The media's role in mass shootings
If the media truly cared about people instead of exploiting their pain, they would do something about the very real problem of media contagion.
On April 10, 2023, we witnessed another mass murder tragedy, exactly two weeks from the last one on March 27. We're making note of this fact because a real phenomenon — studied in numerous research papers and articles over the years —predicted this timing, with an average of 12.5 days, given the added factor of the holiday weekend.
The past few years have seen long stretches of calm, despite the propaganda from the biased and suspect "Gun Violence Archive," which seeks to label almost every petty crime incident as a "mass shooting" in the mind of the public.
On occasion, the peace is interrupted, with mass shootings taking place at predictable intervals after each miscreant from the previous shooting is elevated in the media to anti-hero status.
This is the well known and well studied phenomenon of media contagion, with each subsequent attack being predictable as clockwork. So why aren't the nation's socialist media taking responsibility for its actions in causing these tragedies? Why does it appear that they would rather exploit other people's pain for their political gain than save lives?
We predicted this twelve days ago (at the time this was written):
Studies such as Mass Shootings: The Role of the Media in Promoting Generalized Imitation have findings that these occur every 12.5 days with these effects.
It's hard to fathom that the media doesn't understand this with articles that show they know here, here, here, here, here, and here.
There clearly is a connection, so will the media blame themselves for causing the next tragedy or fall back on their default of going after our common-sense civil rights?
In recent years, people have started to catch on. One example is this report, titled "The media is an accomplice in mass shootings":
The first misery came as I heard the names and numbers of victims and thought about the pain they and their families will endure for the rest of their lives. The second dose came as I held my breath, hoping and praying the media wouldn't amplify the violence.
But they did.
While a few showed restraint, most media outlets did exactly what they needed to do to influence the next perpetrator to lock and load.
They named the shooter.
They described his characteristics.
They detailed the crime.
They numbered the victims.
They ranked him against other "successful" attackers.
Shootings are a contagion. After a full year where one pandemic has had its way with us, we have a choice now as to whether we invite another one. And the media are thus far acting as perfect accomplices to do so.
The science is settled. There's really no useful debate on the point. The consensus of social scientists since David Phillips' groundbreaking work in 1974 is that highly publicized stories of deviant and dangerous behavior influences copycat incidents.
Over the years, there have been many studies on the phenomenon:
Revisiting the Contagion Hypothesis: Terrorism, News Coverage, and Copycat Attacks
Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings
"Media Contagion" Is Factor in Mass Shootings, Study Says
Fame-seeking rampage shooters: Initial findings and empirical predictions
Mass Shootings: The Role of the Media in Promoting Generalized Imitation
Does Media Coverage Inspire Copy Cat Mass Shootings?
The Influence of Media Related to Mass Shootings
...along with many articles from the media on the same subject matter:
Does Media Coverage of School Shootings Lead to More School Shootings?
How the Media Inspires Mass Shooters, And 7 ways news outlets can help prevent copycat attacks.
Mass Shootings May Be Affected by 'Media Contagion': Researchers
Should media avoid naming the gunmen in mass shootings?
Experts believe a contagion effect could be tied to recent mass shootings
Mass shootings: Experts say violence is contagious, and 24/7 news cycle doesn't help
Are the Media Making Mass Shootings Worse?
Yes, according to a growing body of research, says criminologist Adam Lankford.
After a mass shooting: Examining the role of media coverage
Mass shootings can be contagious, research shows
If we were cynical, we would suspect that the propaganda of the Gun Violence Archive was meant to fill in the peaceful gaps between shootings to give the impression of an epidemic and an ongoing crisis.
But that can't be the case, can it? That would be like the national socialist media ignoring the very real phenomenon of media contagion. Note that we're not calling for censorship against these miscreants. The information should be available somewhere, but it doesn't have to be broadcast everywhere.
So you should be asking yourself, why don't the media care about the effects of their coverage? The evidence points to their coverage causing this phenomenon, yet they don't seem to care. Why is that the case? Could it be that their ghoulish gun-grabbing goals are more important to them than saving lives?
Originally published on the American Thinker
(April 14, 2023)
Those five points are exactly correct. At first this sort of thing took originality and planning. Now there are many different roadmaps available, just by a bit of research. Many well known psychologists, criminologists, and firearms instructors have laid out ways to limit the carnage, but the politicians prefer the same game as they use elsewhere. Point fingers, make political capital, spend money, and do the same unsuccessful things over and over again.