I know that dreaded word. Trust. Trust is a very hard thing to come by, especially when it comes to the media. The media has used it’s authority to tarnish people. But on the other end of that, the media has been used to uplift others. So where does this blog fall in the midst of that?

Before I can go on about this blog in particular, we have to first address the distrust of media as a whole. The blunt response is that the media has failed the public one too many times. Not only in terms of misinformation, but ethically. A prime example of this is how the media handled The Central Park Five. The Central Park Five is a group of teens who were wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park. The media’s portrayal of the boys can be seen below. If you look, you can see the boys are described as a wolf-pack. Prior to a trial, and prior to a conviction, a majority of coverage on these boys was innately negatively. Following the exoneration of these boys, a thorough look into the media revealed there was no regard to the age of these boys which ranged from 14-16 years old. This is a prime example of misrepresentation through misinformation and unfairness. The media failed them. The media failed us through this.

I wish that had never happened. I wish that the journalist at the time recognized that the “wolf pack” they were describing were scared young boys who were victims of racial profiling and coerced testimony. I think the only thing that can be done to combat this tragedy is for the media to recognize the weight of the responsibility that they have not just to the public, but also to the people that they write about. I believe that the journalist behind every story should not take all information at face-value. I wonder what that story would have looked like if they had questioned the boys, or their families. The title probably wouldn’t have been “Wolf-Pack’s Prey” it would’ve been “The Justice System’s Prey”. Of course an apology would help to reverse this trend. A provision of resources to back facts would also help. I think of this situation as a really slow break-up. If all parties accept their responsibility then they can get back together. But until then I think there will always be a disconnect between the public and the media.

In regards to this blog. Yes. This is a film blog. I will be blogging about cinematography, directors, actors, and all other aspects that play a role in film. Everything I say is purely opinion-based. But don’t let that deter you. As I previously mentioned this is an opinion-based blog, but I welcome and expect to hear the opinions of my speculators. Although I cannot promise that I won’t indulge in conversation that may spark disagreement. I can promise that I will never intentionally defame the character or image of any person or film. In the event that I do, my first response will always be to take responsibility for my actions.

If you would like to watch a film surrounding The Central Park Five I would highly recommend the film The Central Park Five created by Ken Burns, Brian McMahon and Sarah Burns.

If you would like to read an article surrounding the case PBS has a wonderfully constructed article titled The Central Park Five.

But most importantly if you would like to share your views on a lack of trust within the media comment below with #badbreakup .

I hope that you learned something from reading this. I hope you can help me learn something too!

.A