News in China may be censored, but I find it an interesting contrast that the newspapers here do not tend to report on daily crime incidents until they have been solved. It keeps the masses happy and secure in the knowledge that their police force and justice system are at work. (I am aware that this is shaky ground).
In the UK, newspapers feed bad news to readers. It keeps them in a perpetual state of fear, or at least, negative perception of the world. Whether it’s Al Qaeda or an England match, the news will push a negative agenda.
Working on The Sun and News of the World (RIP), I learnt that the best paper sales were to be had when leading with bad news – or if Chelsea won. Bad news for the rest of the EPL teams, therefore.
The Guardian published an article today about how your brain actually filters bad news, explaining how a team at UCL discovered that we are actually more receptive to good news. Doubt it’ll change the way that papers push their agenda on to people though!
