to think that things are newsworthy even if theyre happening to non-white, non-english speaking people?

[Branleuse]

The amount of news coverage about Boston, which although horrible, it seems to have an out of proportion amount of news coverage, considering its still halfway across the world, compared to the much higher number of deaths of civilians in Iraq and Palestine (for example)

Was just reading some international news online and noticed this :(
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Another-rape-Anger-rises-protests-spread-in-Delhi-as-5-year-old-victim-battles-for-life/articleshow/19631652.cms

Im not sure why we hear more about the white tourist that got raped, than about that.
I could trawl the news for examples

Whats it all about?? It makes me uneasy

[CloudsAndTrees]

I think we hear reports of people we can easily relate to more than others simply because we can more easily relate to them. That gives it more shock value, which sells papers and gets Internet hits.

I don't think its that cases in India, Iraq or Palestine are less newsworthy, just that they are further removed from our own daily reality.

[DearJohnLoveSavannah]

Exactly what Clouds said.

[Branleuse]

yes, but why do you relate to them more easily

We are not in America

[Branleuse]

it is roughly the same flight time from UK to Iraq as it is from UK to Boston

[CloudsAndTrees]

We aren't in America, but Americans have a very similar way of life, similar beliefs, similar lifestyles to us white English speaking Brits.

We care about what happens in other places on a human level of course, but I personally have no idea what it would be like to live somewhere like Palestine, but thinking about what it's like to live in Boston really doesn't take much imagination.

[DoIgetastickerforthat]

Aljazerah English is good for global news. Interesting documentarys as well and a better standard of journalism than you usually get these days.

[tungthai]

The terrible things that happen in Syria, Palestine etc happen so often that they don't receive as much news coverage. The events in Boston are so rare in a stable country like the US that they will inevitably get a lot of news coverage.

[Branleuse]

its like the rest of the world has been dehumanised to most of us.

[JustinBsMum]

But it's also the availability of film and interviewees. Lots of people willing to speak to the camera, lots of video footage from the crowd.

It is understandable that someone who is a british national is of more interest than another nationality but we do get too much about the Americans and their, relatively, safe lives.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

Agree with Clouds. Also, Britain have a lot of business ties with America, where companies have offices based out there. Our company have an office in Boston so I naturally took an interest in the news story as I knew of people who may have been hurt.

[Lorialet]

Do you think Iraqis and Palestinians would be more interested in what goes on similar countries/regions to theirs, or would they rather read about news from the UK and America?

[Lorialet]

Sorry, should have said in similar countries!

[BegoniaBampot]

I don't really see why rapes and murders (as sad as they are) in far off countries would really be news here TBH unless it results in massive riots or protests. We have murders and rapes here that go unreported. are we going to start reorting every world wide case unless it has higher political implications etc.

[LaVolcan]

Britain does a lot of business with Germany, but the amount of news we get about it is relatively limited. I would also say that they were pretty similar to us.

[tungthai]

I disagree Branleuse. When the events in Syria unfolded I know lots of people who wrote to their MP's asking for the UK government to intervene. A Syrian child is as important as an American child. It's just that on an individual level we are relatively powerless.

There are probably children in North Korea starving right now. Can I prevent that? No I can't. All I can do is to try to retain my compassion and empathy and use my voice when it will make a difference.

As a country we are relatively stable and closer in terms of democracy and society etc to the US than we are to an African country for example. When a tragic event happens in the US people empathise because it demonstrates how fragile our country is too. It doesn't mean that people care more about western civilisations.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

It also depends on what publications you read. There are people who only read the regional newspapers and watch regional news. You're hardly going to get the low down on international affairs there are you.

[quoteunquote]

It's just perception really,

People perceive India, Iraq, Palestine and others as being further removed from our own daily reality, they are not, it's just slightly harder for some to pay attention.

What happens in these places has just as much effect on all of our futures, planet earth is tiny, you can't pick and choose what will have a knock on effect on you,

you can choose how much effort you apply when needed to comprehend events,

The NK threads(here and else where) were interesting, some people immediately bought a recommend book and asked intelligent questions, others didn't and just kept making ill informed knee jerk statements, some clearly deliberately avoiding absorbing vital contributing factors, as the re think would be effort.

Not many people would accept having all the food they eat decided by a couple of corporations, and happily eat up what they were served day in day out without a say, It would make "you are what you eat' a bit worrying.

But an awful lot of people seem to happily accept having all their news decided by a couple corporations. Yet would object to the idea of thought police.

We often get remind to care about what we put in our bodies, I would consider my mind the most important part of my body.

[Branleuse]

why are you saying similar countries. we are not particularly similar to America

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

we are not particularly similar to America

I think we're very similar to America in terms of culture and language.

[Squarepebbles]

The Boston bombings are out of character ie they're not in a war zone and security is higher,more like our country and targeting vulnerable civilians doing something good for society is particularly shocking. In some countries it's difficult to get hold of so much footage.

[Squarepebbles]

And we are very like America.Life in Syria what little info we get is about as far from our daily life as you can get.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

What square said and also the Boston Marathon is a world famous event and people travel worldwide to participate. This is also one of the reasons it will have received so much coverage.

[Branleuse]

language yes. culture no

[Branleuse]

that's part of my point though.

plus many places are war zones because of America

[LaVolcan]

I don't think we are necessarily similar. I think that's one thing which surprises people when they visit - in either direction.

We are more similar when compared with North Korea or somewhere like that, but e.g. other west European countries? However, say if something like the finish of the Tour de France had been bombed I am sure that would be a major news item.