Mass Communication- Applied

It seems mass communication can have a devastating and magical effect on the public. For my applied blog this week, I wanted to talk about a more serious event that was discussed by the mass media- Hurricane Katrina. The newspaper, radio and television stations alerted the public as they anticipated a massive storm. People were asked to leave their homes and travel north to land that would not be as affected. Some did this, as media outlets broadcasted pictures of highways strung with cars. Others did not wish to leave the home they had built for their families as it would entail leaving a life behind. This choice had horrible effects. For days, television stations sent correspondents down to New Orleans so that they could broadcast this storm in action. I cannot imagine being asked to walk into the eye of the storm, but then again, these newscasters did not have a house to lose. Pictures of the storm were quite terrifying, and I remember thinking that the people who would not leave their houses were quite overconfident. The media portrayed these “dwellers” to be weak and in need of huge amounts of help. Broadcasting of the SuperDome left me feeling sick to my stomach. These people did not have enough supplies and they looked unhealthy. People stood on top of their roofs waiting to be saved, and others let the water wash over them. The media framed their information to make the government seem at fault. People constantly questioned why FEMA was so slow to help the people of New Orleans. I still do not understand why it took so long for people to receive supplies. People had started to steal things from shops so that their family could survive. The city of New Orleans was unsafe, as there were not enough police officers to reprimand those who committed a crime. I became angry at all the people who were watching this in the media and not taking action. It was not making sense to me- the media was speaking out, but still the government was slow to action. I am sure gatekeepers focused on the tailoring of the images so that people were emotionally driven to help. What I saw in some of the days that followed amazed me. It seemed that the media focused their attention on the individuals who were donating their time and money to the cleanup effort. The story was no longer about loss, but about hope. Things were still horrible, but the media began to show these images of optimism. This had a magical effect because more and more people then wanted to be a part of the effort. Money for rebuilding was swimming in right and left, and neighbors began to lean on each other for strength. This whole catastrophe became an opportunity for the media to highlight the strength and perseverance of the American people. It was quite wonderful what the citizens could do without the massive help of the government. Today, the citizens of New Orleans have saved their wonderful city. There is still damage and rebuilding needs to be done. The media still runs stories about the devastating hurricane to remind the people of the United States that we are tough. People selectively chose to be reminded of the hope that we all encompass. Without this strong audience (Americans, and people all over the world), the people of New Orleans could have never stood again. It is the duty of the media to broadcast stories that ask people to lend a hand. If one steps in to aid in the restoration effort one is then sending the media feedback that have been informed and persuaded. I do like the way the United States has a news agenda that displays the bad but also focuses on the good. Just think of everyone that could be changed for the better.