On May 1st, 2011 the US government succeed in its long time goal to end Osama bin Laden’s life. This feat, which had been a goal of the US for decades, was a huge turning point for the United States and a big accomplishment in the international struggle against terrorism. Found in his compound in Pakistan, the al-Qaeda leader was shot and killed in the compound. Throughout different areas of the world reactions to the same story are different. By following the same story it is interesting to note how the same information can be interpreted differently by different audiences or portrayed differently to different audiences. In this essay I will attempt to understand the meaning of the same story in different press spheres and how they are portrayed differently within different societies.
News travelled fast around the US, the news of the long sought after terrorist seemed to be in every sort of media possible. Gone viral on Facebook, Twitter and what seemed to be every news source across the internet. On his blog, the Daily Dish (italicized?) he states:
“I pray tonight for the souls of the departed who died that awful day, and all their family members and friends. I pray for the souls of those great Americans who resisted on Flight 93. I pray for all those who have died in the two wars that followed this atrocity”
Sullivan expresses the solemn memories that the event rekindles. He also illustrates the relief that the country seems to feel as it slowly recovers from the terrors that occurred on September 11th. The events of 9/11 signified a sort of unifying of the country in a time of mourning. The death of Osama bin Laden did somewhat the same thing, demonstrated the solidarity that comes from uniting for a common goal. This reaction is demonstrated in Sullivan’s reflection.
The reaction of al-Qaeda was much different, as one would imagine. In a statement which was released be CNN, the leaders express the deep devotion to their leader who seems to be idealized throughout the statement.
"Congratulations to the Islamic Nation on the martyrdom of their devoted son Osama…the blood of the mujahid sheikh Osama bin Laden, may God have mercy on him is VERY dear to us and more precious to us and to every Muslim from being shed in vain and this blood (OBL’s blood) will be a curse that will chase the Americans and their agents, a curse that will pursue them inside and outside their country” (1).
In description of bin Laden’s “martyrdom” al-Qaeda attempts to illustrate the significance of the leader but also the bin Laden’s essence as a leader for them. While most of the world is celebrating, al-Qaeda attempts to emphasize the importance of bin Laden’s death. While the overall essence of the reaction does come through in this testimonial it is important to recognize that since the statement is translated, some of the original meaning is lost simply because the vocabulary is not completely invertible.
Depending on the country the press releases were different. In Egypt the press did not release a story about bin Laden’s death until almost a day later than the rest of the international community. This lack of urgency in the media, demonstrates their lack of enthusiasm on the subject. This could also be interpreted as a sort of companionship with Pakistan for it shows that the demolition of a major terrorist leader and a negative representation of Pakistan as a country. In a proclamation regarding the al-Qaeda leader’s death the Egyptian foreign minister, Nabil al-Arabi CNN cited his statement saying, “When it comes to the declared death of Bin Laden, Egypt is against all kinds of violence. The Egyptian government does not have a comment”. In his address he states that Egypt is not trying to take a stance even though much of the world has celebrated the decent of the much-feared leader.
In many forms of the media the emphasis on certain issues, or lack there of as the case may be, is a form of bias in itself. Not only is the way in which a story is portrayed important but also the prominence that is placed on that certain issue within the media source as well. Each story is shown differently in each place that it is represented and the people it is intended to reach are important as well.
As well as different emphasizes are the places in which we get a news story. A person can get news from many sorts of sources. The internet is a popular place of information but even within this there are many places that people can acquire information. There is news sites, social media sites, blogs and even YouTube. Like the emphasis that is placed on each story, the source from which you get the news also affects a person’s personal interpretation of the story. For example if a good friend tells you about a current event rather than you stumbling across it on the internet the story is going to hold different connotations. When told to you by a friend, a certain personal aspect is added to the story, the importance is greater or lesser depending on your views of that person.
As Martin recalls of his students in Egypt he points out the differences in communication of the stories among people. He states that:
“While Twitter and Facebook pumped news of bin Laden’s death around the globe, word-of-mouth still mattered. Most of the fifty or so students in my two journalism ethics sections, who are wealthier and more digitally connected than most of the other 80 million people in Egypt, heard the news from a friend, taxi driver, relative, or me…[demonstrating] the interplay between digital and interpersonal communication.”
Martin illustrates the importance of where we get our news and how that affects our overall outlook on the story itself.
The media has all sorts of influences over the public and depending on the audience they are trying to appeal to and the importance that they place on that certain subject. Each society has different views about certain issues and the media strives to cater to these issues that are prevalent. Each story changes from source to source and no source is unbiased. The source from which we take our information and the medium from which it is portrayed all influence how each person perceives the event that takes place. The way in which a story evolves and changes from source to source is astonishing and adds to the overall reaction of the public that perceives it. A news story is never simple and the layers that add to the overall interpretation that a person gets from the story are endless.
No comments:
Post a Comment