'Recent events' refer to happenings that have just occured, or is still occuring at this point in time. It describes a string of particular happenings. I have based my essay on the mass killings in a University in the United States, the killings in Afghanistan through a blast, and the launching of Afghan attacks by Taliban. As these incidents have just happened, I consider them as 'Recent events'.
Judging by the headlines, these events are attention-grabbing. Crude words like 'shootings', 'killer' and 'launch' instantly saps one's attention, bringing a great deal of focus to it. In the article of the launching of attacks by Taliban on Afghanistan, the headline is titled with descriptors like 'launch'. Instead of using words like 'Taliban carries out attacks on Afghanistan', the journalist chooses the word 'launch'. By doing so, the media is exaggerating the extent of the news by playing around with words.
In the other article of the mass killings in the Virginia University in the United States, the killings is emphasised by a numerical value. The journalist opts to put in the number '33', to portray a significant number who perished in the killings. Imagine, if the number did not appear in the headlines, but rather the headline reads ' Details of Killer emerged' , would you be as awed?
As for the article on the Taliban killings, it is put forth as ' the heaviest fighting in an area so close to the capital since 2001' in the first paragraph. Of course, the extent to 'heavy fighting' differs from one to another. As such, this extent is subject to the journalist alone; where he might use these words in an attempt to attract the reader's attention. The University kilings have inputs like 'rocked with grief' in the report as well. All these are done in the hope of making these news impactful.
Furthermore, the media puts more efforts in publishing such news. From the link of the website of world news, the category of news reporting killings outweighs those of other genres. Does this mean that the world is saturated with violence? There are other 'minor' news like the Nigerian VP's particiapation in the general election, but the media displays it as 'secondary news'.
If you notice, covers on tabloids are mostly news of such content. Even news programmes on the television airs such news in priority.
Perhaps it is because the reader's interest lies mainly in tangible news like these that have resulted in this unpredecented way of reporting news. In addition, happenings like killings of this sort certainly do not happen in our day-to-day lives. They inject a sense of amazement and regret in us. For example, I tend to read articles of such content in detail, whereas I would just scan through news related to politics or of other genres.
Thus, the mass media make the news only to cater to the audiences' taste and preferences.
Website of World News
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/world/index.html
University Massacre Killings in the United States
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070417/1/47vx0.html
Bombing of a UN Car in Afghanistan
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070417/1/47vus.html
Launching of attacks by Taliban on Afghanistan
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070417/3/47vxu.html
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