One of the great paradoxes of modern journalism is that unusual
and extraordinary events seem to be the most newsworthy -- but in the long
run, key realities of our lives are shaped by what's usual and ordinary.
The news coverage filling our screens is routinely the product of
haste, with little exploration beyond the surface. Generally, the sizzle of
the moment prevails -- which is understandable, since novelties tend to be
more captivating than chronic situations. But over time, barraged with
accounts of the atypical, our society can easily lose sight of what matters
most.
"When a dog bites a man, that's not news, because it happens so
often," journalist John Bogart commented many decades ago. "But if a man
bites a dog, that is news." This assumption is apt to sound like common
sense. It's certainly common -- but is it really sensible? After all, we
have much more reason to be concerned about dogs biting people than the
other way around.
If something happens all the time, it's unlikely to be "news" --
but it ultimately may be far more significant than the latest sensation.
In recent weeks, American television has shown what it can do when
the stakes are obviously high and the story is complex. For more than a
month now, the intensity of post-election coverage has been remarkable --
especially on the nation's cable news channels. From West Palm Beach, Miami
and Tallahassee to Austin and Washington, the biggest TV outlets have used
state-of-the-art technologies to bring us vivid accounts of dramatic
history in the making.
Now, let's imagine what could happen if the great powers of the
networks concentrated on cumulatively momentous day-to-day events that
usually get scant media attention. Next year, the reportage might sound
something like this:
"Welcome to our continuing coverage of 'Malnutrition 2001.' As
widespread hunger in America wears on, news analysts wonder if the country
is beginning to run out of patience. How long can the public accept delays
in resolving this crisis while millions of children keep going to bed
hungry? With the latest developments..."
"Joining us now on another special broadcast of 'National
Health Crisis' are investigators who've been examining why upwards of 42
million Americans -- 15 percent of the population -- still don't have
health insurance. We'll also hear some harrowing examples of what this has
meant during the last few hours, in human terms, at clinics and hospitals
across the country..."
"Welcome to 'Poverty 2001: America's Children Held Hostage.'
Tonight, a series of reports from the frontlines where kids are the first
casualties. Among those most affected by grievous inequities are black
youngsters. Nearly 50 percent of them are living below the official poverty
line..."
"Cruel and usual punishment continued today in the nation's
jails and prisons, where some 2 million people remain behind bars.
Meanwhile, experts say the evidence of institutionalized racism is clear.
As one defense attorney put it, 'African Americans constitute 14 percent of
drug users nationally but represent 35 percent of drug arrests, 55 percent
of drug convictions and 75 percent of prison admissions.' One out of every
35 black people in the United States is now incarcerated. For the latest on
this phenomenal story, we go to our team of correspondents, starting with..."
"Clinics and emergency rooms are filled again tonight as a
perennial epidemic of domestic violence continues to afflict American
households. All kinds of people are suffering as a result, but the
overwhelming preponderance of the victims are women and children. Stay
tuned for this special report, 'The War At Home: Counting the Casualties'..."
"Thousands of Americans were injured on the job again today,
and some of the mishaps turned out to be deadly. We have on-the-spot
reports from correspondents at hospitals across the nation..."
And so it could go, with networks defining big news to include
what affects large numbers of people on a daily basis. But we're accustomed
to a very different approach: Stories about singular events keep
preoccupying media outlets and commanding our attention.
Norman Solomon is a syndicated columnist. His latest book is The Habits of
Highly Deceptive Media.
