The media can be more friend than foe

When I was small my grandpa would sit at the kitchen table with his magnifying glass, a glass of Port (“It’s good for you!”) and the Daily News. He was a steely WWII vet, and an avid gardener. I loved when he’d come in for lunch, flip on the radio and dig into the paper. Sometimes he would read a story or two out loud. That’s how we used to do it (consume news). You’d read a story. Consider it. Discuss amongst yourselves. Wait for follow-up. Repeat. Maybe you’d watch a TV newscast later.
These days I feel very much inundated with news and the loud din of virtual voices that accompany each story, post, and video. It’s a blessing and a curse. We are more informed but more distracted, too.
We’d do well to remember news reporting comes with major flaws (it always has). Media groups will underreport some stories and inflate others to attract eyeballs or suit an agenda. Studies have shown that negative stories get more play (with the side effect of ‘rewarding’ violent persons with broad attention). Peaceful, status-quo type pieces don’t ring the dinner bell. Often there is simply not enough time, resources or incentive for reporters to dig into a story and do anything more than the superficial “work-up.”
Just look at the media’s complex relationship with police and the influx in reporting on use-of-force to the extent that you would think decent, fair cops doing extraordinary things were in the minority. I don’t think it’s coincidence that police deaths by ambush are up. The FBI says line of duty deaths by ambush are second only to deaths in arrest situations. These are police officers dying because they are police officers.
Fact is, many citizens and reporters fail to understand the reality of police work and protocol. It seems then the onus falls on law enforcement to provide context and insight. Should media report on the “bad apples”? Absolutely. I think these men and women should be called to task. But media—and society as a whole—would also be wise to practice perspective.
Columnist and veteran Officer Carole Moore says, “I believe the vast majority of this country’s citizens appreciate the difficult job officers must do, and that our detractors are but a vocal minority that understands the art of attracting and manipulating coverage” (p. 42). She encourages officers to fight fire with fire (i.e. stories and videos), showing the positive impact they have in their community and in the world. For example, unintentional hero Officer Bobby White (p. 8), the Florida “Basketball Cop,” received a lot of attention for doing some simple (and superb) relationship building with his community’s kids.
You and I know the “good stories” are there. They are, in fact, the norm.
Have you tipped off your local news team today?