ABC News
The Message:
ABC News coverage of the grand jury decision is conveyed through a much more moderate tone than either that of the previous two media outlets coverage. ABC News message seemingly seems to be that because of the failure to indict Officer Wilson protests, sometimes violent, erupted in the city after the decision was made. The message was also that the family demanded justice for the death of Michael Brown and covering the possibilities of what happened when Brown was shot and killed. What ABC News affectively did when reporting on this subject was mantain a sense of nuetrality by never seeming to argue for one side or the other, but presenting the news in a way that viewers could decide for themselves what they believe. Also, many sides of the case are explored, looking at what the police are preparing for and what the protestors are experiencing as well as what Darren Wilson claimed happened and how Michael Brown's family views what happened. The news coverage fits according to the times as the Michael Brown case was an on-going topic for months in the media, from the day Michael Brown was first killed up to present day as new news seems to always be coming in one way or another. Because the news is presented in a much more moderate way here, it largely expands the demographic of who is being reported to also. Generally, middle aged to older Americans covering the entire political spectrum are being targeted.
The Rhetoric:
Again, like all the previous news stations coverage, logos is used as an attempt to provide concrete facts and figures of this case. Audiences view numbers and data as being fullproof ways to back up a claim. Pathos and ethos are both used, but only to a limited extent as ABC wants to remain as nuetral as possible so as to mantain its mass appeal. By showing strong imagery from protests in Ferguson to Michael Brown's mothers tear filled call for justice, an emotional connection can be made between the viewer and what is being presented on television. As with the previous video, the question is raised of good vs. bad and right vs. wrong, although an explicit answer is never given or explored, it is presented as to challenge the beliefs of viewers, which is an appeal to ethos.
Final Thoughts:
I believe ABC News and its coverage of the Michael Brown case was both effective and non-effective. It is effective because through its moderate stance, is a viewer able to gain as much of the available facts without being influenced to think a certain way about the case or any of its surrounding issues. It is not effective because that is precisely the goal of media - to influence their intended audiences to think a certain way. It's never just about presenting facts anymore, as all media companies seem to be influenced by something even larger then themselves. Another reason ABC is effective is because of its clarity and the nuetral tone set forth by the anchors. Anyway the Michael Brown case is looked at, it cannot be disputed that it was a tradegy, and one that could have been avoided. This fact and the multitude of surrounding stories will seem to be reported on for some time, and it is up to the individual viewer on whether or not the news coverage being conveyed by so many different news sources is effective or not.
ABC News coverage of the grand jury decision is conveyed through a much more moderate tone than either that of the previous two media outlets coverage. ABC News message seemingly seems to be that because of the failure to indict Officer Wilson protests, sometimes violent, erupted in the city after the decision was made. The message was also that the family demanded justice for the death of Michael Brown and covering the possibilities of what happened when Brown was shot and killed. What ABC News affectively did when reporting on this subject was mantain a sense of nuetrality by never seeming to argue for one side or the other, but presenting the news in a way that viewers could decide for themselves what they believe. Also, many sides of the case are explored, looking at what the police are preparing for and what the protestors are experiencing as well as what Darren Wilson claimed happened and how Michael Brown's family views what happened. The news coverage fits according to the times as the Michael Brown case was an on-going topic for months in the media, from the day Michael Brown was first killed up to present day as new news seems to always be coming in one way or another. Because the news is presented in a much more moderate way here, it largely expands the demographic of who is being reported to also. Generally, middle aged to older Americans covering the entire political spectrum are being targeted.
The Rhetoric:
Again, like all the previous news stations coverage, logos is used as an attempt to provide concrete facts and figures of this case. Audiences view numbers and data as being fullproof ways to back up a claim. Pathos and ethos are both used, but only to a limited extent as ABC wants to remain as nuetral as possible so as to mantain its mass appeal. By showing strong imagery from protests in Ferguson to Michael Brown's mothers tear filled call for justice, an emotional connection can be made between the viewer and what is being presented on television. As with the previous video, the question is raised of good vs. bad and right vs. wrong, although an explicit answer is never given or explored, it is presented as to challenge the beliefs of viewers, which is an appeal to ethos.
Final Thoughts:
I believe ABC News and its coverage of the Michael Brown case was both effective and non-effective. It is effective because through its moderate stance, is a viewer able to gain as much of the available facts without being influenced to think a certain way about the case or any of its surrounding issues. It is not effective because that is precisely the goal of media - to influence their intended audiences to think a certain way. It's never just about presenting facts anymore, as all media companies seem to be influenced by something even larger then themselves. Another reason ABC is effective is because of its clarity and the nuetral tone set forth by the anchors. Anyway the Michael Brown case is looked at, it cannot be disputed that it was a tradegy, and one that could have been avoided. This fact and the multitude of surrounding stories will seem to be reported on for some time, and it is up to the individual viewer on whether or not the news coverage being conveyed by so many different news sources is effective or not.