy fosters speculation and conjecture too, doesn't it?

Educate yourself and start using your voice. Information poverty is affecting us all, and they should not be getting away with it.


http://pages.cmns.sfu.ca/newswatch/files/2011/11/NewsWatch-Canada_SFU-Research-Seminar_2010_2011_Underreported-Stories_Print-Ready.pdf


http://pages.cmns.sfu.ca/newswatch