Looking at how the Canadian media is covering the anticipated Live 8 concert in Barrie, you would never know the real reason why the show is being put on.

At least several Canadian newspapers, including the Toronto Star, are only discussing the pitiful fights- between angry Torontonians for not having the show in their “world class” city and the Barrie defenders,
sticking their tongues out at Toronto; between Michael Cohl’s lineup of musical “has-beens” and the public who wants to see more popular and younger bands. The fights have been in the headlines ever since speculations of a Canadian Live 8 show were announced.

But where are the stories about debt-ridden Africans?
Where are the front cover pictures of poverty-stricken mothers and fathers trying to raise their families? Where are the stories of the children trying against all odds to survive? Where are their voices? Where are their faces? Where are their stories and why isn?t the Canadian media reporting on them?

It should come to no news reader’s surprise that one of the media’s tricks in making people read the story, is pitting groups of people against another. There always is a “tension” to prolong the story, to make it appear more exciting, to make the readers want to read the story. To create dynamic stories, reporters will carefully select and highlight “sound bites,” or lively quotes to make the story more entertaining and appealing. The media livens up the story by making anger an important part of the story.

“The organizer of the Canadian arm of the Live 8 concerts shot back yesterday at those criticizing his July 2 talent lineup,” wrote The Star’s Jordan Heath-Rawlings. “Cohl took offence to reports that called the Live 8 playbill tired and old, and aimed mostly at a baby-boomer audience.”

So it has come to this. Instead of writing about stories that matter, about human life and death, about suffering that could be ended if the G8 countries paid attention to, pointless bickering between a concert promoter and concert-goers have taken over the headlines.

The real story that should be on the front page is entirely neglected in favour for this more “exciting” story.

The Live 8 concerts that are supposed to bring awareness to African poverty are in fact doing nothing of the kind. Instead, they are bringing awareness to Westerner’s ignorance, selfishness and self-centeredness.

In an edited version of an editorial that appeared in the Barrie Examiner, it was written: “On Saturday, July 2, Live 8 is coming to Park Place (formerly Molson
Park) in Barrie. Not to Toronto, not to one of its suburbs, not to the Greater Toronto Area.

But to Barrie.

Getting that message out during the next 10 days, and keeping it out on July 2, will be a significant challenge for this community. Because, otherwise, it’s just a music concert.”

“The potential for putting Barrie on the international map is there for the taking. But it won’t work if everybody watching believes the Canadian show is in Toronto or the GTA.”

Putting Barrie on the “international map”?! Who cares? Barrie is starting to sound like whiny Toronto in their obsession to be recognized (by whom, one would ask?) as a world-class city.

What a great way to use up news space; publish stories on Barrie?s inferiority complex and ego-tripping.

What does it say about the media when pictures of Live 8 founder Sir Bob Geldof are published more than those of the Africans who he is supposed to be bringing awareness to?

Nowhere in these articles does it actually talk about African poverty. Nowhere is it mentioned that every single day, 30,000 children die of extreme poverty. No space is dedicated to pushing our leaders to take a stance and eliminate debt and double its aid. No space is dedicated to the pictures and voices of the starving children.
Not one article talks about the coming summit between the G8 countries- the USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia- July 6 to July 9 in Gleneagles, Scotland, to discuss how to help eliminate Africa’s poverty.

The Africans are being methodically silenced, our leaders are being given a break, and Barrie gets to trumpet its triumph over Toronto all over the newspapers.

An international wakeup call that will eradicate poverty? Give me a break.

The cause to eliminate poverty is a great one and its importance shouldn?t be belittled by the media by writing stories that ultimately have no significance whatsoever.

The point is definitely, and sadly, missed.

Chloe Tejada’s media column appears every Saturday on andPOP






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