Monday, January 20, 2014

We Will Not Be Boycotting SeaWorld

In high school, I took a journalism class or two.  I had no idea that that meant writing for the high school newspaper, but once my schedule was set, that was it, and I was stuck.  I decided to make the best of the situation, and actually started paying attention to what my teacher was saying.  That's how I learned about yellow journalism.  Yellow journalism is all about half-truths and exaggerations.  It's sensationalism, pure and simple, designed for a purpose.  Sometimes that purpose is to smear someone's name, as happens in a political campaign.

Mainly, yellow journalism sells.

Most journalism out there has a yellowish-tinge these days, due to the internet and the 24/7 news cycle.  News is supposed to be factual and objective, and sometimes that gets lost in the rush to get people to click on websites. People understand that information from some organizations should be taken with a grain of salt, because it is slanted in a particular way. CNN is not supposed to be one of those sites. CNN is supposed to be objective and impartial, like any valid news supplier.

Blackfish is purported to be a documentary exposing SeaWorld as an evil force, exploiting killer whales to make a profit.  Blackfish is a film that was made for a specific purpose.  That purpose was not to educate the masses, but to stir up a false sense of moral outrage. And it worked. SeaWorld got some awful press. People felt bad after watching the film, and they wanted to do something about it.  Schools cancelled field trips.  Musicians pulled out of concert obligations.  Individuals vowed to never darken SeaWorld's doors again.

And the film is pure yellow journalism.

Those people were paid to create a film that slanted a certain way, make no mistake. The company did not hire people to make a film out of some rare form of philanthropy. They got paid, and they will continue to get paid each time their product is viewed.  Even if some of that paycheck goes to charitable causes, it doesn't change a thing. Businesses have to profit, and the best way for a film company to profit is to get people to see their work. And CNN is no unsuspecting angel in this.  CNN paid to air the film on their station, and they plastered stories about it for weeks, specifically slanted.  CNN got paid, if not in cash, in the valuable website clicks that advertisers adore.  After the film aired, CNN initially kept up a relatively steady stream of stories about the film's backlash against SeaWorld, to keep the drama going. However, stories with a different angle, including information from trainers who worked on Blackfish?  I haven't seen any on CNN yet. That story only showed up in my local newspaper, where SeaWorld has become a vital part of San Antonio.  What was left out of the movie, and off of CNN, was a more balanced view that would have offered a fuller picture upon which to base an opinion. 

My teacher taught us about yellow journalism for a reason.  He wanted us to be discerning in our reading, as well as our writing. When information is needed, it is a journalist's obligation to supply it, so that the reader can come to their own conclusions.  Factual and objective, was Mr. Mathwin's mantra, and I remember that lesson to this day.

I do not for one moment believe that SeaWorld is a completely innocent party; it is a business that has to make a profit, just like any other. But I refuse to base my opinions on yellow journalism. I will wait for facts, and base my opinion on them after some thought.  It's sad that more people don't do that, but instead let themselves be bamboozled.

There's a sucker born every minute. And the producers of Blackfish counted on it.







9 comments:

  1. Virtual high five! I was beginning to think I was the only person who paid attention in school. Good to know I'm not alone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My grandmother always used to say the truth lies in the middle. My Mom says it now, as I do also. I have come to believe that we will never get any story in it's entirety from any media source.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just added this long A$$ comment and it somehow disappeared!!!

    This is thought provoking, Tina! You hit the nail on the head. It's all business (BIG business) and all sides are looking to profit in some way. I'm with Juli's grandmother re: where the truth lies. Okay! Let's try submitting my (much abbreviated) comment again!

    ReplyDelete
  4. well written...an honest stance... I totally agree, its difficult to know what to believe in todays media so its best to figure it out for yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a thought provoking post! I have to admit, I've seen Blackfish and it's incredibly disturbing, as I'm sure was intended. I do agree that orcas should not be in captivity like that anymore. They are social animals and need to be with their pods. That could be said for a lot of zoo animals too. Who knows what really happened, but it's true we live in different times now and have to rethink these things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree that we need to rethink a few things out, but not out of fear or misinformation. Just the plain old truth.

      Delete
  6. Yellow journalism has crept forward steadily and the age of the internet only gives more avenues for that continual ebb. There is a funny insurance commercial where the girl says I hear it on the internet and they can't put anything on the internet that isn't true. It used to be that way with newspapers and television news, but those days are long past. You must take everything you read with a grain of salt.

    Just another comment. Every time I hear a Fox News top of the hour update and the say "Fair and balanced" I get so irate. You cannot declare yourself that your coverage is fair and balanced. That has to come from others as they read your work and see it is true.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are exactly right! Such accolades must come from the readers or other journalists, I think.

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments, but reserve the right to correct your spelling because I am OCD about it!