Does social or cultural background affect the media coverage missing children receive?

[tweetiepie]

This is for educational purposes... just opinions etc. please
Do you think social background affects them more or cultural?

[originalkippyj]

I think it does. I think the wealthier and more attractive the family, the more attention they get, and even if they aren't wealthy and/or attractive, they seem to get more attention if they're Caucasian, at least in the United States. It bites, but it does appear to be a reality at this time.

[Visualappliance798]

no. what it depends on is how many papers they can sell.

[john]

Well, I can't think of any stories about black or Hispanic kids that went missing, but plenty of white kids who have. So I would say there is a bias, at least in the media I have come across.

[Helen]

Of course it does have you ever seen publicity like the Madelene McCann case ? Both her parents are doctors .

Such things happen every day but those of lesser social standing don't sell newspapers .

I sincerely hope Maddy is found and as a result the find Maddy fund evolves into an international charity involving newspapers and television around the world offering the parents of every child in similar circumstance regardless of thier social standing equal support to that of the McCanns .

All we need then is Bill Gates or someone similar to finance a private army of ex SAS men to illegally execute pheadophile rings and get away with it , and the world will be a better place .

[Cody R]

I'm old greg!!!!

[Foolishkitten814]

Of course it does. The media wants stories that sell. A story of a poor girl missing wont generate enough sparks. It's the cold harsh truth of the world we live in.

[flatcoil482]

It's the nature of the disappearance that makes a difference to the coverage. 'Presumed to be with a non-custodial parent' won't get any coverage, but 'went missing on the way home from school' (Shannon Matthews) or 'went missing from holiday home' (Madeleine McCann) will get coverage.

[delightfulborder428]

yes. social and cultural backgrounds affect media coverage of missing children. missing white children are more likely to appear on the news than missing black or hispanic children.

[Pierre Forgeron]

I wholeheartedly agree with Foxy.