About three-quarters of the public say they form opinions about crime from what they see or read in the news. In one review of more than 9,600 network and local TV stories, only nine were about teens being praised for positive works. Across the nation, crime dropped by 20 percent from 1990 to 1998 while network television showed an 83 percent increase in crime news. During the same years, homicide coverage on the network news increased dramatically, although homicides were down. The implications are troubling.
Distorted coverage can fan fear.
Yet 71 percent of people, according to one major poll, felt that a school shooting was likely in their community. Distorted coverage can limit understanding. The media influences how people in important positions think, from police officers to judges. So there we have it. Media are the problem.