Why Do Tv Media Covers Crime

1026 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Media and public perception crime

The relationship between televised media programs and the way it covers crime in Australia has a significant impact on the public's perception of criminal activity and the occurrence of crime. This paper will examine the main purpose of the Australian television media reporting crime by exploring both negative and positives of televised media, as well as depicting the main theoretical and conceptual issues that dominate between crime and the media. Media, in the form of television shows take information from the criminal justice system and use it for entertainment purposes to inform and alter the reality of crime (Moston and Coventry, 2012). The recent report of a 17 year old girl Masa Vukotic who was brutally stabbed and killed in Melbourne will be examined from a segment on Nine News in order to determine the answer to “Why do the Australian television media cover crime?”
The objective of media televising crime is to inform, educate and entertain the foundations of what captures the public's most interest (Townsend, 2012). As television media is a modern way of society being up to date and gaining information on local, national and worldwide crimes, there …show more content…

The media's accounts of crime, especially violent can cause paranoia and fear within communities. Violence undermines violating a person; the greatest violent crime being ‘murder’(Hall, 1979). The news which is a primary source to access media reports is filled with violent stories, presenting dramatic events in the most graphic possible fashion, and even the most regulated media institutions are constantly pushing back the boundaries of acceptable reportage when it comes to depicting acts of violence. Thus causing a rupture in the social order. Reporting crimes in such a sensationalist style, misleads the public to believe that much more crime is occurring than it is (Marsh and Melville,

Show More
Related

  • How the Media Uses an Ideal Victim in Portrayals of Crime

    1988 Words  | 4 Pages

    In reference to the media’s role, they have been highlighted for playing a part in maintaining these views by portraying victims in a certain way according to the newsworthiness of each story and their selectiveness (Greer, 2007). Furthermore, there has been an increase in both fictional crime programmes and crime documentaries, with Crimewatch particularly becoming a regular part of British viewing. In the modern context, crime has continued to represent a large proportion of news reporting and with the aid of social networking sites and self-publicity via the internet, journalists are now more able to dig even deeper into the lives of people on whom they wish to report. Newspapers continue to keep the public informed with the latest headlines and the internet has also provided opportunities for members of the public to have their input in blogs.

    Read More

  • The Negative Impact of the CSI Franchise

    1812 Words  | 4 Pages

    With a record of an average 119 television channels available to each household, television dominates American life (MediaBuyerPlanner). This wide assortment of television gives viewers many different realities to imitate, like a small child following and obeying its parent. One of the leading television shows in our society is the CSI franchise, with three different extensions. CSI, and shows similar to it, portray the criminal justice system in a negative light, which causes confusion between reality and fiction. Television is a means of entertainment, yet its influence on today’s generation is powerful and enchanting. Television shows centered on criminal justice are implausible portrayals of reality that create unrealistic expectations of evidence in the courtroom, as well as creating superfluous fear of murder for the viewers.

    Read More

  • Violence in Television

    1911 Words  | 4 Pages

    addition the average American child will witness over 200,000 acts of violence on television including 16,000 murders before the age of 18 (DuRant, 445). Polls show that three-quarters of the public find television entertainment too violent. When asked to select measures that would reduce violent crime “a lot”, Americans chose restrictions on television violence more often than gun control. Media shows too much violence that is corrupting the minds children, future leaders of our society. In a study of population data for various countries sh...

    Read More

  • Titles Are Dumb But So Are Serial killers

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    In America, violence has always been an integral part of national culture. Crime and bloodshed are glorified both on and off screen. The more disturbing the act of violence, the more enthralled the public seems. The most prolific of crimes, those committed by infamous serial killers, inspire the most attention. As said by Jeff Lindsay, creator of the book series that inspired the wildly-popular television program, Dexter, “We’re sickened and disgusted, but we need to know. And the more we know about the scene, the more we really are horrified” (“Sympathy for the Devils”). Violence, especially committed by this special class of felons, is enthralling. News reports play a role in this strange attraction, as it is through the news that people even have knowledge of such killers, but the evolution in the “serial killer genre” (Lindsay, “Sympathy for the Devils”) of film and television helps to desensitize people to the gruesome murders that are committed. This begs the question of whether this disturbing trend should be stopped, lest the American “culture of violence” (this has a source) continues to grow stronger. Through news reports, film, and television, criminals are constantly romanticized through use of sympathetic characterization and gratuitous depictions of their crimes, which lends to peoples’ increasingly positive attitudes toward violence and, in turn, feeds the growing culture of violence in America.

    Read More

  • Cameras and the Courtroom

    1596 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nasheri, Hedieh. Crime and Justice in the Age of Court TV. New York, NY, USA: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC, 2002. Ebrary. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/scc/Doc?id=10044275&ppg=98. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

    Read More

  • Criminals: Gaining Cleverness Through Crime Television

    1683 Words  | 4 Pages

    Stevens, Dennis J. Media and Criminal Justice: the CSI effect. Sadbury: Jones and Bartlett, 2011. 35-38. Print.

    Read More

  • Media Violence: Censorship Not Needed

    1589 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to John Davidson's essay Menace to Society, "three-quarters of Americans surveyed [are] convinced that movies, television and music spur young people to violence." While public opinion is strong, the results of research are divided on the effects of media violence on the youth in this country. Davidson wrote that most experts agree that some correlation between media violence and actual violent acts exists, yet the results are contradictory and researchers quibble about how the effects are to be measured (271). Moreover, Davidson is not convinced that the media is the sole problem of violence, or even a primary problem. He points out that other factors, such as "poverty, the easy accessibility of guns, domestic abuse, [and] social instability" may have a greater impact on a child becoming violent than the influence of the media (277). Even though other forces may be stronger, media violence does have some adverse effects on the members of society. If senseless violence on television and in movies had no effect, it would not be such a hotly debated topic. What type of effects and whom they affect are the most argued aspects of the discussion.

    Read More

  • Analyzing The Media's Perceptions Of Forensic Psychology

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    Media portrayal of crime and criminal justice has become incredibly widespread in the last decade, with crime often considered both a source of news and entertainment. As a source of entertainment, crime and criminal justice have emerged as central themes across various sources of media. Most individuals do not have any direct experience with the criminal justice system, so their only source of information on this topic is the media. Particularly in television shows, portrayals of crime and criminal justice can be seen in everything from courtroom dramas to nightly news programs. Indeed, the popularity of crime shows has lead to some of television’s most enduring series, such as Law and Order and CSI. Because of this, fictional

    Read More

  • American Justice System

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Generally, crime and law enforcement television programs have been tremendously popular, with constantly elevated ratings over time. More than a quarter of all prime time shows from the 1960s to the 1990s have centred on subjects of crime or criminal justice, which comprise the biggest single subject matter on television today, across all types of programming (Weigel and Jessor, 1999). Drawing on Carlson's (2001) review of the literature, we observe that these studies have characteristically enclosed five main interconnected areas: knowledge of and information on the system, compliance, rights, police images, and violence and victimization. Every substantive part listed above can offer guidance in expanding a complete research program centring on television imagery and public insights of the criminal justice system.

    Read More

  • The Problem of Video Game Violence is Exaggerated

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Javier, Rafael Art., William G. Herron, and Louis Primavera. “Violence and the Media: A Psychological

    Read More

  • Media Distortion of Crime Reports

    1665 Words  | 4 Pages

    The media is our main source of knowledge about crime and other issues about the world. It shows us what is happening in the world which is beyond our direct experience and so it is very important. However the media can present a false view of reality and contain bias that the public needs to be aware of. The way the media represents crime can reinforce fear and create moral panic but as media consumers it is our job to critically analyze the content of the news and ask questions about the crimes that are shown in the media as to not be effected by the media in trying to shape our perceptions about crime.

    Read More

  • Crime In The Media Analysis

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    The media, both in the mainstream and alternative sources, determine how the community views crime and how it represents the victims of crime, criminals and law enforcement officials. Media organisations have arguably become the main source of news, entertainment, recreation, and product information in society. For many people, media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, social media and television broadcasts inform viewers about events that affect their everyday lives. This essay will explore the many variations of how crime is misrepresented in society through mass media organisations. Over the years, research has shown an increase in crime is largely over-represented in media coverage, compared to actual crime rates in society.

    Read More

  • Crime Victimization And Victimization

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    When it comes to falling victim to crime whether it’s violent or not, the victimization and embarrassment does not stop after the crime is done. Media can be useful in law enforcement and it can also be hurtful. While meant to spread awareness and helpful information, media can often relay too much information and potentially hurt people.

    Read More

  • Representation Of Crime In The Media

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    When reporting crime events the media focus only on the negative scenarios that can impact the society, these events are to be know as “newsworthy” (Hall, 1978). Newsworthy crime news is formed through the selective approach taken by the editors where only the main idea of the topic is likely to be reproduced in the media. This is due to crime is not an open event as witnesses are limited hence the selective approach allows the editor to only report the thrilling parts of the crime. (Stuart Hall, 1978: p.53) quoted “‘News’ is the end-product of a complex proves which begins with a systematic sorting and selecting of events and topics according to a socially constructed set of categories”. As a result, this approach has formed bias opinions towards crime reporting as it’s presented in the editor’s point of view (Hall, 1978). The media hence only targets crime with events that is unexpected and events that’s viewed as out of the norm compared to the majority of the society. Alternatively, this changes the view of audiences as they view the society as a ‘problematic reality’ (Hall, 1978). The majority of world is therefore mislead by the fictional reporting of crime as many consumers

    Read More

  • Media and Fear of Crime

    2029 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...it is the advent of television media that have sparked debate over the integrity of reliable news making. Print media was factual, although sometimes sensational, while electronic media made use of the technologies, such as videotapes and live footage to enhance and exaggerate the drama of the event even further. Many research studies have been conducted to show the effects of the media coverage on crime and how it influences the publics of fear of crime. Mass media has perpetuated a notion that crime is on the increase by portraying events and tragedies in the headlines that are sensational. The public buys into that idea, despite statistical accounts that reflect stable or low crime rates. The more stories people read and watch about crime, the more likely they are to think that crime is out of control. Politicians may then enact legal reforms to sooth the public’s outcry for crime control and prevention. As easy as it may be to hold the media accountable for barraging us with images and ideas that affect our views and beliefs, it important that the public take responsibility for the information that we consume. After all, there is always the “off” button on the remote control.

    Read More

More about Why Do Tv Media Covers Crime

Open Document