Media Blackout?: Occupying Wall Street Through the Media’s Eyes
Has the spirit of the Arab Spring come to Wall Street, or are the protesters just anarchists looking for trouble?
It started in Lower Manhattan. A handful of protesters descended on Wall Street calling themselves representatives of ‘the 99 per cent’ – the majority of Americans who feel unfairly treated by an economic system in which wealth accrues to the already rich.
Despite an initial lack of coverage, the protests spread country-wide and the crowds grew. The coverage however was disappointing. Protesters accused media outlets of marginalizing the demonstrations and not representing public interest. They pointed to the deep connections between the corporate system the demonstrations aimed to change and the mainstream media. Our News Divide this week: the protesters on Wall Street and the challenge of having their story told.
