The pain exploiters
The death of six hikers who were swept away by a flash flood along the banks of the Lousios mountain river in southern Greece has left the public in a state of shock. A second shock came when the media, or at least the majority, began covering the event in their usual cannibalistic fashion. The search for ratings demanded dead bodies – and the news channels showed them again and again. It also demanded suspects – so these were just invented and interrogated amid a sea of cries and speculation. It finally demanded testimonies – and it forced shattered people into offering them. Survivors of the tragedy are resisting. In a joint letter they refused to offer themselves as food for the greedy media, making clear that they will not give in to the pressure of the self-styled prosecutors on TV. At a time when the media are turning the public domain into a reality show, these people set an example for everyone who is fed up with the despicable voyeuristic tactics of the media. Human dignity is not measured by ratings.
