Second Media Reflection

Hannah O
Hannah O
Sep 4, 2018 · 3 min read

Buzzfeed reporter J. Lester Feder writes on account of the anti-immigration protests that occurred in Germany over the past two weeks, and how social media rumors led to thousands of immigrants and refugees living in fear. According to Feder, after a German citizen named Daniel H. was stabbed in the city of Chemnitz, Germany, many people became quick to believe he had been murdered by an immigrant who was supposedly an attempted rapist. As protests filled the streets with people chanting for foreigners to get out of Germany, Feder’s article that identifies and explains the perspective of the far-right protesters, immigrants, and the German government, rather than just one point of view; this allows readers to get a sense of the entire story instead of just one side. Additionally, Feder clearly explains how far-right groups based on sites like Facebook use social media to broadcast their message — which often includes false information meant to stir up a response from the public. It’s clear not only why this protest occurred, but how rumors about crime and immigrants spread. Feder explains the increase in recent immigration to Germany, comparing it to the last century of the nation’s history to explain how anti-immigration sentiment still exists. He also details how the last week’s protests are different in that they are increasingly popular among average Germans, unlike a few Facebook groups that would typically disgust the general population. Overall, Feder’s article is very thorough in it’s examination of the anti-immigration movement in Germany and the article allows readers to easily understand the facts surrounding it.

In the 2009 segment “What Happened to the American Dream?” from ABC’s 20/20, anchor John Stossel details the life of one American family in the recession. The Berkley family of San Diego, CA were comfortably upper-middle class before the recession hit in 2008; parents Holly and Keith both had their own businesses that grew rapidly, a Lexus SUV and enjoyed multiple large TVs along with other luxuries. The recession severely damaged Keith’s construction company and the family was forced to sell their SUV, cancel gym memberships and cable service, and turn to gardening to reduce their grocery haul. Despite these changes undoubtably making the Berkley family’s lives harder and left them feeling much less financially secure, Stossel’s narration quotes the Berkley family saying their lives are “better” in the recession than before. Earlier in the segment, Professor Richard Florida of the University of Toronto claims that before the recession, Americans “felt they were on a treadmill and couldn’t keep up” leaving them feeling “empty” as material possessions enjoyed by many before the recession hadn’t led to permanent happiness. Ultimately, this segment is very misleading to audiences. Although the goal may have been to uplift a struggling nation and encourage Americans to look on the bright side, the segment blatantly ignores those who were suffering in the recession; many Americans faced decisions more difficult than canceling a gym membership, like foreclosure, hunger, and unemployment. Highlighting just one family with their vegetable garden and family dinners disrespects the thousands of people who didn’t have money to pay their bills or eat, preventing 20/20 from sharing an accurate narrative of life in the recession.

Sources

Feder, J. Lester. “The Real Story Behind The Anti-Immigrant Riots Rocking Germany.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed, 31 Aug. 2018, www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lesterfeder/germany-chemnitz-far-right-neo-nazis.

ABC News. “What Happened to the American Dream?” YouTube, YouTube, 16 June 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAjKEijzEGg.

    Hannah O

    Written by

    Hannah O

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