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Stefan Talavera
Professor Vana Derohanessian
English 115
26 November 2014
The Downside of the Mainstream Media
It is quite known the mainstream media is usually our main source of information and
news. We must heavily rely on these media organizations who keeps us updated on whats
occurring locally, nationally, and globally. It is a major component for society to function and it
needs to brought to attention the flaws that it also brings. Awareness is important if not vital
when it comes to a world that is constantly changing as we speak. Though when the media
becomes bias it can be detrimental in terms of promoting a narrow view. This will be
highlighted in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which is a biased topic here in America. The
mainstream news outlets are biased in favoring Israel over Palestine and demonstrates how lies
posed by them can manipulate the minds of the people.

Many people obtain their news from either television, radio, or the internet. It is in this
day and age that news can reach one end of Earth to the other in a matter of seconds. This is
where news media outlets fulfill that idea of presenting information and events where the masses
can tune in. They try their best to do their job and its much appreciated, but in order to improve
people must critique them. This is where I come in. Solely on the fact that media presents the
news doesnt necessarily mean its the whole story and truth of the matter. We look at them at
the professional level where we usually dont expect them to make mistakes such as missing
important details, not relaying a story correctly, exaggerating to some extent, not covering major,
relevant topics, etc. Media consumers miss the point and blindly take in all the information
without thinking this isnt all there is to it. They miss the fact that content can be biased which is

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dangerous when shaping the mind because people can be conditioned to accepting only one
perspective. When people incorporate this single perspective in their lives they miss many other
perspectives. As Malcolm X said, The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the
power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because
they control the minds of the masses. The media is an ultimate weapon that can decide what it
right and wrong and its understood bias can be a major factor in psychological control.
Clearly, if bias is present it serves the person(s) view that made it possible in the first
place. Just like a lawyer who defends their client they present only the story that works in their
clients favor, similarly the news can be akin as a lawyer. Though its certainly difficult to do
journalism objectively since even one statement can make the story lean one side over the other.
At most times the news is blatantly bias and many fail to see the deadly side effects of biased
content. For instance, take the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has been prevalent over the past
several years. This issue will have lasting negative effects in the Gaza region and the ongoing
tension between the Israeli and Palestinian people will not go unnoticed. Especially since
Western media such as the U.S has been pro-Israel ever since the conflict started. This is because
Israel is an ally of the U.S so it makes sense not only U.S sides with Israel, but also to cover up
the wrongdoings and protect and serve their allys interests. More evidence can be seen in the
Huffington Post, where they make an important observation when ABC news Host Diane
Sawyer commented on figure 1 saying in empathy that these Israeli people are salvaging from a
Hamas strike, but in fact this picture was taken in Gaza and is actually Palestinians salvaging
from the wreckage from an Israeli strike. She made an apology on air on the correction that it
was Palestinians depicted in the picture. As you can see whether or not those were actual Israeli
people in the picture, she already had Israeli sentiment and was biased in their favor. The

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mainstream media however doesnt feel sentiment and empathy for 1,462 civilians out of 2,104
Palestinians that were killed in Gaza as Washington Post had stated. They dont even
acknowledge that innocent Palestinian children have died over this war just look at the pictures
in the Gaza hospitals in the internet. Then the media brands the Palestinian people as terrorists or
infidels when in fact half of all casualties are civilians when the majority should be Palestinian
fighters if they make this claim. It appears to be a war on civilians that dont even want to
participate in this bloodshed. This is atrocious war crimes against the Palestinians. Quite frankly
the pro-Israel view would convince you that Israel is the victim here not the Palestinians even
though the Israeli military has fired missiles into densely populated areas knowing it will injure
and kill civilians in the process. Israel has taken more and more land of the Palestinian people
over the the decades and making them refugees and targets. When bias is present this is what can
happen you convince what is truth and lie and what is wrong and right. You can call it the
altering of perception and you can be tricked into deception just like being pro-Israel despite the
atrocities theyve committed.
Lets take a look into a new outlet called Aljazeera America that isnt so bias when it has
to this issue and in my understanding speaks the truth on this topic. Before this war erupted you
may have heard of about the 3 Israeli teens that have been kidnapped by Hamas on June 12.
Whether or not it was intentional or provoked, the truth is that Israeli officials knew that they
were dead so in the following two weeks they put on a so-called rescue effort which resulted in
the deaths of six Palestinians, the detention of as many as 500 others mainly people with links
to Hamas lockdowns of towns and cities, house demolitions of suspected perpetrators, night
raids on homes and many other abuses of human rights. However the Israeli government or the
IDF launched a military campaign under the disguise of the rescue effort but was main intention

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of attacking the Palestinian communities. Hamas has repeatedly denied any involvement of those
Israeli teens but the Israeli government insists that the only culprit points to them. Again why
pour millions of resources and effort into such campaign when they knew those teens were
already dead. The only answer is that they are looking to wreak havoc on the Palestinian people.
This can be compared to as crimes against humanity but of course they have to justify it under
the a pathos-filled event.

Upon discussing this touchy subject, Not only that the same stories get repeatedly
become headlines the major news networks put up their stories and its passed on to other minor
news networks that simply copy and paste without any investigation of their own. Also there
needs to be a set balance of whats underreported and over reported. Reason being is a major
story may not be covered for the day when an irrelevant topic or story to most takes its place out
of the blue. Another instance is where a over reported story gains nationwide attention and
consistent exposure may negatively shape its people. From what we can understand the news
affects the society and its outcomes where people are convinced to think or act in a certain way.
This confirms the idea that the news may and can be used as a tool of destruction.

Work Cited Page

"Malcolm X Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

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"Biased Coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Is Not Journalism." The Huffington Post.
N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.
"The U.N. Says 7 in 10 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Were Civilians. Israel Disagrees."
Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

"Israel, Not Hamas, Orchestrated the Latest Conflict in Gaza | Al Jazeera America." Israel, Not
Hamas, Orchestrated the Latest Conflict in Gaza | Al Jazeera America. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec.
2014.
"The Propaganda War over the Gaza Crisis | Al Jazeera America." The Propaganda War over
the Gaza Crisis | Al Jazeera America. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Figure 1

Palestinians collect their belongings from damaged houses in Gaza City. (Photo: Mahmud Hams / AFP /
Getty Images) - See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/misrepresents-aftermathpalestinian#sthash.TK0knZnb.dpuf