History Main / IfItBleedsItLeads

* 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 (some went so far to say that she had been crushed to death while having sex with him; his nickname "Fatty" was not accidental). Even after he was declared innocent, he found himself blacklisted from working in Hollywood.

[[http://www.fair.org/media-beat/951213.html Some]] have suggested that coverage like this, focusing on negative stories of war, death and destruction rather than the positive things that are happening in society, is responsible for [[JadeColoredGlasses making people cynical about the world around them]]. People who watch the news start to feel that [[CrapsackWorld 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.

* In ''FanFic/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]] ]]

* A lot of Music/MarilynManson's earlier material is based around this trope. It goes all the way to the band's name, taken from media icons MarilynMonroe and CharlesManson; the stage names of the individual members were each composed of the first name of a popular actress or female figure and the last name of a SerialKiller.[[note]]They included Daisy Berkowitz (Daisy Duke from ''TheDukesOfHazzard'' and David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz), Gidget Gein (surfer girl Gidget from the '60s TV series and Ed Gein), Olivia Newton Bundy (Olivia Newton-John and Ted Bundy), Madonna Wayne Gacy (Music/{{Madonna}} and John Wayne Gacy), Sara Lee Lucas (the Sara Lee food company and Henry Lee Lucas), and [[FaceOfTheBand the titular Marilyn Manson]].[[/note]]

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 ''Film/{{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 does get better]] in the sequels.
** In the second film, the killer [[spoiler:(at least, one of them)]] planned on invoking this in order to get himself media publicity and a sensational trial.
** 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 real-life slasher flick, riding it to [[FifteenMinutesOfFame book deals and TV appearances]] much like her older cousin Sidney had done.]]

* In ''{{Network}}'', Howard Beale's [[DeadlineNews suicide threat]] causes ratings on his news show to jump, teaching his network this lesson. It leads to shows like ''The Mao Tse-Tung Hour'', following a group of [[WesternTerrorists leftist revolutionaries]] based on the Symbionese Liberation Army.

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* Parodied somewhat {{Anvilicious}}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.

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[[folder: Real Life ]]

->''In keeping with Channel 40's policy of bringing you the latest in [[{{Gorn}} blood and guts]], and in living color, [[FamousLastWords you are going to see another first]] -- [[DrivenToSuicide attempted]] [[DeadlineNews suicide]].''
-->-- '''Christine Chubbuck, July 15, 1974, right before committing suicide on live TV'''

* 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.

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

** In ''[[GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories Liberty City Stories]]'', Ned Burner has Toni commit quite a few atrocities, including the murder of three celebrities and causing tons of damage and casualties with a fire truck, [[CompleteMonster just so he can get good stories to cover]].

Why can't we just admit it? \\

* A lot of MarilynManson's earlier material is based around this trope. Even - and especially - the band's name.

To entertain you all \\

* Show of hands - how many Tropers, when reading the Real Life section, ''[[JustifiedTrope looked up]]'' the case via Google or ThatOtherWiki?

This mantra is deeply ingrained in journalistic norms. Newsworthiness is determined by several factors, and death/destruction fulfills many of them a lot better than news about society working its wonders another day. Also, because getting information on them is easy (through the police or government agencies), they are generally rather cheap to cover. They also tend to provide flashy visuals. As a result of all this, AccentuateTheNegative tends to be in full effect at many news desks. Just look at your average day's worth of coverage from {{CNN}}, {{Fox News|Channel}} or your nightly NewsBroadcast and count the number of stories (or rather, the amount of coverage) given to good news rather than disaster and criticism.

* 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]].

* In RobZombie's ''Film/{{Halloween}} II'', Dr. Loomis has become like this, writing a best-selling book about the killings from the first film while making a killing himself.

* {{Babylon 5}}: Forell uses a variation of this trope with Delenn. [[http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/077.html]]

** In ''[[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', field reporter [[KentBrockmanNews Richard Burns]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_YiBbmU52c complains about the lack of casualties]] during a news segment.

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!"]]

This mantra is deeply ingrained in journalistic norms. Newsworthiness is determined by several factors, and death/destruction fulfills many of them a lot better than news about society working its wonders another day. Also, because getting information on them is easy (through the police or government agencies), they are generally rather cheap to cover. They also tend to provide flashy visuals. As a result of all this, AccentuateTheNegative tends to be in full effect at many news desks. Just look at your average day's worth of coverage from {{CNN}}, {{Fox News|Channel}} or your nightly {{news broadcast}} and count the number of stories (or rather, the amount of coverage) given to good news rather than disaster and criticism.

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* "Dirty Laundry" by {{Don Henley}} is a biting take on this, and still relevant

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* Parodied multiple times in the ''GrandTheftAuto'' series.

* At least part of the motive of [[UsefulNotes/{{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.

* [[InvokedTroped Invoked]] by name by KelseyGrammer's character in ''15 Minutes''.

* Invoked by name by KelseyGrammer's character in ''15 Minutes''.

* "Dirty Laundry" by {{Don Henley}} is a biting take on this, and still relevant
** Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet?