Foreign Media, Essay Example

Human Rights is a serious global issue throughout the world. Throughout history, there have been many cases in which have demonstrated the catastrophes that have undermined the good of society by oppressing others that were different, albeit women, slaves, religious affiliations, and other groups. Throughout time, there has been significant progression towards rectifying those wrongs. However, in other parts of the world, there has been little improvement in the case of human rights for a variety of groups in places such as Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other foreign places. Issues in human rights have been an increasingly prominent problem in recent years. With advances in technology that allows for more people around the world to have access to international media, and information. The increase in wanting equal human rights has prompted many international political leaders and government entities to speak out, create mandates, and define policies which has increased public awareness. The role of the foreign media is to report and provide coverage on issues that might affect the rest of the world. The role of foreign media is to avoid bias or distort the information on pertinent issues such as human rights in foreign countries. The purpose of this paper is to provide a global review on the issue of human rights voiced through foreign media in countries such as, Sudan, the United States, New Zealand, Israel, and abroad.

UN has provided over 30 documents that pertain to defining Human Rights, and more importantly provides a spotlight on the increased amounts of global human rights violations. The United States has long been a champion for equal rights, as it has overcome a long history of inequality, discrimination, and oppression of citizens. As time has progressed to the 21^stcentury, the United States has thought to be one of the leaders. However, covered by Al Jazeera, the UN has strongly criticized the United States over human rights concerns that consist of, “jailing the homeless and sentencing juveniles to life sentences, to drone warfare, and spying by the National Security Agency.” (Dizard 1) Al Jazeera provides an unbiased report on how praised the efforts of the U.S in a demand for change in global human rights, calling for an end to the death penalty in the nation, and curbing human traffic, there are over 25 human rights issues, that fail to meet the international standards developed by the United Nations. While many news outlets buff at reporting the fallacies of the United States, Al Jazeera provides an in-depth look at how the U.S. is failing at their own human rights standards they want the rest of the world to follow. In particular, “The report also denounced racial disparities in prosecutions and sentencing, including the use of the death penalty and long drug-related prison sentences for African-Americans and Hispanics.” (Dizard 1)

In comparison, The Jerusalem Post, has also provided an article on the UN’s debate on anti-Israel resolutions, which call for boycotts of businesses, neighborhoods, and the legality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. (Lazaroff 1) JPost, unlike Al Jazeera is a national media for Israel. Their report on the human rights issues brought on by the UN, is reported in a matter that criticizes the UN’s lack of consistency and reverence in addressing more serious issues such as those in Syria, where the country is engaged in a civil war, and in Tehran where over 80 people within the year have been executed. (Lazaroff 1) Human Rights violations in Israel is a serious problem as the country has occupied territories in which they have taken part in trying to ethnically cleanse, induce colonialism, and develop an apartheid. Their bias reporting is evident in their attempt to discredit the United Nations, and report on the presumed absence of Israel’s presence at the UN’s Human Right Counsel.  Jerusalem Post while provides details, and an overall issue when reporting on UN’s problems with Israel’s human rights violation, it is clear that JPost will try to paint the other parties in a bad light.

Provided by the American owned New York Times, they provide a report on the global epidemic of global human rights issues. The United States’ State Department provided a report on the international governments there were suppressing other politics, restricting freedom of assembly, and other significant human rights violations. Due to the foreign media has provided attention to human rights, the United States while providing an exemplary record of improving human rights. However, New York’s seemingly unbiased reporting provides an overview of the international communities such as Egypt, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, they have left out the human rights concerns of the United States. (Gordon 1)  Foreign countries such as Egypt, Syria, and other countries have committed several egregious human rights violations were many were killed, help in labor and prison camps, extrajudicial killings, and other violations which levels have increased. Among the most heinous crimes reported include, detention and arrestment, torture, lack of due process of activities, and the inability to change their government. (Gordon 1)

It is clear that the role of foreign media has increased dramatically in the last decades, as many have news outlets have been put out, whether nationally or internationally, they all have the duty and priority to report with an unbiased write up, such as in the case of the Anti-Israel resolutions. While the report by NY Times and Al Jazeera provide an in-depth look at global human rights issues. However NY Times while providing an extensive layout of human rights atrocities within the international community. Contrast, Al Jazeera provides an in-depth look, which reported solely on the facts, and provide content where the audience are able to get verifiable information. Their report tackles the shortcomings of the US’s progression of human rights, except in their own nation. Human rights are a sustainable problem that cannot be ignored, not only are people being killed in vast numbers with a civil war, people are being forced into an apartheid where the aim is to ethnically cleanse another group of people. Human rights have influenced several prominent figures, and the rest of the international community to create legislation and mandates to rectify the problem. The increase in media reporting and consumption will increase public awareness, which invites better ideas, tactics, and strategies to mitigate the problem.  The impact of the lack of human rights in foreign countries is deplorable, and creates a sense of urgency to make more people aware of the atrocities being done not only to a modern society such as the United States, but also in foreign countries that feel subjugated to hide their fallacies from the foreign media. Foreign media have a duty and responsibility to report on the facts in every countries about violations to human rights, because everyone needs to be held accountable.

Works Cited

Dizard, Wilson. “U.N. Slams U.S. for Torture, NSA Spying.” Al Jazeera. 27 March 2014. Web. 7 April 2014. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/27/us-human-rights-reportun.html

Gordon, Michael R. “State Department Report Details Suppression of Human Rights Abroad.” NY Times. 28 Feb 2014. Web. 7 April 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/world/state-department-report-details-suppression-of-human-rights-abroad.html?_r=0

Lazaroff, Tovah. “United Nations Human Rights Council debates 5 anti-Israel resolutions.” The Jerusalem Post. 24 March 2014. Web. 7 April 2014. http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/WATCH-LIVE-United-Nations-Human-Rights-Council-debates-5-anti-Israel-resolutions-346308