Do you think this PEW Report on how the media has been covering the Trayvon Martin killing is interesting?

journalism.org/commentary_backgrounder/s...?src=prc-headlineShare your thoughts, if you like! Asked by @Goldie 7 days ago Similar Questions: PEW Report media covering Trayvon Martin killing interesting Recent Questions About: PEW Report media covering Trayvon Martin killing interesting Politics & Law > Issues.

Similar Questions: PEW Report media covering Trayvon Martin killing interesting Recent Questions About: PEW Report media covering Trayvon Martin killing interesting.

I found it interesting:"MSNBC devoted the most attention the gun control issue and Florida's Stand Your Ground law. The second-most popular topic on MSNBC was the city of Sanford, including discussion of its police force and the city's rocky racial history. The leading theme of CNN's coverage of the case involved questions about Trayvon Martin and the defense of Zimmerman followed closely by straight news accounts.

On Fox, questions about Trayvon Martin's past and statements in defense of George Zimmerman also garnered the most attention by far. That was followed by attention to the media's handling of the story. "I suppose Fox had to cover its butt because of the Conservative support of the NRA.

Also I found it interesting they were almost as much as alluding to the fact that Martin somehow brought it on himself in order to pose a greater defense of Zimmerman. Predictable. Its the black guy's fault and Zimmerman was just standing his ground, right?

Well, that's Fox for you. I think MSNBC's focus on the gun control issue is valid, but I don't think it should have gotten more airplay than the fact the police force had it head up its a-s. Isn't that really the bottom line here?

Zimmerman had prior arrests for abusive behavior. It wouldn't have mattered what the gun laws were. All the same the new gun law about standing your ground is one of the most imbecilic brain cramps the GOP has come up with, and there are quite a few.

But, as there are hundreds of such deaths a year, one wonders, why aren't ALL of them given so much focus? Its all just very disturbing. I get that if this wasn't a political year, a whole lot of air play would have been dropped.

I'm glad someone else found it interesting. I also was interested to see the difference between Twitter, cable news and blogs. @Goldie 6 days ago .

Really interesting piece, I think. It suggests to me that in order to have the clearest picture of events and issues surrounding a story, one should read, watch, and listen to a number of different sources. I always like foreign news sources as well because they tend to add yet another perspective.

Thanks for sharing this analysis.

Good comments - thanks! @Goldie 6 days ago .

The only thing I found accurate is the fact that the story wasn't covered as much on Fox. That is true. When they did start covering it, they focused on the message "not enough is known at this point.

Don't rush to judgment. " They also reported on the misinformation and even distortion of other news media. For example, NBC doctored the 911 call from Zimmerman.

They deleted such things as the dispatcher asking, "What does he look like? Is he white, hispanic, or black? " It made it sound like Zimmerman just volunteered that information.

The fact that they made it look like he said it right after he said, "He looks like he's up to no good," made him sound racist. The media also made it appear that was white. That added to the belief that he was a racist who just gunned down a kid because he was black.

It turns out that Zimmerman is also a member of a minority. It appears that Zimmerman thought a kid walking back and forth in the rain looked odd. He was possibly doing that because he was talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone.

Zimmerman likely frightened Martin by following him. We know Zimmerman said Martin was approaching him to check him out. That would indicate he didn't continue following Martin.

He told the police Martin was approaching him. Likely, Martin had no idea why someone was following him and thought it was a good idea to find out why. We know a witness saw Martin on top of Zimmerman and said that Zimmerman asked for help.

We know another person called 911 and there were screams for help in the background and voice experts said they weren't Zimmerman's. We also know that there's a mob that not only wants a trial but a conviction. When the police officers were tried for the Rodney King beating, there was a riot when they did not like the verdict.

Fifty Seven people died in the riot that followed. We have an organization that put out a ten thousand dollar reward on his head and 2 people who posted his parents address on twitter and only one got it right. The other gave the address of an elderly couple.

This will not go well. People will be hurt before this is over.

People will be hurt before this is over. Um, a kid is dead. @Goldie 6 days ago .

Yes, at the moment one 17 year old is deadOnly one elderly couple had to leave their home to keep from being dead. The man who may have killed the 17 year old in self defense or may be guilty of manslaughter is hiding to keep from being murdered. The members of Zimmerman's family have to hide to keep from being murdered.

After the Rodney King trial, there was a riot in which 57 innocent people lost their lives. I don't see how this can end well. There's likely to be innocent people killed.

When it is all over that 17 year old will still be dead. I don't see how this can end well.

Nobody else should have to die for justice to be served. The wheels are turning. Zimmerman is likely hiding out because of guilt as much as fear.

His friend says that he cried for days. At least he has a conscience. Too bad it didn't save him in time.

@Goldie 4 days ago .

I am hopeful at these results. More young people use twitter, and they see the shady dealings, incorrect delfections, and unwarranted blame being spread by the *media*. There is hope for this country, yet.

And, if I can add something. I saw the *enhanced* video of the welt on Zimmermans head. It appeared to be the shape of the edge of a car door.

And, although I saw no blood, and I was informed that EMT's clean up the blood, there was no bandage and no blood on his jacket. I've worked in ER's. Head wounds bleed a lot.

I means, a LOT - even one not bad enough to warrant stitches. The fact that he had no blood on his clothing, at all, and did not need a bandage leads me to believe the welt was self inflicted.

I think Twitter is turning out to be a very powerful agent for change. We saw it in the Arab Spring, the Occupy Movement, and certainly in demanding justice for this killing in the form of an investigation. @Goldie 6 days ago .

The media. This used to be said as 'the news media' when one meant covering / reporting on the news. Blogs are not news media.

Twitter is not news media. Neither blogs nor media have any ethical obligation to search for the truth, to report facts and only facts. Of course, many so-called journalists appear to have no ethical obligation to report facts and to search for the truth.

The spin. That's what so-called mainstream media search for.....the spin and the sensational. Talking heads who read teleprompters, often with emphasis worthy of all the drama of soap operas.....that's the source of much of today's 'news'.

And when an incident such as the death of this 17 year old young man occurs, I am reminded of this advice to attorneys, at least attorneys of fairly low ethical standing: If the facts are on your side, hammer the facts. If the law is on your side, hammer the law. If neither are on your side, hammer the table.

While bloggers slog through mud and Twits tweet, and talking heads stare at the camera lens so uninformed viewers won't realize they are reading the words they have practiced in front of mirrors, the truth may be lost. Will the last honest journalist to leave the profession please turn out the lights? .

There has been yellow journalism for as long as there has been journalism (stone tablets and chisels). To discount ALL blogs and ALL tweets and even all YouTube is to throw out the baby with the bathwater. It's always been incumbent on the reader/listener to practice skepticism, and it may be more so now, but I am really grateful to be alive in this age of multi media news.

@Goldie 6 days ago .

Oops - meant to type "Neither bloggers nor twits have any ethical obligation to search for the truth, to report facts and only facts. "Incumbent on reader/listener to practice skepticism ...........sure: way, way more so now. But so many readers / listeners assume whatever they read is valid......after all, it's in print (sort of).

Misinformation is far more prevalent than information. In that sense, we seem to be in a new type of Dark Ages.

No; sadly, it's predictable. Conservatives would lean toward defending this law and suspecting Trayvon Martin of the worst, and liberals who question the proliferation of guns, the violence in our society, and are more racially diverse would see Zimmerman as being over zealous and a hot head. This is starting to look like the Casey Anthony case, one verdict by the public, one by law enforcement.

However, this one has race involved and is more explosive. I just wish they had him under house arrest pending investigation. In one sense, his actions are limited because he can't show himself in public.

Good comments; I think you sum up the two ideological POV really well. @Goldie 6 days ago .

I think it is. Especially since it lied about what Zimmerman said in the police call. washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/pos... html.

I think it is. Especially since it lied about what Zimmerman said in the police call. washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/pos... didnd't say anything about race until the dispatcher asked him: > Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?

Zimmerman: He looks black. Html.

I'm not sure what the motive in the edit was. At the same time, they did not report on the alleged slur heard on the 911 call, so it's not really clear that they were out to make Zimmerman look bad. Before race was made an issue in this case, the edit may have been irrelevant.

@Goldie 5 days ago .

Yes, that is what I wrote. >Which is that "F*cking coon. ">and is it verified or simply alleged?

If it was verified I wouldn't have said alleged, right? FBI experts are working on it, and will render an opinion if and when this is tried as a hate crime. If not, it will remain speculation.

@Goldie 5 days ago .

I cited my sources. Where are your citations of your so far unsubstantiated allegations? ca.news.yahoo.com/nbc-news-regrets-editi... html.

I'm not providing you with citations for things that you can look up on your own, on the internet. If you don't believe that the allegation was made, I really don't care. It's not my job to inform you.

@Goldie 4 days ago .

Ever wonder if the media hype was to cover up something more" (11 answers).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.