The media does often seem to fan the flames.
 

10,000 Strong Peacefully Protest In Downtown Baltimore, Media Only Reports The Violence & Arrest of Dozens | BLACK WESTCHESTER

This is kind of sad that the media did not focus on this rather than all the negative stuff.

When the National Guard gets called out the situation is serious. Personally, I want to be informed about it. Many of my relatives live in the Baltimore area. I have called them to see if they are safe. Fortunately they are, so far.

Back in 1968 I was in the Maryland National Guard and was called up for the riots in Baltimore for 9 or 10 days. It was bad then. It is bad now.

I agree the media blew up the situation in Sanford and Ferguson. The media seems to be treating Baltimore in more of a ho hum, just more of the same old, same old, manner. The thugs rioting were just looking for an excuse to vandalize, steal and burn, IMHO. The mayor clearly mishandled the situation, too.

I am just saying that they should be reporting about the peaceful much larger demonstrations as well as the small group of arsonists, looters, and the like who are causing such destruction? And, from what I gather is not most of this damage in the same neighborhoods as these looters, thugs, etc. They are pretty much burning down where they would shop.

I am sure there are sociopaths who would use any excuse to harm others and these come in all races, economic levels, etc.

If you read down to the 5th paragraph of your link it says there were hundreds of people pushing into lines of police. That's a lot of people.

Reporting the worst is standard operating procedure. See the picture on the front of today's daily sun. Should they have published pictures of homes that were not harmed by the earthquake?

My beef with the mainstream media is that it does indeed frequently intentionally misinform the public thereby fanning the flames. This occurs so often I believe little when it is initially reported. I have no problem with the media when they get the facts straight, which they do from time to time. Their various agendas apparently get in the way of simply reporting the facts far too often.

What's really sad is that the stupid people are rioting and burning the businesses that their hardworking neighbors and relatives worked all their lives and risked everything to build, and trained their children from an early age to know how to work and earn a living in.

As in Ferguson, nobody shows the innocent working business owners who actually pay for all these morons' existence, working as "tax slaves".

There's no elected leadership standing up to the gangs/thugs. Apparently they want entrepreneurs and self-employed decent citizens' put out of business, so they have to come begging and become government dependents. Very sad for our nation.

The flames in Baltimore on the news LOOKED REAL to me!

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I agree.
Unfortunately, it's what sells.

I never said they were not. The larger peaceful demonstrations are real too.

The media stays in tight and it gives one the impression that Baltimore is out of control.

Early today there was a news report showing the typical in close proximity scene with the protestors. Then tha camera pulled back (in a helicopter) and in less than two blocks there was hardly anybody out and about.

Remember the media views most issues/events through a straw. If they were looking at the side of an elephant they would be tap dancing around with how the world is all of a sudden turning gray!!

Malik Zulu Shabazz, the main speaker and instigator of the "peaceful protest" is the head of the New Black Panther Movement. His hateful agenda is most likely the reason there isn't more widespread coverage in the mainstream media. During the peaceful protests he was calling for the rioters to "shut it down" meaning the city of Baltimore. Carl Dix, the spokesperson for the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA was also in attendance at this rally. There were other radicals in attendance.

AHA! So this is "the rest of the story".

News programming uses the philosophy "If it bleeds it leads." And of course we are drawn to the macabre. Ever wonder how the Roman Colosseum managed to have standing room only for hundreds of years even during a time of Christianity.
More viewers equals more advertising revenue. Back in the Golden Age of television with three local TV channels and 30 minutes of nightly news, it was difficult to be overdosed with the insanity of the world.

As I have told my kids....YOUR most recent act defines you. You can do all kinds of good things, but if you screw up, that is what folks are gonna remember.

A bunch of good mama's and papa's could help this whole damn situation, if you ask me.