U.S. interests

willcopy37 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2003 6:47 pm

I have a minor question. Perhaps someone more enlightened than I can step in.It seems to me that we only care about Americans whenever there's an event or story involving other nations' residents.The U.S. Open tennis tournament, it seemed to me, was flooded with info about U.S. players, with actual ranked players next in priority.When there's an overseas bombing, we seem to only list the number of American casualties. The Olympics coverage focuses on how the U.S. teams or participants fared against whomever else may happen to be involved.And this war on Iraq is all about U.S. soldiers getting killed as opposed to Iraqi citizens getting killed by U.S. soldiers.I don't want to come across as un-patriotic or anything, and perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but I don't understand why we don't cover all stories from all sides as opposed to focusing most of our attention on U.S. interests.

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2003 7:52 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by willcopy:
I don't want to come across as un-patriotic or anything, and perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but I don't understand why we don't cover all stories from all sides as opposed to focusing most of our attention on U.S. interests.<hr></blockquote>*Your post has been forwarded to the Office of Total Information Awareness.*

sea0tter12 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:08 pm

Ashcroft will contact you shortly.

Jackie · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:59 am

Willcopy, I'm not saying this is always ethical, but I'm willing to bet stories sometimes zero in on American interests -- and editors use as a major criterion for picking stories -- because oftentimes Average Reader doesn't give a rat's patootie about any other aspect of that particular story except how it affects him/her. Or his/her country's interests, as it were. In the absence of those aspects, there is often no point to running the story because the reader pretty much won't care and won't read it. Yes, I am oversimplifying, of course, but I believe this is true in many cases.I wonder how much ink the Israel/Palestinian perpetual mess would get in American papers if this country didn't have such a strong financial interest in Israel. (Yes, I am ignoring other aspects of that conflict in order to make my point.) Maybe a better example, how much space would Liberia's troubles have gotten a few weeks ago if that country weren't founded by freed American slaves?I do hope I made my point because I've been at work 10 hours, my brain is as blurry as my eyes and I see by the clock it is time to leave.....[ September 15, 2003: Message edited by: Jackie ]

wordwitch · **Joined:** Mon Jun 23, 2003 12:01 am **Posts:** 4

Perhaps someone more enlightened than I can step in.Glad someone knows that it is "than I."

gullyj · **Posted:** Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:38 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by willcopy:
...and perhaps I'm reading too much into this, .<hr></blockquote>No, you're not, willcopy. It is a sign of creeping xenophobia that explains why a nation can grasp a phrase like "freedom fries" as wonderfully witty.
It's why the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Anne Coulter can make the big bucks.
It's why James Carvel can get a president elected when he should be off making whale-shaped ice cream cakes.
It's why one president is an $87 billion Congressional hero for lying to start a war yet another president is impeached by the H. of R. for fibbing about a little spit-up on a navy blue dress.
And, I am sad to say but it is the awful truth, why fanatics fly airplanes into American office buildings.
(But Florida is pleasant in winter.)[ September 19, 2003: Message edited by: canuck ]

pampellfw · **Joined:** Thu Apr 25, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 38

It's James CarVILLE, and he's not related to the ice cream people. It's also the reason why it takes thousands of people dying in a monsoon in China to make Page One, while 17 people who die in a hurricane in this country will make Page One all over the country.

tim · **Posted:** Sat Sep 20, 2003 3:47 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by canuck:
And, I am sad to say but it is the awful truth, why fanatics fly airplanes into American office buildings.
(But Florida is pleasant in winter.)[ September 19, 2003: Message edited by: canuck ]<hr></blockquote>And all this time I thought they were pissed about our military presence in the Middle East and our support of Israel. I'll be the first to agree that the U.S. is self-obsessed, but they didn't fly those planes into buildings because of our xenophobia, or because of Rush and Coulter, or because of "Carvel" and his ice cream (or because they are trying to take away our freedom as GWB would have us believe). It may have also had something to do with all the virgins they were promised in the afterlife.

pzicari · **Posted:** Tue Sep 23, 2003 11:04 pm

An Irishman who lived next door to me for several years used to rant about his frustration with Olympics coverage: In America, all you ever heard about was the American entries, and you sometimes had to listen closely to figure out who the winner of the event was, he'd say.
I found it embarrassing, but understandable, because our reader-centered approach sort of drives us that way (and never more so than on TV). That's why we always seem to find an Ohio connection among the victims of any major disaster.
The Internet, with its custom news tools, takes the trend to its obvious conclusion -- some people don't want to know anything about anything but themselves.
You would tell me I'm arrogant if I opined that these people are morons who deserve to be surprised when brickbats fly over their hedges.
Ironically, the Internet is an easy solution. Read "alternative" news sources. Look up anything that appears interesting in Google -- or, for a reality check, some other service.

willcopy37 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 24, 2003 12:20 pm

Pete,Thank you for your response. And you bring up a good point about finding alternatives.But should we (in the mainstream) want readers turning to alternatives the day they realize we're not telling the whole story (which, unless I'm wrong, is our job)?I agree some national stories get an Ohio spin at your publication. And they should, in most cases. It's the same reason that the Tampa Bay Bucs beat writer may tell the story of another team and relay to the reader how it affects the Bucs. It's not necessarily a homer attitude in these cases as much as it's a beat that's being covered (Ohio news and Tampa sports).I don't know. I just find it annoying that the only thing we care about is this country. If the U.S. women's World Cup team gets elimiated early, will our readers ever find out who won? That's my question. And if not, why are we running stories about it at all? It's not World Cup coverage, as we say -- it's U.S. interest coverage. And on an international stage, even if the paper is based in Ohio or Tampa or Alaska, I think it's unfair to our reader.

carola · **Posted:** Wed Sep 24, 2003 1:15 pm

well, americans, like their president, are very me focused. One example is Iraq. all we ever hear about is the U.S. toll, but how many civilians are getting killed over there?

pzicari · **Posted:** Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:57 pm

I'm darned if I know how to slide the outside material into an ordinary regional or local paper -- something else would have to give (which is why I like the Internet for its infinite newshole). Test yourself on the Sunday New York Times sometime. There's a lot there that is awfully esoteric.

gullyj · **Posted:** Sat Sep 27, 2003 11:15 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by carola:
well, americans, like their president, are very me focused. One example is Iraq. all we ever hear about is the U.S. toll, but how many civilians are getting killed over there?<hr></blockquote>Toronto Star
August 10, 2003What language is U.S. speaking in Iraq?
By Haroon Siddiqui ....American soldiers have killed more than 30 people by firing ondemonstrators in Baghdad, Falujah, Mosul and Karbala.
How many dead Iraqis, soldiers and civilians, during the war and since its end May 1?
No one knows for sure. Or cares. Not the U.S. military. As Gen.Tommy Franks said, "We don't do body counts" - of the enemy. Not the American media, either. They don't even seem to make an effort.
According to www.iraqbodycount.net, run by academics and peace activists, the reported civilian death count, so far, stands at "a minimum of 6,087 and a maximum of 7,798." The estimated number of injured is 20,000....(Haroon Siddiqui is an op-ed page columnist and past editorial board editor of the Toronto Star.)

Rio · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2003 9:44 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by canuck:
No, you're not, willcopy. It is a sign of creeping xenophobia that explains why a nation can grasp a phrase like "freedom fries" as wonderfully witty.
It's why the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Anne Coulter can make the big bucks.
It's why James Carvel can get a president elected when he should be off making whale-shaped ice cream cakes.
It's why one president is an $87 billion Congressional hero for lying to start a war yet another president is impeached by the H. of R. for fibbing about a little spit-up on a navy blue dress.
And, I am sad to say but it is the awful truth, why fanatics fly airplanes into American office buildings.
(But Florida is pleasant in winter.)<hr></blockquote>"Freedom fries" was never meant to be witty. It was an angry response to hypocritical French politicians whose false indignation was undermining U.S. national security interests in a desperate attempt by the French to protect their country's oil contracts.Oh, and speaking of "creeping xenophobia" in the media (this is is media-related message board, after all), have you read your country's Broadcasting Act lately?Bush didn't lie to start Gulf War II. But Clinton did lie while under subpoena and then to the American public. The issue of Monica wouldn't even have come up if not for a lawsuit he was facing for trying to molest another woman and then lying about that. Maybe you should look for other sources of information besides Molly Ivins and The New York Times.Thanks for your wonderful insights into 9/11. Four civilian airliners were hijacked and crashed into buildings and a field because -- the U.S. media favor Americans when covering the U.S. open. Brilliant! And here I thought it was because 19 Islamofascist crazies were trying to win eternity with willing, comely virgins. I'm glad you straightened us out on that. We arrogant, xenophobic Americans are just blind to the truth, I guess.[ September 28, 2003: Message edited by: Gary Kirchherr ]

Ali · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2003 10:29 pm

Are straw men and red herrings covered in style books?

Jackie · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2003 11:24 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Gary Kirchherr:
Bush didn't lie to start Gulf War II.<hr></blockquote>That, I believe, is debatable.

bcubbison · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2003 11:32 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Jackie:
That, I believe, is debatable.<hr></blockquote>Which side should a copy editor take?

Jackie · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2003 11:52 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Brian Cubbison:
Which side should a copy editor take?<hr></blockquote>Both. None. You know the drill....

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:06 am

This serious discussion is giving me a headache. I want more of Phil's friend Lloyd and his stories about Bush and the fart devices.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:33 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Bumfketeer:
This serious discussion is giving me a headache. I want more of Phil's friend Lloyd and his stories about Bush and the fart devices.<hr></blockquote>Take two ibuprofen and go to another thread.

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