The media coverage of school yard bullying

The incident last week which involved a year 10 student Casey Heynes retaliating against his bully, has gained a significant amount of attention by the media.  The event was recorded on another student’s phone which was posted online, which then went viral worldwide capturing the attention and sympathy from viewers around the world with some naming Casey a ‘hero’ (Squires, R, Sunday Telegraph March 2011)’. The majority of the Media have constructed this story, in a way that promotes the year 10 Student from Chifley College as a superhero and have told the story in favour of Casey.

In general the articles that have featured this story have written in sympathy and in favour of Casey, the Daily Telegraph used emotive language in their articles explaining that he has “been bullied every day, and he couldn’t take anymore, couldn’t take the torments” Squires, R Sun Telegraph. The media has caused a huge amount of reaction around the world by covering this story. The media has created this huge 'hype' over bullying. The media questioning the audience about there own children, are their children safe at school. Another Herald article states ‘police and bullying experts are concerned by the videos publication on Facebook and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the older boys violence against his attackers. (Robinson, G & Grubb, B ). Will this create what 'Marsh and Melville' explain as 'copycat syndrome'? By facebook, the news, and youtube broadcasting images of violence will this create an surge of young people who will start acting out these similar acts of violence.

In a nine news interview which talks of another incident in February in which a victim of bullying was knocked out unconscious in an Adelaide school has sent out a call for a national response to bullying, alarming parents and wider community.The media is a prime device that is giving out this message.These reoccuring stories of bullying display a pattern in media reporting of these types of events. Reporter Jayde Robran explains Family First minister Denise Hoods has grace concerns over bullying. He is “calling for a task force to be set up, for a police presence in our schools". The news report presents Hood's argument that if this kind of violent bullying continues in our Australian schools then we could start seeing the type of violence seen in US school, and that bullies/ victims of bullying may end up in jail.

The Medias extensive coverage on bullying attacks has led to “moral panic” of bullying in the community. It has heightened the fear that parents have about the safety of their children in the school yard, and that our schools are going to eventually mirror the dynamics of American schools. This type of effect media creates is explained in (Marsh and Melvilles Crime, Justice and the Media p. 10. 2009). Marsh and Melville’s example of recent crimes in Britain of killings of children have caused widespread popular concern that there is something wrong with British society and its criminal justice process. It defines ‘signal crimes’ as being events that in addition to affecting the immediate participants victims, witnesses, offenders and those known to them, impact in some way upon a wider audience. This is similar to what is occurring in the media’s coverage of schoolyard bullying. By YouTube, news channels, and newspapers showing footage of these violent attacks bascially straight after they occur or by writing in a dramitized way about extreme bullying in our school. It is sending out a graphic visual imagery of bullying and violence present in certain schools around Australia. This is adding to the publics fear and perception that our schools are not safe for our children, and that bullying is at all time high and is only getting worse.

 References

1)  Marsh, I & Melville, G 2009 Crime, Justice and the Media Routledge New York.

2) Robinson, G, Bibby. P, Grubb. B Viral spread of bullying video may encourage may acts. March 2011

3) Squires, R Bully victim a world hit March 2011 Sunday Telegraph

2) West, P Bullying goes viral without solution 2011 Sydney Morning Herald (smh online)