In yet another stunning display of media bias, Fox 13 Seattle portrayed a spokesman for the protesters who were blocking traffic to draw attention to their cause. This type of media treatment ensures that we will continue to suffer from this self-destructive tactic.
Journalist Alejandra Guzman published a web article titled “Western Australian nonprofit kicks off ‘100 days of peace’ by jamming Interstate 5,” which barely managed to hide her enthusiasm for the nonprofit’s disruptive tactics.
The nonprofit group Urban Family shut down Interstate 5 last week, claiming to be fighting for public safety and police accountability. They even had the audacity to demand community-wide action, as if creating a traffic nightmare for innocent drivers was a noble act.
“If we have to stop traffic to raise awareness, we will,” Chantelle Patou, executive director of Urban Family, told Fox 13, as if we weren’t all too aware of the spike in gun violence.
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How is this an example of biased media reporting?
How did Fox 13 report this story? They swallowed the story, gave the protesters a platform to air their frustrations, and showed no sign of criticizing their tactics. Blocking traffic and inconveniencing countless commuters is not an effective way to promote public safety, even if well-intentioned. Yet Fox 13 Seattle seems to think it was a heroic act.
“The event, called ‘Traffic Jam for Peace,’ created a strange scene on a Seattle freeway. Instead of frustration and impatience, there was a sense of collective purpose,” Guzman asserted, drawing laughs.
Does anyone really believe this observation is accurate? Were the people stuck in traffic for so long that their causes are unknown participating in a “collective sense of purpose”? Just because Guzmán appears to support the cause doesn’t mean that the people stuck in traffic shared any kind of “collective sense of purpose.”
The irony is that the activists are ignoring the public safety they claim to be defending. Blocking a major intersection isn’t just inconvenient; it’s dangerous, potentially delaying emergency vehicles and putting lives at risk. But Fox 13 Seattle and Guzman have little interest in pointing that out; their cause is too noble to be criticized.
Such biased reporting leads to further traffic congestion.
The real issue here is the media’s role in perpetuating this nonsense. Instead of holding protesters accountable for their disruptive actions, Fox 13 Seattle has offered glowing critiques mixed with sympathetic comments and unquestioning support. This is not journalism, this is activism disguised as news.
We need local media to do better. We need reporters who are not afraid to ask tough questions, hold people accountable, and call out bad behavior no matter what the reason. Are we to trust that the same level of sycophantic reporting would occur if pro-lifers shut down I-5? Fox 13 Seattle seems more interested in spreading a story than reporting the news. There’s nothing wrong with that if that’s their goal. Just stop pretending that it’s objective news.
Ultimately, this kind of media bias harms us all: it emboldens protesters to continue their disruptive acts, and they will expect favorable coverage as long as sympathetic reporters represent a cause they can support.
What’s especially annoying is that Cause It’s a noble thing to do. What’s not noble is how it’s done. Providing resources, guidance and programs to young people can help prevent at-risk youth from turning to violence. This is important work, and it’s being undermined by actions like these.
More from Jason Lantz: When watching news about anti-Semitic campus protests, don’t fall into the trap.
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