So, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hits, and immediately we see the corporate media trot out their predictable narratives. CNN is busy wallowing in the shock factor, breathlessly reporting on survivors and rescue efforts, but let’s get real—that’s surface-level reporting designed to tug at your heartstrings and keep you glued to the screen. It’s all about ratings, folks. They thrive on disaster like vultures, feasting on tragedy to widen their audience while glossing over the systemic issues that leave these communities vulnerable in the first place.

Meanwhile, Fox News is likely swinging the pendulum the other way, pushing a narrative that either downplays the human cost or, shockingly, blames the government for not “being prepared.” Isn’t that rich? This is the same network that has spent years dismissing climate change, which, whether you like it or not, plays a role in increasing the intensity and frequency of these natural disasters. Talk about a conflicting message!

It’s as if these networks are in a race to see who can spin the biggest yarn, while the real story—how to just help people and ensure this doesn’t keep happening—is left behind. Where’s the discussion about building better infrastructure? About community resilience? Nope, just sensationalism guaranteed to keep you clicking. Frankly, both outlets seem more interested in their narratives than the actual people affected. It’s time we demand better coverage, not this recycled rhetoric that serves corporate interests above human ones.