Media Perception of The Dave Hilton Trial
Media Perception of The Dave Hilton TrialMedia perception: the Dave Hilton Trial
Media is described as a means of communication. The main purpose of the media is to inform the public in an accurate, comprehensive and balanced manner about events of importance. This does not always take place. The mass media has developed more and more prejudice towards certain individuals. Dave Hilton Jr., a boxer of exceptional talent and charisma, has been charged with nine-sex related crimes, including two of sexual assault, two of sexual interference, and two of inviting sexual touching. Media is based on location and it is clear that this story has been reported through language, the amount of coverage, and the public sentiment towards the accused. The Toronto media has portrayed Hilton as a criminal whereas the Montreal media has defended its superstar.
Every story is based upon language. The vocabulary that the reporter uses to describe the crime, victim, and accused reflect the opinion of that particular reporter. The newspaper which will be printing the story decides which articles will be printed and therefor controls what the public will see. In the Hilton case, the Montreal media has describes Hilton as a “victim” and has defended its hero. They have argued that Hilton is being framed by two girls whose only motive for the accusations are financial. Every story uses different words to describe the events which took place. The Toronto media has used words like “rapist” and disgust” to describe Hilton. The image that the media portrays is the picture that the general public will form concerning a certain individual. In this case, it is clear that the Toronto public has shifted its support and defense of Hilton to criticism. After reading stories in the Toronto newspapers about Dave Hilton and the wild lifestyle that he lives, the public has judged him solely on the words that were used to describe him. This type of reporting varies with location as the Montreal media has describes Hilton as a victim and has used more compassionate words to describe the crimes. It could be said that the Montreal media has not reported the trial on strict facts and that the Toronto media has sensationalized the crime and the lifestyle of Hilton family.
Every media source determines how much coverage a particular story merits. These decisions are based on the events the public is more interested in reading and how many newspapers that particular story will sell. Today, the headlines on the front page are the ones which contain the most controversy. People walking by newsstands, or picking up the newspapers to glance at the headlines will be informed upon the events that the media has reported on the front page. Most of the headlines on the front page are in big text and are bolded. There has been a considerable media coverage difference in looking at the Hilton trial. The Toronto media has not made the trial a very big event and has reserved the story for the left page in the middle of the first section. This page will receive less coverage than a page on the right side. The Hilton trial is not often mentioned on television, as the network does not feel it is important to the public. This raises another issue. The media and the people running the newspapers will decide what the public will see. There are many events, which are deemed to be unimportant by the media and are not reported which happen to be very important to the public but do not make the front page. The recent allegations by Conservative leader Joe Clark about the Prime Minister’ s business affairs are a topic which the Canadian people wish to know more about. The media has not made the issue a very big one and most people do not even know what is going on. The Mel Lastman story is something that the media has but the public do not care to know. His actions do and will not change his public perception and his ability to be the Mayor of Toronto. These examples clearly demonstrate the media’ s objectives and how the amount of coverage which is allotted to each story is determined on how the networks feel about certain issues.
Public sentiment is vital in the media’ s decision to run a story. The media is interested in reporting the truth but at the same time does not want to offend the readers of the newspaper. If it were to do so, the reader base may diminish, as the media industry is very competitive. There are many newspapers available and all report the same stories. It is the spin and the way that certain media sources report those stories, which determine the readers that will purchase that newspaper. The Toronto Star, for example, caters to the average white middle class male who is more interested in the Sunshine Girl and sports, than business and the economy. The Globe and Mail caters to the more educated reader and uses a more advanced vocabulary in its stories. There sport section is brief while their investment and business section is complex. The Toronto Star has established a medium between the two extremes and prints a newspaper that is interesting to sports readers as well as investment bankers. When printing a story, the media source determines the spin that will be put on that particular story. To appeal to their reader base, the media will publish a story with the opinions of the general public. It is very unusual that the media reports a certain story which contradicts public sentiment and if they were to do so, many readers would be disappointed. Dave Hilton is a hero and a household name in Quebec and the media has therefor taken the side of the athlete. The Toronto public cannot relate to Hilton and does not consider him a celebrity. Most people in Toronto might not even know who Dave Hilton is or have ever heard the Hilton name. This amount of reporting devoted to certain people can be seen in other cases. Most people of Quebec do not know who Vince Carter is and have only heard the name. Vince is considered a superstar in Toronto, as it is in our culture that we elevate athletes based on their perormance. In Quebec, French athletes are considered supreme based on their nationality and the language they speak and receive much more attention than they would in Ontario. Jacque Villeneuve is an example of such an athlete who receives an incredible amount of publicity in Quebec but does not get the same media attention in Ontario. It is very hard to determine whether certain individuals deserve such attention. The Montreal media has made Hilton out to be a victim as he and the Quebec public consider him a superstar.
The role of the media is simply to report certain events on the facts without displaying any prejudice or bias. After reading newspapers of different locations, it is clear that this does not take place. Certain media sources favor the accused or victim through certain words and the way they describe the events which took place. Other media sources sensationalize the crimes that have taken place and change the impression of the reader. The amount of coverage each media source devotes to a certain story also determines its opinions about those facts. A story that is very important to the press will be seen on the front page of the newspaper or discussed at the beginning of news reports. Public sentiment hugely influences how the media will portray certain individuals. If the public believes a certain person is guilty, that particular view will be seen by the reporting of the press. Language, the amount of coverage, and the public sentiment determine the image of the characters involved in the story. The Montreal public has made Hilton out to be a hero through the amount of media coverage spent on his story, the language used to describe him, and the public sentiment that the public feels towards him. The Toronto media has painted a totally different view in the minds of the public through lack of coverage, language, and the public sentiment that Hilton is guilty before proven innocent.