Category: Uncategorized

Is Television Being Fair to Airport Security?

jkwami / / Uncategorized

Airport security has been one of the hottest domestic topics of the past decade for the U.S.  Controversey can be found in just about every corner. The 9/11 terrorist attacks forever changed the way airlines would operate when conducting security. What used to be a going-through-the-motions ordeal has transformed into hour-long lines where even a small bottle of water can get you into significant trouble. Because of these measures, the American public expects airports to be near perfect in preventing illegal items on our airplanes.
Any time there is even a minor mistake the television industry is quick to report. Because the public remains sensitive to potential terrorist threats, they are very likely to tune in when a security blunder occurs. Let’s face it: there is no benefit to report on print that the JFK Airport had a successful day in preventing any threats from making it onto a plane.


When we expect perfection, there is no way for these airport security teams to win. While it is of considerable importance to keep these planes safe, it would be great of television to, perhaps, take a step back. It already takes an enormous amount of technology and manpower to bring security to the level it is today, which equals to quite a price tag. Until there is another breakthrough in scanning technology, you still have to account for rare cases of human error.

The Silver Screen, the Flat Screen and the Government

jkwami / / Border Control, Uncategorized

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from the show The Border‘s homepage

The television often romanticizes the idea of an international boundary, be it a fugitive seeing freedom across a rural border crossing into Mexico (countless movie plots), crossing a frozen upstate New York lake to smuggle in illegal immigrants or a car thief weaving through a shipping yard, so as to close the container full of stolen cars before the Police are able to recognize which container is his. Maybe its for that that you feel a bit of adrenaline upon seeing the almost standard “Halt” sign at any given border crossing. Nonfiction shows on this subject are, as with anything produced by the mass media carefully modified and tweaked to achieve the individual producer or parent’s agenda, and needs to be carefully analyzed.

While the silver screen is slightly removed from reality, there are plenty of nonfiction TV shows that have to do with border crossings. Educational cable channels such as Discovery, National Geographic or TLC have even gone as far as to launch entire series on the war that is border security. Customs and Border Patrol, the national agency for the security of our borders has partnered with National Geographic to launch a series called Border Wars with wild success. This series showcases several different duties of a Border Patrol agent, and is edited and composed for the highest ratings. Even CBP’s press release indicates that they have put their own spin on the show.

National Geographic is not the only network to feature border patrols in their line up. However, in googling “TV shows border patrol” there are two other specials from National Geographic, and then several from Discovery Networks (including TLC, its child) as well as a Comedy Central project, and a series from New Zealand. The only other American nonfiction series comes from ABC, which is a broadcast network, as opposed to the other pay networks. This show is produced with cooperation from the US Department of Homeland Security (which is a parent of CBP) and has been billed as propaganda and has had overall very lukewarm response. Unfortunately, despite being more diversified than the usual US/Mexico border patrol episode, it is still sensationalized enough to stimulate ratings and blur the truth.

Although featuring the issues on land and marine border crossings may raise awareness, it can highlight weak points to those looking to exploit it. While it certainly isn’t like the fictional tunnel that goes from Mexico to the US like you see in the 2009 film “Fast & Furious” that can be accessed before the US Border Patrol is able to pull up the camera feed, it can be used by both sides, friend or foe. What I would like to see, is for an organization like factcheck.org to go through the show and tell us what it is really like on the front lines.

Importance of Television Coverage of the 2008 Presidential Debates

jkwami / / Uncategorized

In the 2008 elections (McCain vs. Obama), television played a crucial role, as not only a source of

information and news, but also a source of persuasion.

With issues such as immigration on the agenda, the Presidential debates are a source of much controversy.  The medium of television has become a very popular enabler for voters; it has given citizens the ability to asses both political parties’ arguments, while also qualifying their personal charisma.

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In the 2008 Presidential Election:

56.5 million viewers watched the final Presidential debate

Approx. 70 million viewers watched the Vice Presidential debate


Not only is a mass media reached during the debates, but politicians also use television commercials to reach voters.  Even those candidates who did not represent their party in the presidential debate voiced their opinions on immigration through television advertising.


Ron Paul TV Ad: Immigration

Television has become an essential component to the election process.  Without it, not only would far fewer citizens know the stances of the running politicians, but they would also not be able to see the charisma of the candidates; both of these elements are arguably a necessity for making an informed choice in selecting the next President.



Airport Security Held Accountable Through Television Report

jkwami / / Uncategorized

SchipholAirportAmsterdamIssues with airport security have gotten a ton of press in recent years. On television, each attempted terrorist attack obviously gets intense coverage which, in turn, keeps airports on their toes. For example, Schiphol Airport from which the Christmas day terrorist passed through got a wake up call to tighten their safety measures when they saw a report on television specifically directed at their inspection of liquids at security check points. An undercover operation was exercised where liquids planted by the reporters again passed through security even days after the Christmas day attack. When this story aired on television the Dutch airport made sure to strictly enforce security inspections to avoid gaining a worse reputation. This television report was very informative and helped improve airline safety—technically on an international level.
News on television usually has the reputation, especially on the local level, of covering “bad” news such as murders, robberies, etc. On a national level, the main stories tend to be about politics, celebrities, and national “bad” news, which definitely includes various national security breaches. As we have discussed in class media holds people and businesses accountable for their every move. In this case, a news story on television held Schiphol Airport responsible for a major attempted terrorist attack and called them out when they did not make much needed changes in their security.

The Need for Immigration

jkwami / / Uncategorized

Immigration is indeed a key element in a nation’s security plan. It naturally occurs all over the world because people will inevitably look for new places if their current situation is unsatisfactory. If it is necessary, they will go travel across borders if that is where they can find available jobs. In America, the issue of border control has become a hot topic in the past decade. In order to keep the country safe, immigration does have to be properly controlled and regulated. However, there is another issue on the flipside, which is how many immigrants are needed to keep America up and running.
The reality, whether people like it or not, is that some industries absolutely depend on immigration (illegal or not) to keep business going. One of the most notable areas is agriculture. With tougher immigration laws and increased border patrol security, farmers have felt the heat when looking for people to employ. There’s a reason so many illegal immigrants are found working on American farms. The current immigration laws do not come close to allowing enough workers to come over and help produce the food we live off of. Recently, famers have made pleas to congress without much success to speak of. In order for changes to occur, our current green card laws will have to be made more flexible to potential agricultural workers. The next question that arises is: how does this fit in with the increased need for national security since the 9/11 terrorists attacks? There is no easy answer, but lawmakers will have to find a way if we plan on keeping these important industries stable.