The Media's Negative Effects

[Athena]

This may be better suited for another forum, but it's almost kind of related to Morbid's latest thread about the intellectual dishonesty of the media.

So, as I'm sure y'all can imagine, I watch an awful lot of news. It's the morning news for the entire hour before work, and then evening local AND national news after work. In the last couple of days, I've seen blips about the latest completely unfounded national scare: Halloween and sex offenders. It's really ramping up! Some states have even passed laws giving these offenders curfews and mandating that they turn their lights off and post "No Candy At This Residence" signs on their doors. Others are being required to spend the night in JAIL just in case! My immediate thought was, "Great. First razors and poison in candy, and now THIS??? We got a record low turnout of trick-or-treaters last year."

Quite honestly, I was heartbroken. When I was a child, the streets were [b]thick[/i] with trick-or-treaters. Our parents ushered us out of the house in groups or three or four, to fend for ourselves. No one thought twice about it. When I was no longer young enough to engage in that particular event, the stories about tainted candy appeared, slashing the numbers of kids on the street on Halloween. My family lived in a kind of scary-looking house, I guess, in that we had a hedge about 8ft tall all the way around. We went to extremes to lure in the little guys, placing several large pumpkins IN the hedge to advertise. One year, we actually carved the word "candy" into a pumpkin. Still, despite our best efforts, the numbers continued to dwindle.

So after this Halloween/Sex Offenders connection sunk in, I got kind of pissed. The tainted candy turned out to be a myth...And I was SURE that Halloween was no more dangerous for little kids than any other day of the year. The media is actively trying to kill Halloween! Today, I set out to prove it and found this fantastic article on Live Science appropriately titled, Halloween Hysteria: Phantom Fears and Sex Offenders. As I read the article, it substantiated my guess - "In fact, there has not been a single case of any child being molested by a convicted sex offender while trick-or-treating."

This exceptionally rational journalist goes on to illustrate just how ridiculous and transparent these measures are, and that children are generally quite safe on Halloween. You wouldn't know it listening to your local and national news outlets, though.

Do media outlets not care what damage their reckless, sensationalized reporting does? Can you tell me in what areas, if any, senseless media hype has impacted YOUR life?

[Silvahalo]

I used to work for TV for almost a decade. I can tell you like in every business, there are folks that really care and those that don't care about anything than the buck. In TV it is all about ratings and how much money you can make.

I found that even those who really do care about what they put out for public consumption, usually have their hands tied in terms of content and to what degree the public will know on any given subject. Content is heavily censored and edited. Originality is not encouraged unless it can make a lot of money.

"Talent", and I use that in a very lose way, anchors, reporters are mostly puppets. What you see is not really what they are most of the time. And a good deal of them get caught up in the theatrics and glamor that it is no longer a job to do the better good but a *F* beauty pageant. I got into the business because I thought I could make a difference and in some ways I really did. But I've go to say that the drama of most of the bullshit you are forced to put together then put on the air is hard to do with a straight face and say that you are proud of what you do.

Yeah, I have totally gotten reeled into the hype and drama that is useless and full of bullshit, but then again a part of what you see as hype has some real truth to it. It takes a skilled mine to learn how to dissect the hype form fact and that my friends is the game.

Keeping the public just enough on the edge that you have to come back and listen to more because you are just not sure about what you just heard is all part of the formula.

As a parent I find the media infuriating and irresponsible...and that is why I won't likely go back to that kind of work.

[Pixie]

I'm in Maryland - this year SO have to put up bright orange pumpkins that say "No candy". I had to freakin' explain to my kids what this meant (or rather a glossed over idea) because my initial thought to explain that it simply meant they didn't have any candy - brought visions of my super gracious 8 yo - going to thank them for being so thoughtful.

Halloween should be scary to kids - but NOT like this.

And I totally agree - this is media hype - not anyone giving a shit about my kids.

[Dr. Salvador]

the media is basically the right arm of "the man", basically telling the masses what to think, or giving them some perceived choice that makes them think they have made a difference, when in reality they are just buying into the lie.

[Castille]

I'm in Maryland - this year SO have to put up bright orange pumpkins that say "No candy". I had to freakin' explain to my kids what this meant (or rather a glossed over idea) because my initial thought to explain that it simply meant they didn't have any candy - brought visions of my super gracious 8 yo - going to thank them for being so thoughtful.

Are you fucking kidding me? This really is a rule in MD this year? We have a neighbor who had a child porn conviction for some images on his computer, and we're aquainted with the family and their kids, have played with them (in perhaps a more supervised than ordinary way,) and end up seeing them at trick or treat. Now they can't answer the door at Halloween because of the SO status, and I think that works fine. I just skip their house, tell the kids I'm with they're out doing their own trick or treating. I don't want to see some big sign in front of their house that advertises no candy and solicits questions from the kids I'm with, and embarasses their kids. I don't percieve any real risk here with trick or treating, it just seems over the top ridiculous.


As for journalistic sensationalism? I blame them entirely for the sad foul chapter in my life of jenkem experimentation. ;)

[Pixie]

Are you fucking kidding me? This really is a rule in MD this year? We have a neighbor who had a child porn conviction for some images on his computer, and we're aquainted with the family and their kids, have played with them (in perhaps a more supervised than ordinary way,) and end up seeing them at trick or treat. Now they can't answer the door at Halloween because of the SO status, and I think that works fine. I just skip their house, tell the kids I'm with they're out doing their own trick or treating. I don't want to see some big sign in front of their house that advertises no candy and solicits questions from the kids I'm with, and embarasses their kids. I don't percieve any real risk here with trick or treating, it just seems over the top ridiculous.


As for journalistic sensationalism? I blame them entirely for the sad foul chapter in my life of jenkem experimentation. ;)

http://dcist.com/2008/10/15/maryland...st_post_no.php

(Also - look at that fucked up scary pumpkin face...)

[Gidget]

Do media outlets not care what damage their reckless, sensationalized reporting does? Can you tell me in what areas, if any, senseless media hype has impacted YOUR life?

At the risk of sounding shallow, I will now complain that my property values have dropped as a direct result of media hype. Yeah, I know, everybody's property values in my area are dropping because of the subprime mortgage mess. I am convinced that the media is not helping my particular area.

First there were reports of BOMBS! FOUND! ON! SCHOOL! PROPERTY! in my neighborhood. Research determined that some subdivisions, as well as the middle school, were built on an old WWII bombing range. The news trucks were there every day, getting video for the news reports. Seriously, now. With all of the heavy equipment that was brought in to level the ground before these structures were built, don't you think if something was going to blow up, it would have done so already?? But no, we have to have everybody in a panic over BOMBS! NEAR! OUR! HOMES!

Then it was the Caylee Anthony circus. The parents' house is less than 3 miles from mine. It goes without saying that no one wants to leave near the baby killer.

[WryBread]

I've wasted a lot of time and energy not following or following the ever-shifting media advice about what's healthy. Getting eggs out of my diet -- learning that eggs are good for you -- not drinking coffee -- learning coffee is good for you -- drinking nasty green tea -- learning that green tea is not what the media told me it was, ditto fiber, etc., etc., etc. I now just ignore all the medical articles. They are parroting a single study and in three months or years will parrot a contradictory study.

I guess I was lucky because my parents let me trick or treat alone with my friends. We would go in a group from house to house until after ten o'clock and I had so much candy. Were my parents uncaring? No, they just had me check the apples for razor blades. We even ate the home-made treats.

[Aelwynn]

I'm originally from Jersey. I take my kids out every year, even when we were in WA (a lot of people refused to even open their doors to say they didn't bother to get candy that year). I did notice there were very little trick or treaters running around when I take my girls the last two years there. However my daughter did get to take all of our extra candy that we didn't give out. I wound up burying her in it and snapping a photo before letting her go to town in it. ;P

Gonna do it again this year in Hawaii. I got their outfits packed in their suitcases. I thought in advance. Even got candy last week for the little guys that come to the door. I can only do the pumpkin carving this time. All my decorations still packed and that makes me a sad monkey.

Anyways, when I was about 10 or so. In Keansburg, NJ around the time the "tainted" candy problem started. They arrested a guy for handing out switch blades to kids (seriously not kidding, real knives). Fucking weird I know right. That was the only serious case I've EVER heard involving trick or treating.

My mom made sure to check our candy before we ate any of it. She checked it all for holes, any discoloration etc. But she never stopped letting us trick or treat, not even when I was 18. ;P

For the articles that were posted: I have no problems getting candy from sex offenders for my girls. I will be with them at all times holding my eldest's hand and pushing my youngest in her stroller. Am I worried about drugs and stuff? Not really. I'll check all the candy. Am I worried about a sex offender trying to snatch my daughters? Not really, I'm there the whole time.

Being born and raised in Jersey. I am officially disgusted with how my state is reacting to all of this. I get that what they did was wrong, but at the same time I can't help but think...parents should be watching their kids. Why do we punish people for other parent's mistakes in not appropriately watching their kids, like they should be? It isn't right.

Jailing them overnight sickens me. They did their time. Just because a general population is in fear of the "boogy man" doesn't mean that these people, although terrible their crimes, should be FORCED to spend extra time in jail. This is just over the top to me.

Because majority of the serious sex offenders target little kids, if little kids are running around without their parents - I seriously blame the parents for it. We shouldn't be going crazy on these people just because of what they did before, we should be monitoring our kids like we should have done to begin with.

This seems like a Scarlet Letter in disguise of "No Candy" signs. We are targetting criminals, yes. But at what point is over the top? I say it's over the top when we force people to be jailed because of a holiday and give them curfews that are earlier than my kid's bedtime.

As per your original question, Athena, this hasn't really affected anything in my life except the lower amount of housing we can "hit" and lower fellow trick or treaters. Media hype is a serious problem, especially about the war which you know. I'm a big holiday person, I got all out every holiday cause my parents never really did anything except Christmas. This won't affect us at all. If anything I'll make the girls trick or treat at our own house. ;P

[Gidget]

(a lot of people refused to even open their doors to say they didn't bother to get candy that year)

Sorry, but if I don't have candy, I'm not opening the door. Last year I said to hell with it and didn't buy candy. I didn't decorate, didn't put the porch light on, left the front of the house dark. I hung out in the back watching TV. The little b*stards rang the doorbell all night anyway.

Why didn't I get candy last year? Because the majority of the trick-or-treaters who have come to my house over the past few years were:
a. Kids who threatened to egg my house because they didn't like what I was giving out
b. Kids who didn't even bother dressing up
c. Kids that were clearly old enough to get jobs and buy their own candy
d. Adults trick or treating on behalf of their 2 month old infant who was sleeping in the stroller
e. One mother who came to my door, pointed to a car parked in front of my house, and informed me that her child had fallen asleep, and held out a bag for me to give her candy

To hell with it. I'll sit in the house with the lights off and watch "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" by myself. Bah, humbug.

[Athena]

Why didn't I get candy last year? Because the majority of the trick-or-treaters who have come to my house over the past few years were:
a. Kids who threatened to egg my house because they didn't like what I was giving out
b. Kids who didn't even bother dressing up
c. Kids that were clearly old enough to get jobs and buy their own candy
d. Adults trick or treating on behalf of their 2 month old infant who was sleeping in the stroller
e. One mother who came to my door, pointed to a car parked in front of my house, and informed me that her child had fallen asleep, and held out a bag for me to give her candy

To hell with it. I'll sit in the house with the lights off and watch "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" by myself. Bah, humbug.

Seriously?!? WEAK. I suppose I'd give up the ghost should that be my circumstance, as well.

But this will be my first Halloween at this house. Would be my second, but I had to be a douche and move out for 6 months. Anyway, our neighbor came over to inform me that we wouldn't get any kids down our little private road. I aim to prove him wrong.

I may keep some heated pennies around for those without costume or who have surpassed trick-or-treating age limits. I mean, "trick-or-treat" can be a two-way street, right? :p

[crickett]

I do NOT feel sorry for the sex offenders. The more embarassment, the better.
I LOVE Halloween and always went Trick-or-Treating WITH my kids....no matter HOW old they were. I might be on the sidewalk at a subtle distance but ALWAYS there! Now my son and I go to Knotts Berry Farm here. He's bringing a friend with him this year. It's a hoot and keeps him safely away from the juvenile delinquents (teenage boys) who are your uncostumed Pains in the Asses around here. I don't care that they are uncostumed BUT...they were so SURPRISED our first year here...yeah, just when they were showing my son how to make a bong out of a pop can....they found out that I STILL follow at a subtle distance.

[Castille]

To hell with it. I'll sit in the house with the lights off and watch "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" by myself. Bah, humbug.

I tell you, something just happens to my general curmudgeonliness around Halloween. Must be the Halloween spirit, ha! We've a birthday in the family on Halloween, so sometimes we're hosting a party at the same time, and it's fun for all (okay, most.) I hand out candy to all comers, the teens, the kids with no costumes (whom I sometimes have mardi gras masks on hand to hand out to,) the parents and babies, the dogs, the kids I've already seen come around once already before (although by the third pass they may get downgraded to dum dums and laffy taffy.) The kids are welcome to come in; I even invite up the chaperone dads out skulking in the shadows. We still open the door in good humor a good half hour after trick-or-treat is over. It's all good on Halloween, lol. Happy Halloween to all of you too! Haven't the festivities already started in your neighborhoods? :)

[Gidget]

Seriously?!? WEAK. I suppose I'd give up the ghost should that be my circumstance, as well.

Yes, seriously, and I forgot to mention the teenage girls who come to the door dressed in costumes with their boobs hanging all out. Here's a hint, if you're old enough to want to wear a costume that shows off your rack, you're probably too old for trick-or-treating. Yes, I know, some girls develop early; my niece was in a D cup when she was 12. But you can be damned sure I didn't take her trick-or-treating dressed like a German beer girl.