Opinion

Why do we enjoy bad news?

May 11, 2018
Why do we enjoy bad news?

Ibrahim Muhammad Badawood



Al-Madinah

People in the media often use emotive language to enable their stories to become viral or to draw people’s attention to what they say. There are certain expressions that writers use to popularize articles. Generally speaking, the media tends to use language that attracts readers and viewers. Even social media posts do the same.

Unfortunately, it seems that it has become necessary for writers to use negative headlines to attract readers. For example, negative news that people find interesting includes the expression of strange opinions, murders, or economic or global crises. This type of news is guaranteed popularity in the same way that news stories about celebrities and athletes are popular.

Some media agencies no longer encourage positive news because it is negative news that is popular. Positive articles are usually non-existent or limited in number. Some media agencies focus on negative and depressing news. Some even exaggerate the negativities while others twist the truth to get more attention. All of this sadly affects both reality and the image of our society, which our enemies take advantage of.

I am not calling for hiding the truth. We are a society just like any other. We have our positive and negative points. I am calling for a certain kind of balance in reporting news to the public. In other words, our media should not only be concerned about their own advantages but they should also think about how our society is perceived around the world. Media outlets should not follow a certain ideology and only publish the news that fits their ideology.

The media is a tool for providing the truth to the world. Sometimes we get confused when reading articles and wonder whether the information is accurate. Readers are left confused and forced to double-check the information that they receive. I hope in the future our media will focus more on the truth than on negative stories.


May 11, 2018
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