Media owe citizens the ‘whys’ behind the stories

Chechen rebels broke into a Russian theater Oct. 23 and took hundreds of people hostage. More than 150 people died when Russians gassed the theater. In light of this terrible event, there was a rash of media coverage; the evening news and daily newspapers were inundated with stories about the hostage situation.

But why didn’t most news outlets take the time to describe the motivations of the terrorists or the war-torn country they were fighting for?

There are five conventional W’s of journalism, but in a recent trend in American mainstream media, one of the most important W’s – the why – has been ignored by a press eager to appease the nation’s newfound sense of patriotism.

Chechnya is one of many examples of careless reporting that has left the public with an incomplete story. While we understand that there are only so many pages to print and so many minutes to broadcast, the media need to recognize that they have a responsibility to deliver a complete story since the stories they deliver shape public opinion.

This is especially true of foreign affairs because our readily available media are often the only links we have to countries and cultures far away from our own.

For another instance of incomplete coverage of a story, consider the situation in Israel where a sometimes-oppressive Israeli state can be, and often is, portrayed as a victim. But Amnesty International and the U.N. Commission on Human Rights have found Israel guilty of serious human rights violations against the Palestinian people.

In post 9-11 America, every terrorist is portrayed as evil. We seem to have forgotten the old adage, “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”

While we don’t condone the actions of the terrorists in Chechnya, Israel or our own country, we do recognize that a resolution to terrorist actions is best achieved by understanding the circumstances under which they were committed. To understand, the public must be informed, and that is the fundamental responsibility of the media.

We present a challenge to both the producers and consumers of American media. To the producers: Find the truth in a story. Research the background and all the contributing factors. Understand that the worth of human life is not diminished by race or nationality. Don’t leave out the why.

To the consumer: Don’t accept everything you read as the infallible truth. Get both sides of every story. Look for hidden agendas. Know that some reporters are as biased as the personalities they cover. Have empathy for those who live in countries where an editorial like this one would never be published. Always ask why.

Editor’s Note: Student Union is written by students at Hampden Academy, Brewer High School, Old Town High School, Mount Desert Island High School, John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor, Ashland Community High School and Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The weekly column is a joint effort among the schools, the Bangor Daily News and The Acadia Hospital. This week’s column was written by John Bapst Memorial High School students. Their adviser is Lynn Manion.