NCJ Number
64455
Journal
Derecho Penal y Criminologia Volume: 2 Issue: 6 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 43-79
Date Published
1979
Length
37 pages
Annotation
MASS MEDIA COVERAGE OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE IN COLOMBIA IS ANALYZED FROM A QUALITATIVE AND A QUANTITATIVE VIEWPOINT, WITH HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PERIODICAL PRESS, RADIO BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMING.
Abstract
A SYSTEMATIC SURVEY OF THE EXISTING DAILY AND PERIODICAL PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION NETWORKS AND INDIVIDUAL STATIONS, AND THE HISTORY OF EACH MASS COMMUNICATION MEDIUM FROM ITS INCEPTION IS OFFERED, TOGETHER WITH IDENTIFICATION OF THE ACKNOWLEDGED POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND THE COVERT POLITICAL BIAS OF OWNERS, SPONSORS, COMMENTATORS, AND NEWSCASTERS. FOR INSTANCE, SOME MEDIA (E.G. TELEVISION) ARE STATE OWNED, OTHERS ARE OWNED BY INDIVIDUAL OR CORPORATE INTERESTS; GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP EXISTS, BUT ITS INFLUENCE IS SUBTLE AND HARD TO TRACE. STATISTICAL TABLES CLASSIFY DATA ACCORDING TO SUCH DESCRIPTIVE VARIABLES AS PERCENTAGES OF VIOLENT VERSUS NONVIOLENT HAPPENINGS COVERED AND TYPES OF CRIME. THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA IS EXPLORED AS A FORMIDABLE PROPAGANDA WEAPON FOR ALL TYPES OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES, AND AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR PERPETUATING CRIMINAL STEREOTYPES WHILE INSPIRING ACTS OF VIOLENCE PATTERNED AFTER THOSE THEY PORTRAY AND DRAMATIZE. INSIGHTS ARE PROVIDED INTO THE VIOLENT CONTENT AND TREATMENT OF EACH RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN IMPORTS, SUCH AS POLICE DRAMA AND SITUATION COMEDY SERIES. AUDIENCE INTEREST IN MEDIA COVERAGE OF SEXUAL OFFENSES IS NOTED AS DIMINISHING WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR WHY THIS IS SO; E.G., GROWING PUBLIC APATHY AND TOLERANCE OF THIS TYPE OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. INTEREST IN CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY IS IDENTIFIED WITH SUC EXPLANATIONS FOR THE INTEREST AS THEIR BEING A MANIFESTATION OF THE CLASS CONFLICT BETWEEN RICH AND POOR. FINALLY, THE DISPROPORTIONATE COVERAGE BY ALL MASS MEDIA OF KIDNAPPING IS COMPARED TO THE TOTAL CRIME PICTURE. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. --IN SPANISH. (GLR)