Even before the horrifying coronavirus outbreak filled major media outlets with daily death tolls and depressing pandemic updates, being constantly up to date on the news was a stressful job.
From public shootings in the United States to the rise of authoritarian leaders in Brazil, Russia, Turkey, and across the globe to the myriad refugee crises to the genocide in Myanmar–the news cycle is not always forgiving and exposes the public to some of the most horrific human atrocities known to the world. Of course, it isn’t the fault of the media or journalists our news happens to be filled with tragedy. And after all, reporting on such vital events in human history is the job of the news media.
But that doesn’t always make it easier. The American Psychological Association found that, for many Americans, news consumption can lead to bouts of anxiety, stress, and or loss of sleep. It’s unsurprising considering the current world we live in, but still raises concerns over the ethics of how to balance informing the public and respecting their mental health.
One solution has been an increase in popularity for positive news stories, with news media outlets focusing on “feel-good” stories to keep the audience from a constant feeling of misery. But others worry this desensitizes the world from harsher news stories which should be taken seriously, like the COVID-19 outbreak. After all, if time is spent discussing how penguins in a Chicago zoo were released to meet the other animals–just what kind of story was replaced?
I understand the need for the media to draw towards more uplifting news stories in these sorrowful times–I don’t even think it’s necessarily a bad thing. However, I believe stories that do not have the same dire impacts and are more “puff” pieces should be denoted as such. Whether that means a specific tag on the outlet’s homepage or a clear label in the story’s headline, simply fun and uplifting pieces should not be included in the same space as hard-hitting news, less the important facts be taken for granted by the public.
Brenna Fuhr 