This letter is part of an effort of mine to change news coverage. I would like your opinions if you disagree. If you agree address your response to Rupert Murdoch and/or to Fox News (same address) e-mail

*edited by Gypsysnipe*

Rupert Murdoch
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
News Corporation
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

Dear Mr. Murdoch,

I recently suggested to Fox News posting a tally of the victims of suicide bombing on their web site.

The response was:
“How would we determine whose death is attributable to terrorism?”

I am sending a copy of this letter to those who can best answer the question “whose death is attributable to terrorism.”

I am expanding my proposal and asking you to examine:
How is your coverage of suicide bombings aiding terrorist groups?

The reason for my original letter was that I thought Fox News would be the best option for changing a problem I see with the US media. Quite often I log on to My Yahoo Internet page to see a feature of A.P.s’. “US military deaths in Iraq war at (today’s number)”. I am sure the enemies of our nation take comfort in AP’s tracking of American soldiers’ deaths.

No media outlet tracks the number of individuals killed by suicide bombers. Tens of thousands of stories were written about the torture at Abu Ghraib prison creating empathy for the victims. When a suicide bomber killed 59 schoolboys in Afghanistan, with no follow up stories, no media outrage, with no empathy expressed for these victims. Yet, our national media (especially television) plays a major role in every major attack. They deliver the political message of terrorist organizations worldwide, terrorist power and governmental weakness. This type of media coverage serves terrorists well.

Some say suicide bombings are due to foreign policy. Not much of an argument with groups trying to advance a global ideology. There have been several inconclusive studies of individual motivations of the bombers. I think individual motivation is interesting, but not terribly important in ending the tactic. Understanding what terrorist organizations gain locally, regionally and/or internationally from media coverage is important.

Some in the media may say, “we are only reporting the news”. It is not the reporting of this news but how this news is reported that is the problem. I hope you will consider this problem and perhaps expand your coverage to humanize the victims of suicide bombings in all the media under your control.

Mike McCray

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Gypsysnipe
Moderator

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