In Fort Hood, Texas, a man shot and killed 3 people including himself on a rampage fueled by anger. There are several news stations that analyzed his every move before the incident occurred. In this paper I would like to discuss the differences between how CNN's article "4 Dead, including shooter, at Fort Hood" and Fox News' "Fort Hood gunman may have had angry words with fellow soldiers before rampage, Army says." report the incident that occurred late Wednesday. CNN reported focused on the shooter possibly having behavioral and mental health problems, while Fox News reported that the gunman may have had angry words with fellow soldiers. Media construct fantasy worlds, media are most powerful when they operate on an emotional level, and the human brain processes images differently than words are three media literacy principles I will use to show how these two stories are different. .
On Wednesday April 2, 2014, Ivan Lopez went on a killing spree, shooting fellow soldiers. CNN and Fox News both reported stories on the events that day but the way they chose to present their reports regarding what happened are very different. CNNs' report of the incident says "The suspect, a soldier who served in Iraq, "had behavioral health and mental health" issues." CNN focused on the shooter and the fact that the gunman "may" have had behavioral and mental health issues. Seems as though reporters were trying to make a story. Fox News reported "A "verbal altercation" with another soldier or soldiers may have "immediate preceded shooting." Media construct fantasy worlds of how the gunman had mental health issues which led up to the incident and how he had a "verbal altercation" with another soldier. .
While both of these media outlets reported on an emotional level, both were in different ways. Fox News reports "Lopez, a married father of four, had only been assigned to Fort Hood earlier this year, working as a truck driver.
