Quote Originally Posted by Holmesdale Hibs View Post
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I do think the media have a responsibility to report accurately at times like this and such speculation is unhelpful, although probably consistent with public thought.

But the problems with the media go deeper than sensationalist headlines and speculation IMO and they do always seem to focus on the most devisive and negative part of a story. For example, I remember last year in London there was a massive anti-IS parade by Muslims which wasn't even mentioned on BBC (yet they often cover protests from a small number of dickheads from the BNP). I feel they have a responsibility to report positive things like this that could genuinely influence and improve people's views. I'd also blame the media for the tone of the EU debate being so negative and focused on immigration when that was only part of much bigger issue. People focus on what the media tell them to.

That being said, and I know this is separate to your post, the nationality of the terrorists committing offences is newsworthy given some of them may be migrants that Merkel actively encouraged to come to mainland EU without any kind of background check. It brings in to question the judgement Merkel made and I don't have an issue with this being discussed so long as it's done objectively.

I agree with this, HH.

I think there are two dangerous extremes;

The first are the parts of the Media, Politicians and others that want to portray all Muslims/Refugees/Immigrants in a bad light and, as you have pointed out, not giving enough focus to the condemnation by the majority of these kind of events. An estimated one million refugees came to Germany in a very short time and only a tiny minority have engaged in criminal behaviour... probably less pro-rata than the people that live here already.

The opposite extreme are those that are determined to see or hearing nothing that does not fit their 'open-minded' (in their eyes) world view. The events in Cologne, and other German cities, at New Year are a perfect example, where it appeared that some people were desperate to play down first the scale of events and then deny the origins of the majority of the perpetrators (largely north-west African criminal gangs). Some people pointed to the Mayor of Cologne's denials as a defense for their viewpoint, conveniently putting aside the fact he had to resign because of his attempts to play down, possibly cover up, what actually happened.


Both of these extremes are equally dangerous, the latter because those that feel they have a genuine grieviance (whether right or wrong) see no-one in the mainstream of politics or the media willing to even discuss it, so are sometimes attracted to those that claim to listen, people like Farage and his ilk.