Media Corruption- Port. 1 The thesis of this paper is to prove that the government manipulates media to fit in with its agenda. I will prove that by focusing on the speed in which the media changes or rationalizes stories pertaining to the government. Some would say that media reflects, not causes, changes in peoples reactions and/or that the government has no influence on the media. I am not saying that the media is controlled completely by the government (I am speaking from a strictly American point of view.), but that news stories are pushed out of sight of the general populace. I will support my theory in citing how quickly the media forgot/disregarded Small Pox, Anthrax, and Mad Cow Disease etc. I will probably focus on the health aspects, because they interest me the most. In late 2003 Mad Cow Disease was found in the U.S. After one of the animals involved in the case was found to have come from Canada, the media dropped the case and left it to the USDA to find the other infected cattle. The Agriculture Department ended its search for additional cases of mad cow disease even though officials had not found several animals suspected of having eaten the potentially infectious feed believed to have caused the only known U.S. case. "Our investigation is now complete," (qtd. in Dreyfuss) Dr. Ron DeHaven, the department's chief veterinarian, said. "We feel very confident the remaining animals, the ones we have not been able to positively identify, represent little risk." (qtd. in Dreyfuss). The closure leaves officials not knowing what happened to 11 head of cattle among 25 that authorities say were most likely to have eaten the same feed as that given to a Holstein diagnosed in Washington State with mad cow after it was slaughtered on Dec. 9. All 25 were among 81 born on a farm in Alberta, Canada, and shipped into the United States in 2001. Officials have found 29 of the 81, including 14 considered most at risk. The search for the 81 cattle led authorities to 189 farms and ranches and the testing of 255 animals, none of which had bovine spongiform encephalopathy. “Some may have gone to slaughter, but BSE tests would have spotted any slaughtered animal that had had mad cow.” (qtd. in Dreyfuss) DeHaven said. The likelihood of finding more cases "is pretty slim at this point," (qtd. in Dreyfuss) DeHaven told reporters during a telephone conference. An international review panel created by Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said last week that “U.S. officials had done a thorough job of searching for the animals” (qtd. in Dreyfuss) but added that more focus should be put on preventing future cases. “The government also has found 2,000 tons of rendered protein into which tissue from the Holstein could have been mixed,” (qtd. in Dreyfuss) said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine, which regulates animal feed. “The material is being destroyed so none can make its way into animal feed,” (qtd. in Dreyfuss) Sundlof said. Experts say meat and bone meal from infected animals can transmit mad cow's infectious protein to other animals. A large amount of tissue had to be quarantined because processors commonly mix byproducts from many cattle. "It was impossible to distinguish that which just came from the cow from all of the material that was out there," (qtd. in Dreyfuss) Sundlof said. Nonetheless, the size of the quarantine "indicates we would have captured any infectious material," (qtd. in Dreyfuss) Sundlof said. Where did Mad Cow Disease go? An epidemic that has plagued all of Europe, and we forget it after a couple of weeks of reporting? We can focus on the Democrat’s representatives for months, yet a major health threat is downplayed? Why, after hounding actors for months and picking apart candidates motives, is the media satisfied with “indicates we would have captured any infectious material” (qtd. in Dreyfuss)? I’m not satisfied with the government’s feeble attempts to mollify the public with a few lab tests. If it’s so easy to stop Mad Cow Disease, then how come Europe has had such trouble? They’re not that old. On the other hand, what do I expect? The government is not going to admit to having trouble, but I do expect the media to want to dig deeper. The media should stop picking on people and start working on the big issues. It is not the media’s job to keep us calm; it’s their job to inform us. I don’t want my news watered down and pre-chewed. I have many questions that have been left unanswered. How did we come up with laboratory test for Mad Cow disease on such short notice? Was this really a surprise? Why are we eating sick animals when the FDA is supposed to protect us? Why is it that sensitive stories disappear, yet actor’s canceled weddings, trials, and plastic surgery linger? Why, in the cases that are investigated, is there always a “happy” or satisfying ending? This sort of whitewashing raises many questions across the nation. The first is why do the media feel that they have to protect us from the news? After reading the reports on Mad Cow Disease, I feel that the push of government money influences the media to protect them, and in that, protect themselves. After all, everything is connected. Another reason the media gets corrupted is because of power. Power corrupts, someone once said. It seems that this is true, unfortunately. Corrupt media use their power as news reporters to wash over, ignore, and distract, and the truth gets lost in the process. Another question I think this issue raises is: How can we trust the media after reading these reports? I think the fact that for the most part, a great number of honest reporters are out, but the easily influenced have gained control. Thankfully this is the case, otherwise how would these corrupt reporters ever be found out? I think the fact that intelligent people can get hard news relatively easily is more than enough proof that media is not lost, despite its flaws. It only seems that all media is corrupt because that the majority of major news providers are the ones that are the most heavily influenced. It is also our responsibility to report inconsistencies when we suspect it is happening. After all, we are the ones the news is written for, and we owe it to ourselves to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and that different points of view and the full reality of situations are brought to light. Works Cited Aguzzi, A., and C. Weissmann. “Prion Research: The Next Frontiers.” Nature. Oct. 2002: 389, 795 – 798. Chicurel, M. Asking About Life. 2nd ed. New York: Thompson Publishers Brooks/Cole, 2001. Chapter 3, Section 1; 49. Dreyfuss, Ira. Gov't Ends Search for Mad Cow Disease. 09 Feb. 2004. nwitimes.com. 09 Feb. 2004 . Hager, M, and M. Hosenball. “Mad Cow Disease in the U.S.?” Newsweek 08 April 1996: 58. Henahan, S. New BSE Findings. 01 May 1996. Access Excellence. 03 Oct. 2003 . Ledbetter, Kay. “Report Has Final Word on Mad Cow Disease.” Amarillo Globe-News (2001). 2003 October 24. Meikle, James. Plea Over Dying Daughter. 09 Oct. 2003. Guardian Unlimited. 27 October 2003 . Murphy, F. A. Mad-Cow. 03 Oct. 1996. Access Excellence. 09 Nov. 2003 . Shimbun, Asahi. “Nation's 8th BSE Case May Be a New Variety.” Herald Tribune. 08 Oct. 2003. Herald Tribune/Asahi. 23 October 2003 . UK Department of Health. CJD/BSE Monthly Statistics. 01 Nov. 2002. Department of Health and Human Services. 02 Oct. 2003 .