How the Mainstream Media Helped Kill Michael Brown

[decocker 7,198]

Scott Greenfield, a criminal defense lawyer and blogger for Simple Justice, raised sharp questions about the official account of the shooting detailed in the Times in a blog post:

The genesis was when the shooter (cop) approached Michael Brown. Why? Then he "began to leave his vehicle." Why? Then, according to the police account, "one of the men" pushed the cop back into the car and "physically assaulted" him. Why? Who? But mostly why would a kid who just graduated high school do this?

Why, indeed. It doesn't make sense, especially when squared with the claim from police themselves that Brown was 35 feet away from the police vehicle when he was shot. The other young man with Brown says the officer initiated the altercation from inside his vehicle by demanding the two men "get the --- on the sidewalk," then slamming his car door into Brown, then grabbing Brown by the throat from his vehicle before firing multiple rounds into Brown.

None of these glaring contradictions have stopped outlets from uncritically printing the police account of events ad nauseum - especially old school broadcasters like ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, but also cable networks like CNN. And while it's standard journalism to report the claims of both parties in such a contentious event, good journalism must challenge accounts that seem obviously illogical and self-serving, especially when they come from the side that enjoys more power in society.

It took three whole days for any media outlet to report any version of events other than the police's.

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/25533-how-the-mainstream-media-helped-kill-michael-brown

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Because fiction is better than truth.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Mmmm.. Not sure about all the mass media claims, I don;t watch television news... I google "Micheal brown" and there are no "pro-cops" stories in the first three pages.. NBCNews has this as the lead:

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/michael-brown-protesters-cops-face-ferguson-missouri-n179346

The first line: Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri.... No account of the police side of the story other than stating the youth was shot multiple times..

The truth-out article is critical of the new yorker coverage.. Here is the first story that popped up on google for the new yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/michael-brown-die-ferguson ... This is too biased for the police? They openly say the police account seems bogus..

Another NBCNews story that only gives the friends account: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/michael-browns-friend-he-was-shot-animal-officer-n179501

The FBI has opened an investigation on this.. We do not know all the facts.. we will

[decocker 7,198]

Mmmm.. Not sure about all the mass media claims, I don;t watch television news... I google "Micheal brown" and there are no "pro-cops" stories in the first three pages..

i don't watch television news either.

you know how americans consume media, whatever we hear initially, and repeatedly, is generally the story that sticks with the masses.

It took three whole days for any media outlet to report any version of events other than the police's.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

And I thought they still talk about how the media killed Michael "Heck of a Job" Brown. Poor guy.

[decocker 7,198]

And I thought they still talk about how the media killed Michael "Heck of a Job" Brown. Poor guy.

did he die?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

did he die?

Not that I know.

[decocker 7,198]

Not that I know.

oh i thought maybe he was the third...they come in threees

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

He was shot on the ninth.. the friend came forward on the 10th, the New Yorker and other articles are dated the 11th.. Today is the 13th and there is an FBI investigation underway.

This is a story that is unfolding, I don't see any timeline issues the press can be put to task for missing. I think the mainstream news channels are going to go into overdrive now and we are going to be subjected to months of looking into every little nook and cranny of this kids life and hour long commentaries nightly from the experts.

I am interested to know what really happened - the friends story does not match with a shot being fired in the car - but the police story makes no sense either.

Edited August 13, 2014 by OnMyWayID

[decocker 7,198]

we are going to be subjected to months of looking into every little nook and cranny of this kids life and hour long commentaries nightly from the experts.

exactly, the narrative. we need to feel like there was some character flaw in the dead kid so we feel okay about the cop's actions, when that official version of the cop's actions is provided to us.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

exactly, the narrative. we need to feel like there was some character flaw in the dead kid so we feel okay about the cop's actions, when that official version of the cop's actions is provided to us.

Yeah probably.. But there are always those catalyst events that change society.

[eieio 1,594]

The thread title is false and misleading.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

What little bit of coverage I have seen has been fairly balanced, and pointed out the claims on both sides of this issue.

My personal opinion is some jack booted thug, gunned down the kid. I mean 10 times ?