Reading 3

Chermak

In the article by Chermak, he explains the process how crime comes to the media. He also explains how the crime news can shape the society’s understanding of the crime and victims. Even whether the reader’s laughs, cries, reflects, rejoices, or reads with lack of concern depends on how the reader understands the media.  Chermak also states that reporters and editors have a limited number of sources between organizations and justice agencies.  He informs his reader how some organizations are dependent on media. Some reporters use police as one of their primary sources to produce crime news. To determine crime news that would capture most consumers one should consider criteria that affect the editor’s story, production, and assignment decisions (Chermak’s Article #99). From this point the reporters decide whether they will use the story or follow up on it. Each crime potentially fills four different levels of news space. Each level pertains to how the crime is unique and a more comprehensive way to understand. The levels are tertiary crime stories (space fillers which are easy to put together), secondary crime stories (stories that are important in the news and have a burden to get the information into the media), primary crime stories (very important crime stories), and super primary stories (sensational crime stories). Chermak estimated 11% of the news is crime stories, which are the fourth category of media. He explains how crime news is found in newspapers or broadcasting. Important crime news is on the front page of the newspaper.  I agree with Chermak because previously I only thought inside the box about how reporters are always nosing around or copy others to get their information. By reading the article, I learned how there are different levels in the process of how the crime story makes it into media. Yes, the people are influenced in their opinions and attitudes about crime through mass news media. We also need to know what is going on where we live. For example, in my hometown we have a local newspaper to show who got arrested or in an accident.

Rafter

In the book by Rafter, she explains that in crime movies, many points are taken in consideration, such as representation of the cops, court prison etc.  Society has to decide if an individual is a good or bad person in the justice system and to identify whether the character is punished at the end. She relates how we get positive satisfactions seeing others suffer which Rafter calls happy hypocrisy. For example, we know we won’t commit a crime, but while viewing one in a film, we connect to it by some times thinking of doing that crime.

She explains how crime films make us create an understanding within social, economic and political ideologies, which are powerful aspects.  However the crime film should contain accurate information for viewers. She explains that in critical crime films the main characters are covered in bitterness or the film ends without a happy ending. From reading the introduction I do agree with Rafter, especially about how we like to see others suffer but not commit a crime in reality. I also agree with how every movie doesn’t have to have a happy ending. I like how Rafter explains how to choose a crime film by reputation, significance between crime and society, history and application to everyday life. I know that he used this process to study the crime films, which helps me understand how to choose a crime film.  I do fall into the category of happy hypocrisy in films how people suffer and how they get caught to form justice.

Video in class

In the beginning of the video, Blood Mountain, I felt the need to go on a hike because I wanted to feel the peaceful setting. Although the introduction sounded peaceful the video turned into a search for two missing individuals. I observed when a person goes missing for two days you notify the police after making calls to their friends and their job. To identify the suspect police officer found lost items of the victim and also the perpetrator.  The suspect’s lost items played a big role identifying him through the media. For example, the images of the individual in the media help the community to look for the missing individuals.  According to Chemak’s article, if a criminal sees himself in the media he tends to make mistakes and get caught. After viewing the video I won’t go to the mountains without a huge group.

News

http://www.krem.com/video?id=129540393&sec=550042  Krem news covers how a 22 years old female beats up her two-year old daughter. The mother glued her daughter’s hands to the wall until they bled then she shoved a gallon of milk against her stomach. The two-year girl was found unconscious when the grandmother came to visit them. The grandmother pressed charges, for the abuse against the mother. In this aspect I wonder how much knowledge does a 22-year old have to raise a daughter? Does the mother have a history of being violent? Does the daughter live with both parents? Where was the father? Do different cultures understand how children are protected here in the USA? Why did the grandmother turn in her daughter were there problems earlier? I see how the progress took place in the media through Chermark’s and Rafter’s articles.