History Main / IfItBleedsItLeads

* In ''StreetScene'', Kaplan complains that the newspapers print "notting but deevorce, skendal, and moiders."

Another, even darker effect of the news media's obsession with violence -— and the one that is often emphasized in fiction -— is the kind of message it sends out to impressionable viewers. By glorifying the actions of violent criminals, the media tell viewers, "[[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop Hey, if you go out and fire a machine gun into a crowd of little children, you too can make the national news!]]" Critics of this type of reporting often point out that it's {{hypocritical|Humor}} for the news media to accuse violent movies, music and [[UltraSuperDeathGorefestChainsawer3000 video games]] of [[MurderSimulators making people violent]] when they're indulging in far more grisly and true-to-life stuff every night at 11 -— stuff that is being plastered over countless TV screens, implicitly [[TruffautWasRight turning the perpetrators into celebrities]]. Additionally, it provides terrorists and other assorted nutjobs a very convenient stage from which to spread fear and their political agendas by way of violence.

A basic fact in the news media is that, if a story involves a brutal death or injury of some kind (or the likelihood of it), it is likely to get higher ratings. The more lurid the story, the better its chances of being the ratings leader. Natural disasters, {{bank robber|y}}ies, shootouts, [[RapeAsDrama rapes]], {{serial killer}}s, {{gang bangers}}, [[AxesAtSchool school violence]] and animal maulings all draw an army of news vans the same way that a limping gazelle draws a pride of lions, except [[{{Dissimile}} the gazelle is already dead and the lions are broadcasting images of its dead body to thousands, if not millions]]. By doing so, the news media is following a decades-old mantra: [[TitleDrop ""if it bleeds, it leads!"]]

A basic fact in the news media is that, if a story involves a brutal death or injury of some kind (or the likelihood of it), it is likely to get higher ratings. The more lurid the story, the better its chances of being the ratings leader. Natural disasters, {{bank robber|y}}ies, shootouts, [[RapeAsDrama rapes]], {{serial killer}}s, {{gang bangers}}, [[AxesAtSchool school violence]] and animal maulings all draw an army of news vans the same way that a limping gazelle draws a pride of lions, except [[{{Dissimile}} the gazelle is already dead and the lions are broadcasting images of its dead body to thousands, if not millions]]. [[http://www.fair.org/media-beat/951213.html Some]] have suggested that coverage like this is responsible for making people cynical about society, as the news media focus on negative stories of war, death and destruction rather than the positive things that are happening in society. People who watch the news start to feel that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, and give up on the idea that society's problems can be fixed. In addition, when the media obsess over violent crimes, deeper problems with society (such as [[http://www.savethenews.org/blog/10/03/11/la-if-it-bleeds-it-leads cities running out of money]]) go ignored, leaving the public uninformed.

Another, even darker effect of the news media's obsession with violence — and the one that is often emphasized in fiction — is the kind of message it sends out to impressionable viewers. By glorifying the actions of violent criminals, the media tell viewers, "[[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop Hey, if you go out and fire a machine gun into a crowd of little children, you too can make the national news!]]" Critics of this type of reporting often point out that it's {{hypocritical|Humor}} for the news media to accuse violent movies, music and [[UltraSuperDeathGorefestChainsawer3000 video games]] of [[MurderSimulators making people violent]] when they're indulging in far more grisly and true-to-life stuff every night at 11 — stuff that is being plastered over countless TV screens, implicitly [[TruffautWasRight turning the perpetrators into celebrities]]. Additionally, it provides terrorists and other assorted nutjobs a very convenient stage from which to spread fear and their political agendas by way of violence.

* This mantra exists so prevalently because it is so deeply ingrained in journalistic norms. Newsworthiness is determined by several factors, and death/destruction fulfills many of them. Also, because getting information on them is easy (through the police or government agencies), they are relatively cheap to cover (generally). They also tend to provide flashy visuals. However, because society working its wonders another day is not considered newsworthy, or good news rarely fulfills enough factors of newsworthiness, AccentuateTheNegative is in FULL effect here. Just look at your average day's worth of coverage from CNN or Fox News and count the number of stories (or rather, the amount of coverage) given to good news rather than disaster and criticism.

** The fourth film's killer had a similar motivation. [[spoiler:Jill would kill a bunch of people, then pin the murders on someone else and become the FinalGirl in her own reality slasher flick, riding it to [[FifteenMinutesOfFame book deals and TV appearances]] much like her older cousin Sidney had done.]]

The entire reason why MissingWhiteWomanSyndrome exists. Compare YouCanPanicNow, CouldThisHappenToYou, NastyGrace. Contrast HumanInterestStory. When used in fiction, it's often a sign that the news outlet indulging in it is a Type 4 StrawmanNewsMedia.

* In TwistedFates, this is what {{Jerkass}} {{Paparazzi}} Reynard claims has got him going after the Twister case, [[spoiler: although his true reason seems to be much more [[ItsPersonal personal]] ]]

** The fourth film's killer had a similar motivation. [[spoiler:Jill would kill a bunch of people, then pin the murders on someone else and become the FinalGirl in her own reality slasher flick, riding it to book deals and TV appearances much like her older cousin Sidney had done.]]

* Parodied somewhat {{Anvilicous}}ly in a ''CalvinAndHobbes'' comic where Calvin's father is watching TV proclaiming upcoming coverage of a serial killing. He ends up reading the paper instead.

Another, even darker effect of the news media's obsession with violence — and the one that is often emphasized in fiction — is the kind of message it sends out to impressionable viewers. By glorifying the actions of violent criminals, the media tell viewers, "[[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop Hey, if you go out and fire a machine gun into a crowd of little children, you too can make the national news!]]" Critics of this type of reporting often point out that it's {{hypocritical|Humor}} for the news media to accuse violent movies, music and [[UltraSuperDeathGorefestChainsawer3000 video games]] of [[MurderSimulators making people violent]] when they're indulging in far more grisly and true-to-life stuff every night at 11 — stuff that is being plastered over countless TV screens, implicitly [[TruffautWasRight turning the perpetrators into celebrities]]. Additionally, it also provides various terrorist organizations (and occasional nut jobs operating independently) a very convenient stage on which to spread fear to promote some sort of political agenda by using violence.

Another, even darker effect of the news media's obsession with violence — and the one that is often emphasized in fiction — is the kind of message it sends out to impressionable viewers. By glorifying the actions of violent criminals, the media tell viewers, "[[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop Hey, if you go out and fire a machine gun into a crowd of little children, you too can make the national news!]]" Critics of this type of reporting often point out that it's {{hypocritical|Humor}} for the news media to accuse violent movies, music and [[MurderSimulators video games]] of [[YouCanPanicNow making people violent]] when they're indulging in far more grisly and true-to-life stuff every night at 11 — stuff that is being plastered over countless TV screens, implicitly [[TruffautWasRight turning the perpetrators into celebrities]]. Additionally, it also provides various terrorist organizations (and occasional nut jobs operating independently) a very convenient stage on which to spread fear to promote some sort of political agenda by using violence.

** In the second film, [[spoiler:one of]] the killer[[supersecretspoiler:s]]planned on invoking this in order to get himself media publicity and a sensational trial.

* In ''{{Scream}}'', this trope is personified with Gale Weathers, a tabloid reporter who cashed in on the murder of Sidney's mother by writing a bestselling book detailing her alternative theory of the case. In a subversion, [[spoiler:it turns out that she was right, and that Cotton Weary was innocent]]. Doesn't stop her from coming off as a sleazeball, though.
** [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold She gets better]] in the sequels.

The entire reason why MissingWhiteWomanSyndrome exists. Compare YouCanPanicNow, CouldThisHappenToYou. Contrast HumanInterestStory. When used in fiction, it's often a sign that the news outlet indulging in it is a Type 4 StrawmanNewsMedia.

->"In keeping with Channel 40's policy of bringing you the latest in [[{{Gorn}} blood and guts]], and in living color, you are going to see another first — [[DrivenToSuicide attempted]] [[DeadlineNews suicide]]."

* The page quote comes from Christine Chubbuck, a chronically depressed anchorwoman on [[{{ABC}} WXLT]] (now WWSB) in [[OnlyInFlorida Sarasota, Florida]] who was upset about how the station manager had told the staff to focus on "blood and guts" in their reporting. It was one of the many factors that caused her to [[DrivenToSuicide kill herself]] [[DeadlineNews during a live broadcast]].
* This is pretty much the entire business model of {{HLN}} post-NetworkDecay, as evidenced by the popularity of shows like ''Nancy Grace'' and ''Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell''.

* At least part of the motive of [[{{Columbine}} Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold]] was to get immortalized by the media for their crimes. It worked well enough that it got them an entire page on this very wiki.
* Robert A. Hawkins, the man who shot up the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, said in his suicide note that he wanted to "[go] out in style", leading many to believe that his main intention was to take advantage of this trope and get himself immortalized like the Columbine gunmen.
* OlderThanTelevision example: this trope wound up destroying the career of [[SilentAgeOfHollywood silent film]] star FattyArbuckle. When a woman died at a party he was holding, the media jumped onto exaggerated reports that he had raped and killed her. Even after he was declared innocent, he found himself blacklisted from working in Hollywood.
* Usually true in large cities, to the point where some stations specifically try to [[DefiedTrope avoid this]] and only show positive news in order to distinguish themselves from the competition. An example in {{Atlanta}} is the news channel 11 Alive, which has revamped its image to only show positive news stories.

* Usually true in large cities, almost to the point where some stations specifically try to avoid this and only show positive news. An example is in {{Atlanta}}, Georgia, the news channel 11 Alive has revamped their image to only show positive news stories.
* Satirized by TheOnion in [[http://www.theonion.com/video/missing-girl-probably-raped,14164/ "Missing Girl Probably Raped."]]