Is the world they show us the world that is?

For many years I have held the idea that the news media is not in the business of free speech or informing people what is going on the world or sharing important ideas. The news media is in the business of entertaining. By new media I include TV, the internet, newspapers, radio, and news magazines. I encourage you to watch a 6 minute video by Alisa Miller, head of Pulbic Radio International on Ted.com :

http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_shares_the_news_about_the_news.html

In the above 2008 video Alisa Miller uses “Eye-opening stats and graphs” to talk about the increasing interest of people in the United States about events in the world in the last 20 years – from 37% to over 50%. She also talks about the reduction of foreign news bureaus by 50%. People are more and more interested in world news and the news media is showing less and less. So what do they show? Pop culture. Why do they show pop culture? It’s cheaper and it still sells. As stated above I believe Ms. Miller’s video supports my contention that the news media little more than another entertainment program.

News pundits spend hours and hours of news time expressing opinions and making proclamations. With less and less world news information flowing in (down 50% as stated above) it is clear we cannot depend on the news pundits on FOX or CNN to tell us little if anything of value. But, again using stats from Ms. Miller’s video, 1 or 2% of the news available through the media contains world news. This means that at least some of the worldwide news picture is there. It means that we are responsible for informing ourselves and questioning everything we see and read. I am struck again with what a waste of time watching most of what is on TV. If you are watching a movie, somewhere in your mind you know it is a story someone wrote. If you are watching the news it is being proclaimed as the truth. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t – you don’t know.

So what does this have to do with social work? One of the key areas for me is that as social workers we make ourselves aware of the cultures we are working in. Where are is this culture getting their information? If a 90 year old woman is living with her 50 year old developmentally disabled son and both are afraid to leave their house, what are they watching on their media programs? She is watching the news about the lasted killings in the south bay and he is looking up porno on the internet. This same couple can experience their life completely different if they get transportation down to the senior center or community college and spend time with other people walking in the woods or playing cards or cooking food for each other. Life changes from fear and secrets to fellowship and healthy relationships. Other topics include fear of other cultures, misunderstanding the behaviors of youth, and the importance of eating good food. The latest McDonald’s advertisement shows a picture of french fried potatoes with the slogan “gotta have it”. Dr. Kristie Leong on the Health Mad Web site http://healthmad.com/nutrition/are-mcdonalds-french-fries-the-most-unhealthy-fast-food/ describes those same fries as ". . . being high in calories, fat, and carbs, . . . (offering) little in the way of solid nutritional value". A person won’t see that information unless they look it up somewhere. In a healthy social setting that information can be easily shared.

This blogger defines social work as teaching people how to think for themselves. Pointing out the discrepancies between what is said on TV and the porno web sites and real life. Helping people find out what they really want and helping create healthy avenues to meet those needs. Mindful social work – teaching ourselves and other how to engage in the world – and life - in meaningfull ways.