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Charity Time for Mainstream MediaThe mainstream media promotes non-profits during the holiday season but not all yearThe media is at the forefront of the drive to give at this time of year, but do not press their communities to continue this giving year-round.
The mainstream media, like much of the rest of the world, tends to pay far more attention to charitable causes in December than at any other time during the year. Around the holidays, there is often an upswing in donations to charities, and a sense that individuals are more willing to open their wallets to different causes. The media is more than willing to be a part of this trend and tend to profile different non-profit agencies in their respective quests for donations. While this is beneficial to the charities that get money and media attention, it is unfortunate in two ways. Firstly, only some groups are mentioned by the mainstream news, and these are often mainstream, non-controversial ones. Groups such as the Salvation Army and the Red Cross get huge donations from individuals at this time of year because of their prominence and longevity. While these types of organizations do wonderful things there are also many smaller agencies and centres that probably need more help and attention from the media. When the media only profile certain groups, less prominent organizations can then get ignored, and lose out on the available donations from concerned citizens. The other reason why it is somewhat problematic that the mainstream media spend such efforts promoting charities during the holiday season has to do with the fact that giving is often shown in these ads and public service announcements as a once-a-year act. While non-profit groups and charities need private and organizational donations throughout the entire year, the media often makes it seem like the only time of year when this is worth doing this is the Christmas season. The mainstream media certainly plays an important role in encouraging their viewers and readers to donate to charities. However, by focusing on a few specific groups, and by mostly promoting donating behaviour during the holiday season, they do not create lasting goodwill towards the organizations that they are intending to help.
The copyright of the article Charity Time for Mainstream Media in Newspaper Journalism is owned by Kate Butler. Permission to republish Charity Time for Mainstream Media in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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