Media "values" not in line with general public.

Media "values" not in line with general public
by
Chaplain Kathie

Oh this is so easy!

For years it is the number one conversation veterans groups sadly have. Why isn't the media here? It happens all the time leaving them feeling as if they just don't matter enough to get any attention. If TV crews come, they film the whole event but usually won't put it on the news and when they do, it is a few seconds of airtime.

I used to call them and ask them why they were not covering the events I show up at. They respond with "there isn't any interest in it" or "we didn't know about it" but the veterans running the events contact the media well in advance.

A poll on Stars and Stripes asked about what civilians value. Looks like the media has it all wrong and now there is proof.

Firefighters are number one with 94%

Military comes in at 88%

OEF-OIF veterans 86%

and at the end of the list is

Politicians 11%

Sports Stars 6%

Celebrities 5%

Turn on CNN, MSNBC and FOX and all they manage to talk about are politicians and celebrities. Sure they cover a major fire but they are covering the fire and suffering and not the heroes fighting the fire.

Military again is a good example because while they do cover things like "Shock and Awe" they never manage to cover much about any of the troops unless it happens to be Thanksgiving or Christmas. Then they manage to get a few minutes together to connect soldiers with families.

This is really simple. The attitude of the general public is we value real heroes, not made up ones selected by the media. We value the men and women putting others ahead of themselves.

The most popular post on Wounded Times is "For those I love I will sacrifice" about

"Pfc. Kyle Hockenberry, of 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Infantry Regiment, 1st Heavy Combat Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, who was injured in an improvised explosive device attack near Haji Ramuddin, is treated by flight medic Cpl. Amanda Mosher while being transported by medevac helicopter to the Role 3 hospital at Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan on June 15, 2011.

He lost both legs and an arm.

This post was read over 32,000 times, yet the media won't spend much time on them at all.

Read it all for yourself on Stars and Stripes to see what else the media got wrong all this time.

Poll: Civilians believe veterans are valuable, but lack education and suffer PTSD
By LEO SHANE III
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 13, 2012

WASHINGTON — Civilians see Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as “valuable civic assets” but also believe that most are poorly educated and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, according a report released Wednesday.

The nationwide survey, commissioned by the veterans advocacy group The Mission Continues and the Hollywood production company Bad Robot, was designed to “understand civilian perceptions of America’s newest generation of returning veterans.”

Researchers found a great deal of respect and admiration for those whose served in the military, but also confusion over their backgrounds and long-term health prospects.
read more here