Jaevion Nelson | Is the news too negative?

Many Jamaicans from different backgrounds find the news to be very negative and media practitioners, rather than be so defensive, ought to use people ventilating their feelings as instructive instead.

In May 2019, while at the barber during the airing of All Angles on Television Jamaica, which had something to do with former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, someone asked that the station be changed. The barber complied but jokingly asked if the request had to do with a dislike for “the green party”. The person quickly said no “but di news too negative”.

Unsurprisingly, a discussion ensued about the negativity of local news. During the debate, one man remarked “yu cyaan walk and seek out negative things, you have to block it out.” This, I believe, is the resolution many Jamaicans have made to deal with news they find to be negative or unpleasant, in the same way I would when the scary movie previews at the cinema.

There are times I too tune out, or only read the headlines in the paper because I just need a break. I mentally check out and become unaware and decline requests to provide commentary. It’s not that I don’t want to consume stories about crime and violence or other problems. I don’t want to gloss over the truth, but I want balance.

I want to feel that media practitioners thought carefully about how the stories are packaged for our consumption. When I was in the United Kingdom studying, I loved reading the Metro and Evening Standard. It had stories about violence and all sorts of problems, but it didn’t leave me feeling heavy and hopeless.

Many people tend to think that the negativity is simply because of the reports about crime and violence but we cannot limit it to that. I have surmised that when people say “news too negative”, they mean a substantial part of the news content focus on the bad in a situation. I reckon such a feeling has to do with the economy, poverty, politics, and education, among other things, and it reminds them too much of the idea that nutten nah gwan a Jamaica.

It’s the stories about murders and deaths like the 67-year-old woman who was chopped to death in Porus, Manchester; the praedial larceny that’s wreaking havoc in northern Manchester; PM Andrew Holness lashing the Opposition about its security criticisms; the courthouse staff in Manchester being forced to work under tents; or the residents of Bowden Hill in St Andrew being stranded after floods.

I am aware that there are things like A Ray of Hope and a similar themed programme on CVM that were designed to interrupt the negativity on local television, or Corporate Hands in the dailies, but these do not seem to be very efficacious is giving people a ray of hope about the circumstances in the country.

However, while there have been improvements, “News too negative” is still commonplace and entrenching too much ignorance and apathy in our country. There is still too much resistance among those with responsibility to make the news we consume a little less negative. They can’t just pass it off as this is how it is, and this and that has been done.

So many people, younger ones especially, are growing up and have not a clue about what’s happening in the country because they have checked out. We have to find a way to change that.

FIND THE BALANCE

There are obvious implications to democracy and good governance if the citizenry is avoiding news and are unaware about what’s happening. It helps the political elite abdicate their duties, it facilitates impunity among wrongdoers, and you become dependent on non-traditional news sources that do not necessarily employ the same rigour in producing a news story.

Given the state of affairs, I think it impresses on us the critical and urgent need to thoroughly discuss this issue and identify solutions to make news less negative and therefore more palatable to a wider range of people, including those who are not consumers but might be keen to know what is happening around them from more reputable news sources.

The media have to consider how it package local programmes, news especially. It can’t just resign itself in giving information; it has to do a bit more in presenting the facts of a matter. Language and framing have to be addressed. The layout and placement as well. Resolutions on the way forward might help a bit.

People don’t necessarily want entertainment and ‘happy news’ all the time but they also don’t want to feel hopeless when they consume news.

Let’s find the balance.

Jaevion Nelson is a human rights, social and economic justice advocate. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and jaevion@gmail.com or tweet @jaevionn.