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Media Coverage of Events affects health

Serious health concerns were raised today in London by media professionals as a result of media coverage resulting from the terrorist attacks. For many years the effect of bad news on people has been a subject of intense debate among people journalists and media professionals. In London today as the stark contrast of the elation and joy in the capital caused by London winning the Olympic bid turned to the horror of last week`s shocking terrorist reality, the hidden additional but nevertheless very real threat of the media itself contributing to the chaos, came sharply into focus.

TV Radio and print media channels immediately sprung into their habitual routine of pumping out a solid communication diet of terror chaos and upset on all channels. Triggering stressful memories of past upsetting incidents the media machine forwarded chaos and contributed and heightened the climate of fear. Unnecessary repetition of tragedy on news channels only adds to and causes stress and increased trauma for people. It can make people extremely ill, and terrorists understand this and rely upon such ignorance within media channels to further the negative effects that their actions create.

Mr. John Mappin of United National Newspapers, has been at the forefront of highlighting this important media issue.

"Today is a day when we have seen the worst of human nature and the best possible human qualities on display.The courage and resolve of those who refuse to allow terrorism to cloud their understanding of man`s basic goodness will be the key factor that determines whether we rise or fall as a result of this day."

Unnecessary repetition of tragedy on news channels only adds to and causes stress and increased trauma for people. It can make people extremely ill, and terrorists understand this and rely upon such ignorance within media channels to further the negative effects that their actions create.

"As owners of United National Newspapers we are committed to forwarding positive news that benefits mankind. We call upon all media professionals to challenge ourselves once again to gain additional understanding from the recent events," said Mr. Mappin.

In London and around the world people are becoming increasingly affected by the "diet" of communication that they receive on a daily basis. An unhealthy communication diet affects a person`s state of mind. As observed in London and around the world it is now clear that "the communication diet" has a great deal to do with the health and welfare of individuals and global populations. United National Newspapers is not alone in calling for more investigation on the effects created by the unnecessary forwarding of negative news and for tremendous care and thought to be invested in the forwarding of all news during such incidents.