Ferguson Fades From News Media, But Not From Social Media

The shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, MO, was a top story for much of the last three weeks, but as time has passed, it’s begun to fade. Many people outside the area are not even aware that protests continue.

This is perhaps due in part to the fact that some of the largest-scale confrontations (with police threatening protesters with guns, for instance, as USA Today reports here) have begun to die down, and in part due to the fact that attention spans lag when one isn’t present and in the thick of the action.

However, in Ferguson, the narrative isn’t over. The investigation continues, the marches continue, and the cry for justice continues.

In fact, while large portions of the public outside Ferguson may have left the story behind, not everyone has. In Washington, DC, last night, protesters in a solidarity march blocked streets, according to Anonymous:

NOW: Washington, DC protesters block streets in #MikeBrown solidarity march. http://ift.tt/1lpay9z #Ferguson via @TheAnonMessage

— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) August 31, 2014

On news media, the story is growing quiet, but in communities across the country, it goes on, because Mike Brown isn’t the only person with a story like his. His isn’t the only family who has mourned while waiting for the official story. He isn’t the first, or the last, to be seen as a victim of police brutality and racial disparity in law enforcement.

The result of this is that whether it’s covered on news channels or not, the story also keeps going on social media, where people are the narrative force.

On Twitter, it becomes clear protests are still going on, and still receiving backlash. See, for example, youth pastor and community organizer Nyle Fort (shown above in a ‘Hands Up Don’t Shoot’ protest) sharing a nasty calling card received by members of Lost Voices, a youth-led community outreach group Saturday night while they slept.

brothers from youth led community org "Lost Voices" holding up a noose that was thrown at them as they slept. http://ift.tt/1r5eFYM

— Nyle Fort (@NyleFort) August 31, 2014

Ferguson hasn’t faded, even if some of the reporting has. The voices crying for justice may be denied the podium of television news, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped speaking — just that you might have to make an effort to hear.

[Photo Credit: Nyle Fort]

Ferguson Fades From News Media, But Not From Social Media