Is the Media to Blame?

Wow it has been a while since I have made a post! That will change, because I have LOTS that I want to share! 

   Let's start today's post off with a humorous, yet idiot-proof summary of society's views of pits:

Ok ok, let's talk about the media's role in society's views on pit bulls....after all I am a media communications major, so through my general research I have seen a CLEAR correlation and explanation as to why negative images and perceptions of pit bulls are spreading like wildfire!

Needless to say, the media is perhaps one of the most important and influential parts of society today. It provides communication, keeps the world connected, informed and in touch with one another through every form of medium. The media today is ridiculously accessible, and literally at our fingertips as our smartphones and tablets grant us this accessibility...this technology can certainly serve as both a blessing and a burden. It can be as simple as notifying people about traffic or weather conditions, or it can also ensue mass hysteria as a result of coverage of (insert scary issue here). And of these endless amounts "scary issues" that the public is biting their nails over today, one of which is the "danger dog problem."  The media's very skewed reports about "dangerous" breeds greatly influence the public. Sooooooooo...here's my point: We have all heard of a search engine. Right??

WELL....

 Google and other search engines provide people with a PLETHORA of media outlets: social networking sites, blogs, news articles, videos etc etc. And of course, the perspectives, information and resources that media emphasizes to focus on could be biased or skewed information. What is important to the media is to inform, but also to sell sell sell! News outlets heavily compete against each other for the biggest audience and highest ratings, and in order to get that desired audience for the most part requires “sensationalizing” or exaggerating information in order to catch and keep people’s attention. Usually sensationalism focuses on negative issues, thus ensuing fear and negative emotions, thus, keeping people on the edge of their seats. And once an audience’s attention is obtained and kept, then the media outlet has achieved its goal at the expense of the situation or subject at hand. Take the pit bull situation for example. 

If one were to simply type in “pit bull dog” for the sake curiosity or wanting to seek information  into a search engine, this website: dogsbite.org is the FIRST to appear on the results list! The website's name is misleading, because it does not talk about dogs in general, no, it strictly focuses on pit bulls. 

Here is their blog: http://pitbullholocaust.wordpress.com/about/ (nice title, huh? Openly admitting that they support a pit bull "genocide"). 

Other biased websites and videos appear as well, but I'll let you have a look at those on your own time. 

Now, I am not disagreeing with the fact that freak accidents and violent incidents have occurred both  between dog and dog as well as human and dog. BUT, because of dogsbite.org’s (et. al) “popular” search result, perhaps millions are exposed to predominately negative and hateful views towards pit bulls AND their owners. Through this, generalizations about the breed probably increase dramatically, and incidents that have occurred among other "less dangerous" breeds have become dramatically overshadowed. So of course further biased opinions and fear increases, and people are then left with misunderstood or uneducated viewpoints.

Oh...and this stupid B*#@H's little "maternal" rant doesn't help the cause either. Check this out: Shut up Kate Gosselin. Nobody likes you. AWESOME! Celebrities who people sadly worship also express their...ahem, disgust  for the breed and even go as far as supporting "hate walks" against pit bulls. What type of example is that??? Open your eyes kids...

So what are we to do? STOP BEING LAZY! Do FURTHER and diligent research instead of relying on everything the media immediately provides for you. And research the media AT ALL, learn to determine which sources are reliable or not, biased or not, out of date or not etc. etc. etc. Education and critical thinking is the key to understanding. And sadly, many people have refused to UNDERSTAND why pit bulls are receiving such serious backlash both here in the US as well as internationally. 

    But before I go, let us please pay tribute to a pit bull attack survivor

Stay tuned for a very special Veteran's Day post! Over and out!