Tsunami Media Overload vs Radio Appeal

**TonkaToys** · 01-11-2005, 10:09

Hey guys and gals,

have you noticed how the media is starting to drift off the topic of the Tsunami?
In the UK floods in the north are dominating the newspaper headlines. Of course we all know that people out in Asia will be suffering for years to come, but well... it is getting boring watching it on the telly now.
At least that is what the editors of these programs must think!

In an effort to keep up the media interest, every commercial radio station in the UK will be broadcasting the same 12 hour programme on Monday 17th. This is the first time this has happened and it is expected to be the largest audience for a show ever.
The idea of the show is to encourage UK listeners to donate one hour of their salary to the appeal.

From abroad, you can listen to any part of the programme from one of the various UK commercial radio stations that broadcast on the web.

**PanzerJaeger** · 01-12-2005, 01:38

To be honest, im kinda tired of it myself. I saw, i felt bad, i gave money, and if they ever say they need more ill give again. Watching the same videos over and over gets old..

**SwordsMaster** · 01-12-2005, 02:14

....apart from boredom, what is going to happen if we watch the same videos another few dozen times? It will lose its shoking effect and become just another one of those ads we see every day and we don´t even pay attention to.

That without mentioning that there are other things happening in the world, that didnt stop because of the Tsunami and that also need to be informed about, critizised, sold, etc... Delivered, in short.

**Byzantine Prince** · 01-12-2005, 02:34

I'm so sick of the Tsunami story. The media and public has been eating it up for far too long. Why is it that people only care about what the media overhypes. Seriously. The same thing hapened with SARS. Pfft... are you freaken kidding me with SARS. IT only has a 2% death rate to everyone that get's it. That's way less then you can say about most other serious deseases. Toronto's tourist economy almost collupsed because of those idiots.

I didn't even donate for the Tsunami thing. There are like a dozen other places where people are suffering waaay more. Places like Darfur, Uganda, and the Western Sahara. The Tsunami disaster is a tragedy yes, but i won't fall in the media's trap. The UN should take care of those poor victims, not normal. Serously what else do those UN fat cats have to do besides this. After they receave billions every year. Isn't that enough? What do they do with it? I bet they spend all for themselves and their fancy buildings. What about Rwanda? Huh? 900,000 people died. And the thing about Rwanda is the UN could have stopped it relatively easily. But they didn't. And they're not exactly overspent in Darfur either.

**TonkaToys** · 01-12-2005, 09:56

You are all correct that the media tends to overhype one thing until people get bored and then move on to the next. What we should bear in mind is that suffering does not stop because it is not in the news.

Byz: I see what you are saying; yes there are plenty of other people suffering and no we should not ignore them either. However there are plenty of established aid programmes for these countries.
I guess being half Thai, I am biased, but I would also say that unless strategic aid is given in a co-ordinated way to the victims of the Tsunami, we are likely to watch another area of mass poverty and deprivation appear.
What I am trying to say is that if we get it right, the consequences of the Tsunami can be limited and therefore will not require the longer term support that the areas you have mentioned may need.

**Byzantine Prince** · 01-12-2005, 15:54

Another thing that I've noticed is how hypocritical the politicians that are visiting these countries are. They(including the US) promise all that money and they don't give even half of it. Kofi Annan himself has said this. They are all liers that only pay attention to those areas because they want to be in the news as if they are doing something worthwhile. I for one am sick of it.

So far Canada has given only 1 million(I think) but that's ok because at least we'll have enough dignity to give it.

**The Blind King of Bohemia** · 01-13-2005, 13:05

I agree. The other day when i was watching boring daytime television for this limp wristed guy to come on and say we should give 70% of our earnings to the Tsunami appeal which i had to laugh at.

Its terribly sad don't get me wrong but its being on a constant daily and the media have added to it. The only laugh i have had watching the news is Prince harry dressed up with a swastika which again is being blown out of all proportion but at least it made me laugh

**Devastatin Dave** · 01-14-2005, 04:00

I have to disagree, as long as there is so much suffering and death and now disease, it needs to be covered by the media. Over 150,000 dead and the diseases haven't really kicked in yet, this is news and should be covered. There are so many associated stories with the tsunami disaster that is not being fully covered or has not recieved the coverage it diserves. Instead we're fed with BS stories about an insensitive royal idiot wearing something stupid and racist just because he thought he could get away with it.

So there is no media overload, just short attention spans.

When's the next Total War coming out...

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 01-14-2005, 21:23

hehe

**Devastatin Dave** · 01-15-2005, 06:36

Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

hehe

So true...

**Byzantine Prince** · 01-15-2005, 07:17

Yes this trully is a great tragedy. They were about the only couple in hollywood to have adecent marrige. Where has the world gone where a guy like Brad Pitt can't get a decent wife. This tryully is a pitiful world.

**TonkaToys** · 01-24-2005, 09:55

Well, the Radio Appeal made over £3,000,000 (US$5mil or thereabouts).
If you are in the UK you can download live tracks by people like REM, Paul Weller, Stereophonics, Oasis, etc from www.ukradioaid.com for £1.50.