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Media in America: Source of Facts or Gossip?

By Paige Kanady

Amanda Knox, the American student originally charged with killing her British roommate while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy, recently had her conviction overturned after winning her appeal. This case, which captured intense curiosity on an international level, has come to represent much more than just the murder of a 21-year-old woman. What began as a quest for the truth behind the murder of a young college student escalated into a media-driven attack on foreign justice systems. Rather than merely questioning the specifics of this particular case, the U.S. media chose to question the ability of Italy to provide conclusive justice.

The United States media used this case to portray the self-believed superiority of our justice system over that of the Italian court system. In reality, the vast majority of the world uses the same system as Italy. The American media used many phrases such as, “Italy’s inconclusive justice,” “failings of the Italian court system,” and “never delivers conclusive, door-slamming certainty.” These phrases simultaneously suggest the failings and inadequacy of foreign justice systems while also providing guidelines for a national way of thought within the United States.