We should all be aware of the power (and therefore danger) of the institutions who bring the news to us.
They have incredible power to set a news agenda - to which the public and our politicians subsequently respond.
There is probably nothing more horrible, more wicked, more disastrous in humanitarian terms that what has been happening and continues to happen in Syria. The displacement of people is probably unprecedented - a generation will be lost. Women and children dying on a daily basis through the lack of basic commodity. And still the fighting and terrible killing goes on. The UN has been totally, wickedly useless.
But in many respects the news has moved on. The focus is now Ukraine. For a while it was Israel and Palestine.
What shall we be outraged about next. Who decides?
Certainly lazy journalists feed off each other. The BBC always report in terms of what the papers say.
Are politicians pulling strings ie leave off Syria because there is nothing we can do about it. There isn't the political will. It is too embarrassing to confront our lack of real humanity. Too confronting to face the reality of inaction.
Is it simply that papers and programmes have to sell - so news stories pass their sell by date.
The only answer is to dig beneath the headlines. Probe yourself if you are interested. Ask questions online. Blog even. Make up your own mind!
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