Sorry for being behind, but wanted to comment on the commentary from this link on the 1st page of our 2nd thread (sad we are ON a 2nd thread...).
http://nwasianweekly.com/2016/07/co...pearance-and-the-medias-hierarchy-of-empathy/
An interesting read, but one of the problems I see in Jenny's case for not receiving greater attention in the media:
A case needs to capture the sympathy of a wide audience to have continued presence in the news. To that end, having unusual circumstances can do that, and this case certainly has that. But having a spokesperson who is capable in the media spotlight can be so invaluable. A case that comes to my mind is one I followed here on WS is that of the disappearance and murder of Michelle Le, a young nursing student (same age as Jenny!) who went missing in northern CA in 2011. She was raised by an aunt and uncle, as I recall, though they were scare in the media. She had a brother, but he was the younger brother who was shy and quiet--a bit awkward in public. Fortunately, a cousin who was like a sister to the missing woman stepped forward and took the commanding lead as a family spokesperson and liaison, alongside the brother. She was articulate, and had steadfast passion and focus. I really feel that if she were not there to speak for the family, this case would not have had as much attention as it had. Jenny's case needs that. I wish every case had someone like her championing for their missing loved one.
I do agree with the commentary piece in that if a victim is deemed "worthy", the media attention is greater. That seems hard to get away from. Harsh as it is, the job of the media is to sort through all that happens in the world and community and telling us what they think we want to know about. So the challenge then, is to make the victim in question "worthy". In the same case I mentioned above, yes, the victim was female and attractive, but she was not white, but of Vietnamese descent. In the above case, we learned how the victim's mother died from cancer when Michelle was just a teen, how she was on her way to following her mother in her footsteps by becoming a nurse, how she was looked up to by her brother, and tales of her being fun and silly with her cousin. In Jenny's case we have learned some details of Jenny's adventurous spirit, but not enough to endear her more in the public's hearts. Too many, I'm afraid, can't get past the idea of how unwise and risky it was for her to be traveling alone in Mexico, especially in the manner she did, hitchhiking and couchsurfing her way all across the country. What of her brother and family life growing up in China? Bringing out their qualities that would captivate the reader's attention and empathy through the stories showing slices of their lives can make such a difference in perception, and give a chance at garnering greater attention in the media.
