What IS the media bias?

[liveonearth]

I got enough responses to my bit about preparing to resist radiation that it occurs to me to wonder, is the media really working so hard to inflame panic? Or are they trying to keep us from panicking so that we will all just go to the mall and buy movie tickets instead of concerning ourselves with radiation? I have no idea what the media is up to, because aside from this outward mental spew I participate in it very little. I do not watch TV. I do catch a few minutes of NPR from time to time, and last I heard was some expert saying that the situation at the plant there has surpassed the level of the Three Mile Island meltdown. That was enough for me to know that radiation has already been emitted. I'm not panicked....but I'm interested. These ARE interesting times. I'm fascinated, in fact, with the homogenaity of the responses I've gotten. So everybody thinks it is a hoax? What is informing you of this certainty? And what makes you so sure you are right? I'll have to wait for my other bit a media---a weekly called The Week---before I will have any more media hype to pass on.

Comments

[geordie.livejournal.com]

I work with a guy who spent his years in the US Army as a nuclear, biological and chemical specialist. He was suggesting today that we really should have Iostat available, just in case. He's not worried but he's also not waiting to see how bad it gets before he starts shopping. Seems reasonable. We are a heck of a long way from Japan and the chances are that anything significant would fall in to the vastness of the Pacific. But still.

I don't see other comments, what do people think is a hoax? Do they not believe the reactors are cooking off or do they not believe it can affect people?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I posted it to several groups to get a response. The only group that responded reasonably was the natural med group. All the survivalist type groups responded with cynicism that I am a victim of media hype and there is no radiation to worry about. I worry about how they got that way. They were rude enough that I assume they are young.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

I am usually very cautious about what I am being told, but in this case there appears to be a serious risk of six Chernobyl style reactor fires. If that happens the material could spread a very long way.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the little bit I've taken in suggests to me that our level of planetary radiation pollution is about to be bumped up. Sort of like smog.

[ford-prefect42.livejournal.com]

Quick question: How often have you noticed those particular groups being *overly optimistic* in the past? What genuine concerns have you seen survivalists *shrug off*?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

The survivalists tend to worry the most about the government and warfare effects, and ignore more vague environmental concerns---ie they are more militia-slanted and not overly concerned about water quality, air quality, etc. The public_health group was completely dismissive of my post and they seem to be taken with the conventional line from insurance and the pharmaco-medical industry. The so_very_doomed group actually came up with a decent exploration of the side effects of new iodine supplementation (ie bromine release and how to deal with it).

It's my impression that each group tends to accumulate more people who agree with a central set of assumptions, and that they are all different. I join groups whether I agree with their worldview or not, just out of curiosity about the subject matter they entertain. My rare posts are more often disparaged than respected.