MSM hypes bombings in Iraq

Soldier’s Dad at Mudville Gazette has concerns about the contribution MSM is making to the deaths of innocents in Iraq:

[When civilian casualties in Iraq declined in December] ...of course this good news was tempered by a major Suicide Bombing in Baghdad on January 1st.

[When] civilian casualties in Iraq for January continued to decline...of course Al Queda had two major Suicide Bombings in Baghdad today, the 1st of February.

This should pose an ethical dilema for News Editors...innocent people are being deliberately killed in order to influence story placement in their publications.

Major suicide bombings have now occurred two months in a row on the day that the major Iraq story should have been that violence levels continued to drop.

We are all familiar with the maxim, "If it bleeds, it leads"...but what if the inverse is true 'it bleeds, because it leads"

If story placement can be shown to be a causal factor in murder, does that make News Editors an accessory to murder?

A serious ethical and moral dilemma to be sure.

Soldier’s Dad raises an extremely serious point.

It’s an open secret the terrorists engage in bombings because they know the bombings get graphic front-page newspaper coverage and lead the evening TV news programs.

The bombings are legitimate news stories, but they don’t have to be so hyped.

We should also be hearing more about the anger among Iraqis directed at Western journalists they feel are helping make them targets and victims by hyping the terrorists’ attacks.

Most MSM news organizations were quick to assure angry Muslims they wouldn’t publish the Danish cartoons. (“Please don’t hurt us. We’ll do whatever you want.”)

Newspapers like the NY Times and the Raleigh N&O insisted the public had no need to see those Danish cartoons. Besides, showing them would be “offensive.”

But those same newspapers spread their pages wide and make them available to terrorists who use the bombings as a major propaganda tool to influence Americans to support cut and run from Iraq policies.

Soldier’s Dad posses a “serious ethical and moral dilemma.” But I don’t think most MSM will face and react to it with much humanity.

It’s more likely most in MSM will whine about how tough their jobs are and how little the American public appreciates them.

And go on hyping the bombings. If it bleeds, it leads because it sells.

Hat tips: Mike Williams and Mudville Gazette