NCJ Number
139376
Journal
Media Studies Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1992), 17-29
Date Published
1992
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article argues that some of people's fears about crime are impervious to change and are not really formed at all by the press, even a press that often offers misinformation and sensationalism.
Abstract
While the press's primary functions are to educate readers for responsible citizenship and for responsible policymaking, this author maintains that the sensational press can serve the media's public education function by becoming even more sensational. Personal cosmologies of fear warn of danger but are reformulated constantly as new threats and information are absorbed. However, individual cosmologies of fear are affected by those of our neighbors, friends, and even public officials. Rather than unduly influencing readers' perceptions about crime and danger, the media share their own fears and reproduce those of the public. Because the sensational is a basic human need, reporters should: cater to this need by becoming more explicit and more sensational in explaining horrible crimes, consider the relationship between a sensational story and a larger social problem, report the most reliable evidence regarding an unusual incident, present accurate crime statistics, and follow a case to its conclusion.