Question

Begin the discussion by responding to the following prompt:

If you know anything about the Titanic, you know it hit an iceberg and sank three hours later. For nearly 24 hours, the world knew only that it was a ship in distress. Most newspapers reported everyone was safe, when in fact, 1,517 passengers and crew perished. Many blamed the new wireless technology, but others thought reporters had fallen for the White Star hype about their “unsinkable” ship.

Analyze the media bias you see in the 1912 article about the Titanic. Discuss the possible reasons that led reporters to believe the White Star hype. Then consider how hype or propaganda may bias reporting today. Give examples if you can. In four sentences.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The media bias in the 1912 article about the Titanic can be seen in the reporting of everyone being safe when, in reality, a significant number of people had perished. This bias may have been influenced by the White Star hype surrounding the "unsinkable" ship, as reporters might have been inclined to believe and propagate such claims. Today, hype and propaganda continue to bias reporting, with examples including biased coverage of political campaigns, where media outlets may favor certain candidates or parties, and sensationalized coverage of tragedies, which often leads to the spread of misinformation and exaggeration.