Atrios asks what the odds are that we'll be seeing reports of Latoyia Figueroa (pictured right) on CNN. She's a local resident who's been missing since Monday, but so far there's been no Natalee Holloway treatment for this story.
Don't misunderstand, I have nothing against Miss Holloway, and I truly hope for the best possible outcome to her situation, but surely we've all noticed by now that the established media can be quite selective with their coverage of these sad situations.
Here's hoping Latoyia Figueroa's situation also has the best possible outcome -- and the same wish for all the other less publicized missing people out there tonight.
indeed, and well said.
indeed, and well said.
Interesting angle
When I was in journalism grad school I did a video piece about "media bias" in which I used film of a NASCAR race and some 11 o'clock news coverage of a rally...from what was broadcast and from video that I created from different angles of the same scene. In those cases, I was demonstrating how narrow a focus "news" has, focusing mostly on 3 cars in a race or making a group of 12 people look like a "crowd." Yet, when the "news" could do good by helping find missing persons, especially ones whose hair isn't quite so blonde, they fall flat...I'll bet that the same stations spend energy gossipping about Tom Cruise and Anna Nicole Smith while ignorning the Latoyas of the world. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I doubt I would have noticed
I doubt I would have noticed it, except Atrios posted on it (All Spin Zone had a mention of it too). I guess that's one place where the citizen media can do some real good -- highlighting the stories that, though they are reported, are vastly under-reported. And hopefully, there are enough people plugged into non-cliche news outlets and information that it can make a real difference.