The missing persons hysteria

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Okay, is it just me, or are A. people vanishing more than they used to, or B. Has the media taken a sudden interest in this....?

First we had the bogus runaway bride, the woman in Aruba, the horrible murder in Florida, etc.

But it seems like for the first time ever, every time somebody disappears, not only is it on the news, but all of the 24 hr. cable networks are covering it, and the talking head programs are even debating it.

I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, but why now? Why has something that once seemed so local turned into national news? Are the networks starved for stories? Are we all neurotic and paranoid like Michael Moore said?

[AChimp]

I dunno, I thought the recent one about the missing Cub Scout kid was great. What kind of dumbass walks five miles in the opposite direction of your camp?

It makes me wish that kid was eaten by a bear.

[Emu]

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, but why now? Why has something that once seemed so local turned into national news? Are the networks starved for stories? Are we all neurotic and paranoid like Michael Moore said?

Yes.

Also, did you notice they only cover kidnappings/disapperances of attractive and/or well off white kids?

[mburbank]

There have always been big media human interest stories, but never in my lifetime has there been such a hunger for them. There MUST be at least one daily, front page, ongoing non political story at all times.

There are a number of reasons.

they're easy to cover.

They're simple to understand. (Try comparing runaway bride to Iran/contra or the Tyco trial)

They generate zero political pressure.

It's easy to hook your audience through empathy. Every parent fears their children vanishing.

There is no risk of making your media outlet a target. No one will attack your bias on the senate floor for thorough coverage of jacko's trial.

It's a fad. Missing people stories are all the rage right now. Shark attacks were the rage a year ago with virtually every shark attack that happened getting major, sustained national media coverage. In the seventies, local Boston news in media ALWAYS led with what had burned down since the last news cycle. Things that had burned were sometimes as much as 1/3 of the broadcast.

[El Blanco]

I remember the shark attack craze. They kept it hyped and going even though it was statistically proven that shark attacks had actually decreased up to that point. And most of them were nowhere near fatal or something stupid like that.

We need a rash of celebrity deaths. Better yet, psuedo-celebrities. I'm hoping for the Runaway Bitch are her retard of a husband.........and whatever "news poersonality" gives them a half second of air time.

[Emu]

If only Terri Schiavo would die, that would free up some airtime for a new media bitch.

[GAsux]

I'll bet ten internet dollars that if that missing Alabama girl wasn't a cute little white girl there wouldn't be such a big story. I bet if she were a minority, or fat, we wouldn't even be talking about it. No one cares if you abduct fat girls.

[AChimp]

I can't believe they're praising that stupid scout kid for being a robot.

"He had two thoughts going through his head all the time," she said. "Toby's always told him that 'If you get lost, stay on the trail.' So he stayed on the trail. We've also told him don't talk to strangers ... when an ATV or horse came by he got off the trail ... when they left, he got back on the trail."

I AM A COMPUTAR. MUST FOLLOW PRIME DIRECTIVE! STAY ON TRAIL! DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!

I think being lost in the middle of fucking nowhere would override that second instruction for any normal person.

[El Blanco]

Hostess does.


And you're right. Children from poor areas that aren't "camera friendly" (minorities) don''t get media attention.

About the same time that Smith girl in Utah was abducted, a little black girl in Philidelphia was grabbed, bound and gagged in a basement of a housing project.

SHE CHEWED THROUGH THE ROPES ON HER HANDS TO ESCAPE.

Did anyone else hear about this?

[sspadowsky]

Have you looked at the kid? He's clearly a low-watt bulb. No kid that dumb should roam unsupervised without at least having a Lo-Jack strapped to him.

[El Blanco]

Originally Posted by AChimp

I think being lost in the middle of fucking nowhere would override that second instruction for any normal person.

Ever see Deliverance?

[AChimp]

You gotta find someone who's only interested in dueling banjos with you.

[GAsux]

You can't hardly turn on the tv without catching something about little Ms. Teen America who tragically met her demise, probably anyway, wihle going on an unsupervised trip to a resort island full of alcohol and dirty humping.

My parents wouldn't have let me stay in our own home alone overnight when I was 17, much less pay to fly me to a tropical island where I could drink and fuck all I wanted without having to worry about anyone telling me what to do.

If that girl was black, or fat, no one would be talking about what a tragedy it is, they wouldn't be sending search parties all over the island, etc. They'd say, damn, that sure sucked. Anyway, the Yankess scored 18 runs in an inning last night......

[El Blanco]

Off the fucking Devil Rays. And they gave up 11. Randy Johnson got chased by the fourth.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Maybe Tampa should sign DeJean.....

[El Blanco]

Feel free to go fuck yourself.

[ScruU2wice]

summer of the shark

[Yggdrasill]

Here in Idaho there was a triple homocide with two children kidnapped(I'm sure they were killed elsewhere) this summer. The news interviewed a family member who was in prison and that was the end of that. But yay! They are still missing, more news to come i'm sure.

I can't believe they were looking for that boy scout for so long because he kept hiding!

*BREAKING NEWS*

The letters b, c, d, j, q, w, x, y, and z are currently missing in the samoan alphabet.

Michael Jackson could not be reached for comment. But in real news a girl almost got abducted I think yesterday in Oregon. She's ok but at least she got flashed to make the story more juicy.

Just remembered, my step mom once lectured me once about child abductions and such. She did it in a warning way like "Don't you be doing none of that!" holy crap i'm still typing ok i'll stop i'm so sleepy.

[Emu]

What?

[Yggdrasill]

That's the last time I stay up all night listening to the DVD commentary that is oh so full of info. Insomnia + DVD commentary = insanity

[The One and Only...]

These types of stories are covered because the media likes to focus attention on individuals. It makes the stories more personal.

It's kinda like when Stalin said that a single death is a tragedy, and a million deaths is a statistic. People just don't quite care as much when they can't attach themselves, and that means a drop in the one thing the media really cares about: ratings.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Animal Cracker

I can't believe they were looking for that boy scout for so long because he kept hiding!

Be pre-scared.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by AChimp

I dunno, I thought the recent one about the missing Cub Scout kid was great. What kind of dumbass walks five miles in the opposite direction of your camp?

It makes me wish that kid was eaten by a bear.

If only Darwinian evolution happened more quickly.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by The One and Only...

It's kinda like when Stalin said that a single death is a tragedy, and a million deaths is a statistic. People just don't quite care as much when they can't attach themselves, and that means a drop in the one thing the media really cares about: ratings.

That's a fair point, but why now? People have always vanished, run away, and been kidnapped. Why does it get breaking news status on everyb 24 hr. network, and WHY does that thick headed boob Sean Hannity highlight it on every episode of his show?

I just fear this becoming a political thing. See I think this can become a polarizing issue. I have a great deal of faith in the partisans with microphones. Will this be a Willie Horton type of issue? Will each party have to take a "position" on where they stand on people being absolutely safe, 24/7, in their gated little communities....?

I prefered the sharks.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by The One and Only...

It's kinda like when Stalin said that a single death is a tragedy, and a million deaths is a statistic. People just don't quite care as much when they can't attach themselves, and that means a drop in the one thing the media really cares about: ratings.

It scary how much that sentiment made me think of Donald Rumsfeld.