I don't know if this is the plac forthis but i need help real BAD! well im writing a personal column for my local news paper.
Talk is Cheap and Lies are Expensive
Is the truth that important? The vast majority of today’s population cannot make it through a single day without even slight manipulation of a truth. Some even make a living out of this ‘skill’. Just look at the journalists, publicists, or others who work for the media. They know for a fact, that exciting news sells, since, let’s face it, we, an average society, lead average lives. Even Green Day agrees, “Talk is cheap and lies are expensive.”
For example, which is the better breaking news headline: “Boy Hides in Attic” or “Little Boy Flown away in Helium Spaceship”? Although these two headlines relate to the same event, the Helium Spaceship illustrates the unique picture.
It seems as though we constantly need thrilling news to entertain ourselves. Thus, the media is aware of the ineffectiveness in publishing the truth, because everyone wants extraordinary. This gives the media a perfect opportunity to earn their cash through brainwashing society with sensationalism.
Stated so blatantly, one would not admit to be cajoled by “pretty” pictures. Unfortunately, we are. Just look at YouTube sensation, Clare Werbeloff. Clare is an average 19-year old with no talent to define her as an individual. So, what makes her so exclusive? The fact she is “hot” and provides Nine News
camera with a colourful witness of a shooting outside a club in King Cross.
On May 16, 2009, the atmosphere roared with gunshots. To investigate the scene, a Nine News Cameraman captured the raw footage . Apparently, Clare ran towards it to give him the “scoop” of the “Chk chk Boom”. Within a week, her account attracted more than 200,000 hits world- wide (Sydney Morning Herald). Merchandise labelled with “Chk chk boom” was selling internationally, and rap re-mixes were made (Sydney Morning Herald).
In contrast to this witness, Detective Inspector Matt McQueen reveals the truth, "She has admitted to making it all up and has not witnessed the shooting.” GASP!
According to Werbeloff in an interview with ACA ( A Current Affair), “I knew there’d been a shooting. It was just a case of seeing the camera and just wanting to make people laugh.”
How can someone think of humour in a moment of bedlam? Joking about a shooting is immoral as death can never be perceived as “funny”. Even the victim, Justin Kallu, agrees as he wrote, “i’m a bit upset the fact that … i almost lost my life and there s this girl all over the news getting popular because she has no brains.”
Instead of sympathising for the victim who almost lost his life, society worships Werbeloff for seeing the comical side of a gunshot by introducing a new catch phrase, “Chk Chk Boom”. She even hired an agent to handle the publicity. Even after the truth was exposed, news reports continued to focus on her as their ratings increased. It is ironic that a man who almost lost his life gave birth to Werbeloff’s fame.
With such details and the offensive slang, it would have made sense for Nine News to ensure the authenticity of Werbeloff’s statement, but the media is no police. As long as Werbeloff looks good and sounds convincing, who cares if it is not the truth?
So, it seems media had the power to make the decision of emphasizing her stupid remarks.
Think about it. She is not the first one to be outside a club making up stories. There have been other “Clare Werbeloff’s” too, and there still are. It is media’s decision to focus on “crap” like this.
But what if Nine News reported a 40 year-old bald man with beer belly who had said the same as Werbeloff had? Would the media still focus on him? Would he be forced to hire an agent?
There world needs to be informed of the many truths yet to be said and heard. Instead of shedding a positive light on those with valued knowledge, the media nitpicks individuals with attractive fictitious words.
Although the world may be accumulated with harsh truths, it is far more beneficial to emphasize them in order to encourage society to initiate necessary action. “Truths” may not sell like sensational news, but the interest of the media should promote society for the better.
Instead of the ideal, the media are brainwashing society with sensational lies. As seen with Clare Werbeloff and the boy in the Helium Balloon, the media lives to sell stories and blow it out of proportion. They continue to focus on fabricated witnesses to be perceived as truths because “talk is cheap and lies are expensive”.
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