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The power of the media

The media can play a useful role in catching killers and finding missing people

By Marc HooverPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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Duane Chapman (L) has vowed to capture fugitive Brian Laundrie

Last week, I covered the media handling of murder victim Gabby Petito. And now, the press, social media, John Walsh, and Dog the Bounty Hunter have entered the fray. It seems like everyone on the planet wants to find Brian Laundrie, who is suspected of killing Gabby Petito—the young woman he professed to love. If you look at Facebook, he seems to be everywhere except in police custody. People everywhere are posting pictures of various bald Caucasian men from different parts of the country. Laundrie appears to be public enemy number one.

This is a good thing though, because there won’t be too many places he can go without someone recognizing him. I am hopeful he will be sitting in a cell eating jail slop somewhere by the time you read this.

So who is giving all this special attention to this suspected killer? The media, of course. And it will probably be the media who will lead to Laundrie’s capture.

Last week, I created a firestorm when I asked readers to tell me if ethnicity played a part in the media’s agenda of covering missing people and murder victims. On a few occasions I was told to stop being a race baiter and stirring up hatred. Apparently, not everyone read my article. I wanted to know if a person’s ethnicity played a part in the stories that CNN, FOX News and other media giants cover.

So here’s the gist of it. I am going to ask again, but this time I will use an example. The media is selective in who they will cover. Let’s say you have a murdered Caucasian prostitute, a missing black child, a murdered Hispanic mother of two, and a missing Caucasian high school teenager with blonde hair and blue eyes. Now let’s say CNN will only cover one of these cases.

Which story gets covered?

Although ethnicity is a factor in who receives media coverage, I also think the victim’s social status is considered. For instance, a missing CEO will receive more coverage than a missing mother of four on public assistance. If you are an optimist who believes everyone is created equally, then you better also believe that not all people are treated equally. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s a reality in our society.

My mother always told me there are two types of people in this world. She called them the “gots” and the “ain’t gots.”

It’s really that simple.

However, not everyone with a platform gives attention to social status or ethnicity. For instance, I started writing this column over six years ago. I have also done the Catch my Killer podcast for over two years and produced over 100 episodes. My objective for the podcast and this column is to treat everyone as an equal. I will write a story or produce a podcast for anyone who needs my help to share stories about their missing or murdered family members.

I don’t even consider ethnicity or social status when deciding on who to cover. My only requirement is that you are a human being, someone you love has either vanished or been murdered, and you need me to help you share your story. And once the story is out, I hope the right person hears it and will provide a tip that will lead to answers.

I only ask for my readers and listeners to visit my website www.catchmykiller.com and buy me a cup of coffee every month (yes, there is a link on the website) or share the episodes and bring awareness to missing people and unsolved homicides. For every case I have covered, I know there is someone out there with the right answers.

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About the Creator

Marc Hoover

Marc Hoover is a Hooper award winning columnist for the Clermont Sun newspaper in Ohio. Contact him at [email protected]. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer.

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