Some truths are more important than others

What the media covers, and what they don't

Taking into consideration of how information travels and at the break-neck speed in which it reaches us, there's always a question into just how reliable these pieces of information are, or the reasoning as to why certain information on certain stories are shown and others not. To emphasize several key examples of just how influential journalism and reporting has, or how the information can be interpreted by both consumers and the reporters, consider the following: ( Access the resource for all pointed noted below here: Link )

• A Boston Globe series on the hazards of placebo-control trials in psychiatry was one of several journalistic investigations that resulted in changes in the way psychiatric patients are enrolled in research protocol (Whitaker and Kong, 1998) (quoted in Shuchman, 2002).
  
• A study was conducted with several journalists, and had asked them questions such as how well did they understand the topic of health issues. 49.7 percent of respondents reported it was sometimes easy and sometimes difficult to understand key health issues, and 31 percent found it often or nearly always (2.7 percent) difficult to do (Voss, 2002).
  
• The media played a key role in reporting the anthrax attacks following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The events emphasized the need to communicate scientific and medical information in a way that the public can understand and to provide clear information about the concepts of risk and how to apply them (National Academies Press (US), 2002).
  
• The first publicly documented cases of AIDS were reported in the June 5, 1981, issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) (CDC, 1981a). The publication provided five case histories of previously healthy, young (ages 29 to 36) homosexual men from the Los Angeles area who developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), an affliction usually seen in severely immunodepressed patients, and a myriad of other opportunistic infections.
  
• The FCC defines PSAs as “any announcement (including network) for which no charge is made and which promotes programs, activities, or services of federal, state, or local governments or the programs, activities, or services of nonprofit organizations and other announcements regarded as serving community interests” (FCC Rules, Section 73.1810 [d][4]). However, new broadcasting venues such as cable networks have no statutory obligation to serve the public interest (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2002a).
  
• American television producers have a history of working with health promotion experts to address public health issues. A few examples are alcoholism on Hill Street Blues and Cagney and Lacey; AIDS on St. Elsewhere, Designing Women, and LA Law; birth control on Valerie (Wallack, 1990); and the Jeanie Boulet storyline on AIDS on ER (National Academies Press (US), 2002).
  
• On the internet, although the potential benefits of interactive health communication applications are many, the growing volume and use of these applications also raise several concerns. This section briefly highlights three areas of concern: (1) the quality of information, (2) the digital divide, and (3) the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information (National Academies Press (US), 2002).
  

While the above points only scratch the surface of the good and service that journalism and the media has done to bring things to the public eye, it also barely touches the surface on the amount that the media doesn't tell you, either by omitting information, telling only half truths, or outright fabricating certain stories.  These lies, of course can be easily picked out from 'yellow newspaper' sources such as tabloids, trying to capitalize on the revenue earned through the clicks on their websites, or by those who buy their product at stores. What's however concerning is when much larger networks, those who were meant to produce the story and the truth, and not influence or cater to any particular leaning, has taken a much more aggressive and more noticeable hold on the media's agenda.  Here are just a few examples of just how tension can rise when both the journalists and media are responsible for their own actions, across the public and officials.

• January 2019.  The Covington Kids fiasco erupted when a bus full of kids, including the now well-known Nick Sandmann, were at an anti-abortion rally in D.C. when Native American protesters came up to the boys and initiated the non-violent conflict between the two groups.  However, instead of fully reporting the context or all of the clips, CNN most especially, was one of many networks that aired and narrated over portions of the recorded incident that it was the boys who caused the conflict, equating it to a racist act on par for Trump supporters, since Sandmann was wearing a MAGA hat. Following shortly, many hateful and violent threats were made to these boys due to the woefully and disgustingly slanderous allegations made against them, with no remorse to rectify the situation.  It was only until Sandmann's lawyers, whose case was solid on libel, that CNN somewhat regretted their actions, and settled out of court. Several prominent figures, including actors and even a host of CNN by the name of Reza Aslan, perpetuated and even flamed the acts of violence and hostility while the incident was still fresh.
  

NYpost Article ( HERE )        Breibart Article ( HERE )    MSN Article ( HERE )

• March 1st, 2021. Even though it's been early reported at March, the entirety of this event has been going on since January 2019.  There has been massive reveal that a majority of students in a western Baltimore school has kids in high school leveled education graduating or moving onto the next year with GPAs lower than 1.0.  "Many students are struggling. The school’s attendance rate is 61 percent. That’s 27 points below the district average. Of the 434 students enrolled in 2019, two tested proficient in math and two in English. Yet, 48 percent, nearly half the students, manage to graduate in four years. All of this in a school that gets $5.3 million a year from taxpayers" (Papst, 2021).  In a particular example, Tiffany France had just learned that her senior-graded son is actually going to be pulled back several grade levels below because he has a GPA of 0.13.  The tension here is that through the actions of the journalists this will put a lot of stress into the education system for having getting away for it for so long, and getting paid so much money without helping these students stay in school and getting the quality education they need.
  

FoxBaltimore Article ( HERE )      ABL.com Article ( HERE )

More connections

Continuing my examples of tensions between journalism/media, I will now also include some issues surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• February 12th, 2021.  The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, has had a major upset when one of his highest positioned aides has come out to say that under Cuomo's command, the release of the full data on COVID-19 Deaths, when/where/how and the complications of co-morbidity and if COVID-19 was or was not responsible was deliberately suppressed from the public's eye.  Earlier in the pandemic, Cuomo had ordered for people suspected or confirmed of COVID-19 to be moved into retirement homes or other long-term treatment facilities for health-compromised people, which has now been proven to shown that a large spike in deaths were from these immuno-compromised people getting COVID-19 due to that order.  This has caused a typhoon of complaints, investigations, and calls for Cuomo's resignation, all the while deflecting responsibility for his actions.
  

CNN Article ( HERE ) NYPost Article ( HERE ) NYTimes Article ( HERE ) FoxNews Article ( HERE )

• Nation-wide, there has been more and more tension between federal mandates overruling state's rights, individual liberties, and safeties. While we all strive to hit a perfect balance to keep as much people as possible healthy, we must also remain diligent when it comes to upholding our freedoms and pursuits of happiness as well. It goes without saying that 1000's of small businesses have died or tremendously shrunk due to the pandemic, and through some of the state's choices on continuing rather strict guidelines on the do and don'ts of operations. Here at home, in Wicomico County, it seems though that for the most part, the state authorities, along with the scientific community and even the public have all preformed well in adjusting to the change, receiving the correct information, and reflecting data as it comes.  In the links below are sources to each different component, from how the County has decided to handle the operations of businesses, to free COVID-19 tests, to even the graphs of data and the response of the vaccine. The stress comes in however is when we analyze the businesses and the lower/low-middle income parts of Worcester, and their reliance on the small businesses that dot the community and its surrounding neighbors. This tension has amply prompted the council of Worcester County to allow free registration, along with tax-less and payment-less methods to allow permits to continue to remain open for businesses.
  

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Worcester County Business COVID ( HERE ) Informing the public ( HERE )
Overall Maryland Outbreak Interactive Map ( HERE )
Worcester County Tracked Cases and Deaths ( HERE )  Free Testing ( HERE )
Ocean City Article on Vaccines ( HERE )

Tying together COVID, Journalism, and opioids

• As my last example of tension in journalism, I will combine both the COVID-19 response and pandemic with that of my focus of health issue: Opioids. As stated much earlier in the blog, COVID-19 has only furthered the complexities of overlapping and often times intersectional issues when it comes to social justice and health equity. It has placed most issues on the back-burner due to the more immediate attention that COVID-19 has received.  Critically thinking however, is it because of the sheer amount of focus on such an issue the reason why some issues, such as opioids, environmental issues, journalism integrity and much more perhaps could worsen or prolong a recovery?  You don't have to take my word for it, take it from the journalist who covered the story of two groups struggling to fight the opioid crisis in Worcester County.  Heidi McNeeley, co-founder of Worcester County Warriors Against Opiate Addiction, has stated the challenges that her and her organization faces:
  

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"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Smullen said it is just as important to address addiction. She noted intoxication fatalities in Worcester County had increased 55.6% from January to June of 2020, compared to the same time period the year prior. “COVID has made it worse because of the stress, isolation and depression. It’s made people more vulnerable to overdose,” she said. “It was a problem before, but it’s even more serious now.”" (Hooper, 2021).

 TheDispatch Article ( HERE ) WoCo Warriors Site ( HERE )
Death Toll Rising from Opioids due to COVID ( HERE )

If now with all these examples of how important the media is in delivering vital news is, and how critical it is that this information gets spread unbiased, untainted, and fully disclosed to the public, then it's easy to call into action for the upmost responsibility for journalists, and of course our official leaders, to upkeep only the highest standards of integrity and honesty. For should we risk this, it is more than just 'a simple misunderstanding' that's at risk here: People's very lives hang in the balance in telling the truth, and telling it soon.

Through the means of the media, including aspects of advertisements, increase PSAs, and an investment in non-electronic information booths in key locations, such as libraries, post offices, government buildings, clinics, and more to help those who cannot afford or have access to the internet, we can give more power to the people through knowledge.  While I do believe that the pandemic is already widely known and spread throughout the online scene, as well as mask requirements posted up on businesses, I want to reserve my own thoughts about the vaccine.  While I'm not anti-vaxx, there's something unappealing that I've heard from others who share the same sentiment as I do: The vaccine was rushed through many of the otherwise normal amount of checks that vaccines normally go through, just because it was COVID. I honestly do want people to get better, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 all-together, I also need the confidence that the vaccine is in fact effective and without detrimental side-effects because of its rushed nature.  However, this can be to an advantage; if time passes by and the vaccine does indeed does as intended and research has more time to show that no harm befalls the receiver, then I'd advocate strongly for everyone, including maybe even a small payment, to take the vaccine.

A Call to action

Below is a brief brochure on how the vaccine is utilized, how it affects your body, and what kinds there are.  This I believe can be a boon for communities that do not have the means to immediately retrieve it via online sources.

the_covid-19_vaccine.pdf
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To explain my due diligence in research, despite my own personal views, I wish to express the fullest so that everyone and anyone has a chance to obtain as much information as possible.

1) - Honesty.  By sharing my own thoughts and anecdotes, I reveal that while there are concerns, there is an active development by the science community to alleviate these worries, to vet the vaccine vigorously.

2) - No Bias.  Sharing the good and bad parts of journalism and the media, along with highlighting the national/local forums of discussion, sharing concerns and optimism, and by providing a lot of research material. Most articles aren't just from one source, or sources of one particular leaning.

3) - Extensive research. Wealth of links and resources to be found using scholarly and journalistic articles through credible reliability.

4) - A call to action. A clear voice for those who have difficulties accessing certain online resources by providing a handy and easy COVID-19 vaccine brochure.

5) - Places for Vaccines. Searched up local, well-known, and convenient places that are usually near communities to help those who need it, especially since transportation is a concern in my home county of Worcester.

6) - Relate to my topic Opioids. By converging this with opioids, I hoped to truly magnify the issue, along with so many more, that have been pushed back into the shadows due to COVID, and that we cannot forget that often times problems worsen when more stressors are added to our lives.

7) - Diversity and Inclusiveness. Tap into the local voices, such as the WoCo Warriors, local authorities sites, and the knowledge and mindset to benefit all communities, not just those who have more access to health opportunities over others.

8) - A way forward. Through all of these actions and more, I can only hope that the bar for journalism and the media's role into supplying the public is raised to a standard that achieves health equity in as many communities as possible. Perhaps by showing that we all work hard and are affected by COVID-19, those who go through substance abuse and concerns over environmental issues, we can achieve not just one goal, but many, in the great strive for social justice in health equality and equity.