At least 28 lives lost since protests erupted in June, and yet, the mainstream media continues to play the blame game while ignoring the larger, deeper issues at play. Networks like CNN and MSNBC focus on that body count, sensationalizing it to spur outrage without bothering to dig into why these protests are happening in the first place. They want to paint a picture of chaos, portraying protesters as the instigators rather than victims of systemic failures. But let’s get real: what’s actually fueling this unrest? The corporate media sees a juicy story and runs with it, but they miss the forest for the trees.

Conversely, platforms like Fox News may take a different angle, often emphasizing the law and order narrative, which leaves out the voices of the marginalized calling for change. It’s almost as if they believe that by sticking a “back-the-blue” badge on everything, they can gloss over the cries for justice. What does it say when suburban audiences get their narratives wrapped in safety concerns while the voices of those affected get drowned out? It’s a spectacular failure of journalism.

The impending protest march is poised to be an important moment for those involved, but will the media be there to capture the ethos—the frustration, the hope, the push for change? Or will they simply cover it as a footnote, a glimmer of chaos instead of the vital message of resilience and demand for justice? It’s high time the media starts to do its job, instead of morphing into a mouthpiece for political theater.