There is no denying that the world is confronting a host of serious problems. As media platforms proliferate, many of these issues have garnered a great deal of publicity. However, while it is argued that the tendency to cover mostly bad news of the media actually has an adverse bearing on each person and society as a whole. I completely agree with this viewpoint.
On a personal level, excessive exposure to bad news exert scores of detrimental effects. First, it takes a heavy toll on our mental health. Life with its responsibilities is stressful enough as it is, and learning more about negative things that go on such as the appalling state of pollution and gloomy economic outlooks makes us even more stressed out and pessimistic, which in severe cases could result in depression. In addition, bad news is often blown out of proportion and therefore dissuade people from trying new things. For instance, while planes are statistically speaking the safest mode of transport, reports of plane crashes often give news readers a distorted impression and lead them to be averse to flying.
The grave implications that bad news have on individuals could lead to far-reaching repercussions on a societal level. First and foremost, reporting negative news could contribute to the brain drain phenomenon. When people are bombarded with a barrage of news about dysfunctional things that happen in their country, they tend to hold a grim view about the prospect of their nation and want to move elsewhere. Additionally, negative public sentiment spurred by bad news could be a fatal blow to businesses. The incident of a vanished aircraft that belonged to Malaysian airline perfectly exemplifies this situation. While technically not the airline’s fault, its sales plummeted after the event was covered extensively on both local and international press.
In conclusion, although negative news coverage do help us become more alert to ongoing problems and dangers, I am convinced that they are, to some extent, injurious to individuals and society.