The Cause
See the bibliographic references that support our cause.
The exposure of violence in media is the cause of violent acts
There’s a consent between specialists that there is a relation of cause and effect between violence shown through media and the future practice of violent acts by viewers. That’s the conclusion of hundreds of scientific researches developed in several countries. In 2001, six American medical associations affirmed that the collected data shows an impressive casual connection between violence in media and aggressive behavior.
Apesar disso, praticamente não há debate no Brasil sobre o papel da mídia como indutora de violência. A imprensa brasileira e as associações médicas dariam importante contribuição ao combate à violência urbana se trouxessem esse tema a discussão.
The negative media depresses the viewer and the society
The human being is programmed to pay more attention to negative news. The evolution process makes us quickly identify the danger and protect ourselves from it in order to stay alive. Media uses this human characteristic to attract audience. The big problem is the extreme danger overstatement and the huge disproportion between positive and negative content.
The approach of the problems in the news have, most of the time, the intention of provoking a negative feeling – instead of discussing solutions. The accumulation of those feelings helps build up an overly scared society, tense and sickened.
Suicide has a different treatment
Curiously, the news recognizes the harmful effect of its acting when it comes to suicide. Since the XVIII (eighteenth) century the “Werther effect” is known, where a series of suicide occurred afted the release of Goethe’s romance, in which a young man in love kills himself. In several countries, medical associations recommend moderation to journalists in the portrayal of suicide cases, including Brazil.
The leaflet “Comportamento Suicida: Conhecer para Prevenir (Suicidal Behavior: Get to know to Prevent)”, made by the Brazilian Psiquiatry Association and directed towards Press Professionals, affirms: “There are numerous registries showing that, depending on the focus of the news, there might be an increase in suicide cases”. And suggests to Journalists ask themselves: “Why publish it? Is it relevant? What kind of impact the news can bring? How will someone who’s mourning feel? How someone who’s vulnerable and thinking about taking his own life will react?” It also recommends: avoid showing suicide cases, do not show images and do not describe the method of the act.
Those questions and recommendations should apply to all coverage that involves violence, not only suicides. Those are themes that deserve some thinking among journalists, writers, screenwriters, directors, producers and content managers in all medias, as well as sponsors, entities, NGOs and also public authorities.
Violence in Media Index – VMI
Paz na Mídia created a monitoring to measure the exposure of Brazilians to violent scenes and negative content. The studies began in November 2013 and addresses the four national news programs: Jornal Nacional, Jornal da Record, Jornal da Band e Jornal do SBT, and are updated daily.
Between November 2013 and July 2017, viewers where exposed to 562 hours and 02 minutes of violent scenes (18% from total), an average of 22 minutes per day. In the same period, negative content occupied 1228 hours and 54 minutes (39% from total), and only 3% of the time was dedicated to positive content (76 hours and 46 minutes).
For a better media and its conscious consumption
Brazil needs a better media and people have the right to inform themselves to build another relation with it: one with conscious consumption. The right way is through debate and participation.
Paz na Mídia was created with the goal of fighting the violence culture (in which media is the main culprit) and its disastrous consequences. It’s time to act. Take part through our social networks and share our content.
