Actively Consuming Media - It's Not What You Think
Are you an active consumer of media outlets, or does the nightly news just provide background noise at dinner?
Media outlets never present content without first arranging it into a theme. The obvious examples are easy. For example, If the Olympics happen to be the topic of the day it's likely that most of the news content will be massaged to fit the theme no matter how unrelated the context. If somebody got murdered you can bet it'll be reported that the victim was watching the 100 yard dash when the tragic event occurred.
Don Henley said it best, "She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye" I suppose it's only human nature to admit that, "It's interesting when people die." Pop cultural icons aside the observation is accurate and so it was while watching my local news.
Apparently tonight's theme was political extremism. The first story of the night concerned a memorial to the tragic ending of the Butwin family in an apparent murder-suicide. The family SUV was found burned in the desert with 5 bodies inside. What was more tragic was the immediate statement the day the SUV was found by the Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu that the scene was evidence of a hit by Mexican drug cartels adding, " These are more clues or evidence that the border is not more secure than ever," Which is likely a political statement aimed at President Obama's assertion last year. Three days later it appears the Sheriff's political enthusiasm overwhelmed his investigative procedure and perhaps his tact.
Next up was an update to a report on the Goldwater institute ( a conservative public policy organization) and their lawsuit against the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA, a police union). Apparently the institute has found a judge sympathetic to their assertion. The suit alleges public monies are being transferred to a labor union which is unconstitutional under Arizona state law. The procedure that brought the action was not unusual and PLEA claims the funds come from a .25 cent deduction from officer's wages separate from union dues to pay wages to six officers engaged in union business.
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