9. Global media law and ethics

 

The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity in Media 

    Cultural sensitivity in media refers to the "awareness and understanding of different cultural norms, values, beliefs, and practices when creating and disseminating media content" according to simply global media SimplyGlobalMedia.com. Have you ever noticed that the campaigns of global brands changes depending on which country they are being produced for? Or have you noticed that a brand may sell one product in one country but completely different products in another country? There is a reason for that; it's called cultural sensitivity. Cultural sensitivity can be, and should be, considered by journalist when writing or producing a news story. 

    In media if cultural sensitivity is not taken into account the consequences can be very severe. Not only can it damage the reputation and credibility of the media outlet, but it can lead to a loss of audience trust. Not adhering to cultural sensitivity can lead to misrepresentation, discrimination against a community, and stereotyping. 

    One example of media outlets who do not adhere to cultural sensitivity is in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some media outlets and public figures were using terms like "Kung Flu" or "China Virus".  These comments helped add fuel to the fire in the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents. According to the Pew Research Center "Four-in-ten Chinese adults (39%) say they personally know another Asian person who has been threatened or attacked since the coronavirus outbreak." 

    During the pandemic the New York Post ran headlines that emphasized China that fueled stigma. One cover in particular depicted an Asian person in a mask with a headline that tied them to the virus. This cover caused society to build a visual connection between the virus and Asian people. Social media platforms picked up on media outlets trying to point fingers at China and Chinese people and only added fuel to the fire. In turn news outlets started to report on these viral clips shared on social media without contextualizing their harm. This turned the fire into a complete dumpster fire. 

    Another example of a media outlet being culturally insensitive is the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo . The magazine is known for purposefully being offensive toward topics such as politics, religion, and public figures. In January of 2015 the offices of Charlie Hebdo were under attack by terrorists. Algerian French brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi were the terrorist responsible for the attack that left twelve people dead. During the attack the brothers asked for the cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo specifically before murdering them. The brothers were able to get and was on the run for two days before the brothers took refuge in a print works office and took the owner hostage and an employee, Lilian Lepere, was unknowingly hidden from the brothers under the stink in an "upstairs canteen". During the eight-hour siege Lepere was able to provide the police with information through text messages. The brothers referred to themselves as "defenders of the Prophet Muhammad" and that they had been sent by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. 

    It is believed that the brothers attacked the Charlie Hebdo offices due to cartoons that depicted Muhammad. In Islam the principle of aniconism is very important, and the image of Muhammad is not to be depicted. In February 2006, Charlie Hebdo reprinted cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were originally depicted in the Danish Jyllands-Posten. Charlie Hebdo was sued by the Grand Mosque of Paris and the Union of French Islamic Organizations accusing the magazine of "inciting hatred against Muslims." The French court ruled in favor of Charlie Hebdo stating that "it was only fundamentalists, not Muslims in general, who were being ridiculed in the cartoons." 

    In November 2011, Charlie Hebdo announced a special edition under the name "Charia Hebdo" and the magazine named the Prophet Muhammad as editor in chief. Islamic groups retaliated by destroying the Charlie Hebdo offices with a firebomb. 

    While the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices was ruthless and unnecessary it goes to show just how important it is to ensure cultural sensitivity. Cases concerning cultural sensitivity can have very serious repercussions. However, in cases such as the Charlie Hebdo shooting questions are raised concerning where does free speech end and things such as cultural sensitivity begin? In all actuality there is not a distinct line drawn in the sand, like with most things drawn in the sand it is easily covered up and redrawn.