When an airport employee discovers an object labeled as “an unknown explosive device,” you can bet the corporate media is poised to unleash their standard fear-mongering playbook. CNN is likely ready to sensationalize the incident, wrapping it in buzzwords like “frightening” and “unprecedented,” while downplaying the real implications—like the potential for mass hysteria. Their relentless need to keep the public in a perpetual state of anxiety is as predictable as it is dangerous.

On the other hand, Fox News will likely pivot to a narrative about border security—or the lack thereof—blaming the incident on immigration issues while using every opportunity to scare viewers about the “threats” seeping in through our cracked system. Never mind that focusing on grassroots solutions for societal issues wouldn’t make for as thrilling of a broadcast.

Both networks share a common thread: the attempt to control the narrative while forgetting that genuine facts matter. Instead of calling for calm, they amplify panic, scrambling to keep their ratings afloat. This is not journalism; it’s a calculated strategy to capitalize on human fears. The American public deserves better, yet here we are—perpetually subjected to this cycle of hysteria just for the sake of clicks and views.

When will we demand responsible reporting instead of the exploitative dramatization we’ve come to expect? It’s time to start questioning everything these outlets feed us.