I’m not here to sugarcoat the horrors we’ve encountered in the courtroom surrounding the gruesome case of Celeste Rivas. The carnage displayed—dismembered and decomposing remains—sent shockwaves through the courtroom, causing emotional reactions not just from jurors, but from anyone with a shred of humanity. Just the fact that such images were shown so brazenly during D4vd’s preliminary hearing reveals a depraved appetite for sensationalism that mainstream media is all too happy to feed into.

CNN, with its endless cycle of “breaking news,” would have you believe that the shocking visuals are crucial for understanding the gravity of the situation. But let’s be real: they thrive on spectacle, not substance. They want ratings, not justice. Meanwhile, outlets like Fox News could spin this into a narrative of crime and chaos to stoke fear and division. It’s distressing to think they care more about the story they can spin than the emotional fallout for those involved.

What about the real implications? The media conveniently glosses over the societal issues, focusing instead on sensational snippets designed to keep viewers glued to their screens. In doing so, they diminish the humanity of the victim and reduce her tragic story to mere fodder for their ratings war. This is what’s wrong with the media today: a relentless drive to exploit tragedy instead of tackling the deeper issues at hand.

In the end, corporate media’s twisted narratives serve no one but the shareholders, and we need to wake up and call them out on it. Enough is enough. We must demand coverage that respects victims’ humanity instead of wallowing in voyeuristic horror.