Something I've really noticed in Western European mainstream (and even non-mainstream) media channels, is the constant sanitisation of news.
For instance, there were mass brawls in Mannheim in Germany last weekend.
The media were extremely careful not to mention anything about race or nationality of those involved.
Eventually, after much probing, I found out, it was between rival "Auslaender" groups, but as to their ethnicity, that information was absent, no matter where I looked.
Since then, I've seen several tweets from Germany friends I know, about how there is a backlash against foreigners in this part of Germany in recent days and how this is unfair, and the nationality/race of those involved is 'irrelevant', etc
A number of pertinent points came into my head afterwards:
1) The media perhaps did more damage than good, by deliberately refusing to mention the origins of the brawlers, as it allowed people to speculate about "bloody foreigners causing trouble again".
2) The immediate response by German associates of mine, that the origins of the brawlers was 'irrelevant', struck me as illogical, but is very typical of the German people in general, who are so incredibly careful where race or nationality is concerned. But adopting such a 'head in the sand' attitude, does nobody any good, and does not help in trying to tackle the root of such issues and try to take measures to prevent them reoccurring.
Thoughts?
Have you seen similar such instances yourselves across Western media sources?
For instance, there were mass brawls in Mannheim in Germany last weekend.
The media were extremely careful not to mention anything about race or nationality of those involved.
Eventually, after much probing, I found out, it was between rival "Auslaender" groups, but as to their ethnicity, that information was absent, no matter where I looked.
Since then, I've seen several tweets from Germany friends I know, about how there is a backlash against foreigners in this part of Germany in recent days and how this is unfair, and the nationality/race of those involved is 'irrelevant', etc
A number of pertinent points came into my head afterwards:
1) The media perhaps did more damage than good, by deliberately refusing to mention the origins of the brawlers, as it allowed people to speculate about "bloody foreigners causing trouble again".
2) The immediate response by German associates of mine, that the origins of the brawlers was 'irrelevant', struck me as illogical, but is very typical of the German people in general, who are so incredibly careful where race or nationality is concerned. But adopting such a 'head in the sand' attitude, does nobody any good, and does not help in trying to tackle the root of such issues and try to take measures to prevent them reoccurring.
Thoughts?
Have you seen similar such instances yourselves across Western media sources?