Shame On the Press!

Here we go again. The Middle East is once again thrust into the international spotlight,highlighted by the wave of revolutions spanning across the region. The revolutions began in Tunisia and quickly spread across various Middle Eastern and North African countries. Social networks were given valuable praise for helping to bring about the revolutions by conventional media giants such as the cable broadcast networks like CNN, and esteemed newspaper comapanies like the New York Times and the Washington Post. Groups of citizens in revolutionary countries like Tunisia and Egypt used the social networks like Facebook and Twitter to gather supporters in their country to rally the massess against their government citing high unemployment, lack of government support ,rampant government corruption, and oppression amongst many other issues as resentment towards these regimes mounted. These social leaders or opinion leaders greatly shaped the opinion of their neighbors, convincing them to no longer fear the oppressive regimes they had lived under. They challenge their fellow citizens to take a stand once and for all to combat their oppressive leaders. In the end, the governments of Tunisia and Egypt were both toppled, and these revolutions were loosely called the social network revolutions by certain members or organization of the press. Yet, another country, Libya, in North Africa is also undergoing its own social revolution much like its neighbor Tunisia experience a few weeks ago.

However, this time around, Muammar Gaddafi or otherwise known as Colonel Gaddafi, is the leader in charge and has been for the past 30 years. Gaddafi and members of his family has scrutinized the press for what they call false accusations against their government. Gaddafi has also criticize the United Nations Security Council for its harsh sanctions against Libya, in which Gaddafi and his family have their assets frozen, weapons embargo, and travel restrictions place upon them. Gaddafi stated that the UN sanctions are all based on the false news brought on by the media in which the UN has believed.

Yet, surprisingly the real story here that caught my attention is when a New York Times article that shows Wikileaks,a website devoted to ousting government wrongdoing, as having U.S State department cables detailing the Libyan leader family exploits. The international media got a hold of the story,and major outrage erupted when it was learn that various American entertainers,most notably, singer Beyonce,Mariah Carey,and Usher had performed for one of Gaddafi son's ultra exclusive party in the Caribbean island of St. Bart's for upwards of $1 million dollars for each show. The media largely focused on that part of the story, hailing the singers as irresponsible and lack moral judgement. How ridiculous? Now it is true, Beyonce and the rest , should have been more careful about who they are getting their money from, especially since they are very well known public figures.

But the international press coverage of the story is very distorting and shocking. The press has managed to frame public opinion and make a big story out of these American entertainers accepting money for their performances at one of Gaddhafi son's party. The press has failed to be a credible and reliable source. Where was the international media outrage when Gaddhafi's oppressive Libyan regime was removed off the list of countries who were sponsor of terrorism by former President George W. Bush after Libya promise to end its nuclear ambitions? Where is the evidence of that they even did this?This is a man who has committed numerous genocides against his own people, once talked about assassinating then President Ronald Reagan and was responsible for the 1986 terrorist bombing of a night club in West Berlin. Oh, still not convince? Let's see, oh that's right, I almost forgot. Where was the international press outrage or that matter, superior coverage of when U.S lobbyist firms got big contracts to represent Libya in Congress or when major oil companies with the help of high level senior authorities in both the British and American governments secured major oil deals with Libya? That's right, there was NO outpour of media criticism because the media was either not paying attention to these issues or simply not doing their job. The media has failed to serve as the beacon of change, to uphold the government to act fair and accordingly at all times. The media is becoming less and less credible, and it is time the American people stand up and start doing their own investigations. Think about it, Why is it that a story about American singers performing for members of Gadhaffi family gain more national recognition in the U.S and international prominence than any story about the major oil companies conducting business with a terrorist regime? Simply stated, the press had overlooked these connections between the U.S and British companies desire for lucrative oil deals and the backpedaling of long time sanctions against Libya. The press did no follow up story to see whether or not the Libyan government as part of the deal to be reinstated in the international community actually stopped their backroom dealings with terrorist organizations. The press has failed to act as a mutual and respectable structure to illicit the truth and force the U.S to rethink ending its sanctions against Libya, a country with a long record of terrorist opportunities.

But like the government, the press saw an opportunity to gain viewership in this laissez faire market economy. The media companies banked on the fact that these well know American entertainers so called affiliations with members of the Gadhafi family would illicit interest and viewership to their cable networks or newspaper company. They put profit over reporting, a sure sign of how times have change and how the old media giants are struggling to retain viewership.And that is why they failed to do their jobs. Shame on the press, for monopolizing on theses stories to gain money and readers, than attacking the real issues at hand. It is obvious now, the rise of citizen journalists is needed more than ever, to keep the government honest and accountable, and direct the American people's attention to the real problems we face with corrupt and terrorist affiliated countries like Libya.

Sources

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mariah-beyonce-usher-face-calls-to-donate-qaddafi-money-to-charity-20110228


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/africa/23cables.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Gadhafi%20and%20Beyonce&st=cse

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/28/libya.protests/index.html?hpt=T2



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41833115/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/