Media Madness

I've never understood why the media especially sources people perceive to be credible (i.e. the news) or bodies that have great influence (i.e. the government) tend to hype situations to a level that I think is unnecessary. It's like they take pleasure in whipping people into a frenzy.

Every time there's a big story or topic of concern all sense of reason goes out the window and the media set about publishing and broadcasting in such a way that the only obvious outcome is panic. First it was Mad Cow Disease, then it was Bird Flu, then it was SARS and now of course it's the infamous Swine flu. Now I know myself that I've never been affected by the any of the diseases the media previously hyped and neither has anyone I know so I doubt I'll be greatly affected by Swine Flu...even if I was it's still just a flu I'd just take the medicine and move on. Considering no-one has died from it in the UK yet I don't why the media hype is so great...it's got people wearing face masks and all sorts!!

Now we move on to the government, obviously they have a duty to protect the people and regardless of how dangerous Swine Flu is they want to stop in from spreading. I believe they are on the right track by quarantining people that have contracted the flu and providing information leaflets to people with the actual facts (cause believe me if you just watched the news and read the papers you'd get the impression we were all in grave danger of dying from it). However I have to say I find the government's 'CATCH IT, BIN IT, KILL IT' campaign a bit dubious. Do they think people are stupid?! How can you tell people to use a tissue (or cover their mouths) when they sneeze, chuck the tissue in the bin and then wash our hands?! What do they think we have been doing our whole lives?!!

I just find it beyond reason that people have been dealing with the common cold and flu basically their whole lives and as soon as a new strain arrives the government thinks it's necessary to teach people how to use a tissue!! They would be better off telling people not to worry because if they do catch the flu there is an anti- viral available...because at the moment the hype is just too crazy! I've got my friend's telling me 96,000 people could die in London...hmmm until 1 dies I don't think I'll worry! And apparently face mask sales have increased so rapidly the companies that make them have had to increase their production.

This just re-iterates what a powerful machine the media is but in this case instead of using their power to benefit people they've got them all concerned, giving the suspicious eye every time someone sneezes on the train. I can't take the media seriously anymore it's just a circus.