BajaNomad - Double-Standards used to Sensationalize U.S. News Coverage of Baja

Double-Standards used to Sensationalize U.S. News Coverage of Baja

bajabound2005 - 8-25-2008 at 07:50 AM

Double-Standards used to Sensationalize U.S. News Coverage of Baja California, Mexico

By Ron Raposa

In early April two San Diego TV stations reported that a local student was late in returning from spring break in Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico. The stories strongly suggested he might have been the victim of foul play. One showed footage of a police action in Tijuana.

There were a few problems with the coverage.

First, the 21-year-old student had been in Rosarito only five days – a very common spring break stay – and classmates had seen him in Rosarito the same day the stories broadcast. He returned home the next day.

Secondly, if the situation had occurred anywhere except Baja California, it likely would not have been broadcast. Media outlets that time of year could fill their entire reports with coverage of spring breakers who come home late.

The young man’s parents, who went to the media, weren’t to blame for the premature and damaging broadcasts. It is natural for parents to worry and express concerns. The blame falls on media that use far different standards when it relates to Baja California coverage.

This use of double standards did not begin or end with the “missing student” story, nor is it unprecedented. But the most vivid examples began appearing last year and have developed into an ongoing trend.

Several months ago, many U.S. media outlets carried stories about a handful of crimes that targeted Baja California visitors in 2007 over several months and across several hundred miles of the large peninsula.

Each story repeated the same handful of incidents. Some were distributed by a wire service worldwide. They spawned a series of subsequent stories, each using the same few incidents. The repetition made five incidents seem like 5,000.

This is not to say that the crimes were not serious; they were. They needed to be reported and addressed. To be a victim of a crime is an ordeal. To be a victim in a foreign country is even more traumatic.

The problem was that stories lacked perspective and created the false impression that crime against visitors is rampant in Baja California. If the same focus had been used in covering San Diego, people would have become very frightened to visit that city.

The Baja California State Secretary of Tourism has received no report of a violent crime against even one of the millions of tourists here this entire year, a record that perhaps Southern California cannot match.

Yet stories in U.S. media, most recently the San Diego Reader, continue to suggest that it is not safe to visit Baja California. Lacking any new incidents to report, the stories continue to rehash the several ones from 2007.

During the same period as the Baja California incidents, an Australian tourist was beaten and thrown in a fire in Ocean Beach, crime rose dramatically on the San Diego Trolley system, and an off-duty policeman was accused of shooting a woman and her young son following an apparent traffic dispute in North County.

There were many other serious incidents – but none prompted any media outlet to do a story asking whether it is safe for tourists to visit San Diego. It is not likely that they will; much different standards are used.

For months, very little about Baja California except sensationalized crime stories have been published or broadcast in the United States. It has led to a very unbalanced perception of this area. Some of the reports are simply inaccurate and irresponsible journalism.

Yes, Baja California has brought some of the problems on itself. Police extortion of motorists in some areas went uncorrected for far too long and is still being dealt with. Corrupt and corrupting criminal cartels wielded pervasive influence along the drug routes leading into the United States.

But now Mexican federal, state and city governments have joined together in a serious effort to end that. This has led to shootouts, such as the April one in Tijuana that left 14 cartel members dead. However that incident was not connected to visitor safety any more than a major police action would be in the U.S.

The same is true of the discovery of four bodies in Rosarito several weeks ago. Some initial media reports, including in Mexican papers, claimed that four Americans had been executed in Mexico. It turned out that three were Mexican nationals, and the woman who was from the United States had an extensive criminal record, including in Mexico. Some U.S. media outlets still report that all were Americans.

Involvements in drugs or ties to other criminal activities are suspected in these sad shooting deaths. They had nothing to do with danger to tourists or the typical resident, no more than the death of a Mexican national involved in criminal activities in the U.S. would.

All that said, Baja California needs to do more to ensure visitor safety and sense of well-being – and it is.

In Rosarito, reformist Mayor Hugo Torres has created a special Tourist Police force to protect the well-being of more than one million visitors a year. More than 300 city residents have formed a citizen’s watch program for tourist areas.

Rosarito Beach has established an ombudsman office, where visitors can receive help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This includes the reporting of crimes, which had been a difficult process. It is part of showing that Rosarito cares about its visitors.

Baja California State Tourism has established a 078 number for visitor assistance, among other significant steps.

Federal patrols on highways have been increased. No serious crimes against Baja California visitors have been reported in months, including during busy spring break and Memorial Day weekends.

Does all this guarantee that a crime against a visitor or U.S. citizen will never occur in Rosarito or Baja California? Of course not.

No place south of heaven can guarantee that, especially one that has more than 10 million visitors each year and scores of thousands of expatriate residents.

About 14,000 expatriates, most of them U.S.-born, live in Rosarito – which years ago established Mexico’s first Foreign Residents Assistance Office. Some of them are among the most upset about the recent coverage of Baja California and Rosarito, the place they call home.

I am a U.S. citizen who lived there most of my life, working primarily as a journalist. I also have been visiting Baja California frequently for 30 years, and have lived in Rosarito Beach full-time for three. I have never been the victim of a crime or police extortion here.

I know many other expatriates here who have had the same experience; others who have not been as fortunate. The ratio I believe is similar to what you’d find in the United States.

Most expatriates in Rosarito would welcome the chance to talk about their experiences living here. I don’t think any would ask that crimes against expatriates or visitors be covered up – after all it is their friends and family who are affected.

Some U.S. reporters who write about Baja California seldom if ever visit here. The San Diego Union-Tribune, which usually has balanced stories on this area, has a reporter who comes here frequently to cover stories and lived in Tijuana for several years.

The media surely has the right – and the responsibility – to cover tourist safety issues. But it also has the obligation to do it fairly, and to use the same standards on both sides of the border.

To U.S. media I would simply ask: report Baja California as you would Southern California, with perspective and some personal and in-depth knowledge. That’s what most people in the United States or Mexico want and deserve.

——————————

Ron Raposa, the international public relations representative for Rosarito Beach, also worked for 20 years as a journalist, most of that time in the United States. This commentary first appeared in the August 16 edition of the biweekly Baja Times English language newspaper.

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 09:36 AM

Yet another self-appointed Rosarito authority surfaces.

I watch the local news of Rosarito carefully anad can't recall this event of a missing spring break student at all. Did they just make up that story to support their flawed premise?

No mention that half the Rosarito police force was fired before spring break for being corrupt. No mention that the Mexican Army is still manning the police cars. No mention that the Tourist Police still don't speak english. No mention that Mexico openly admits thatmost crimes don't get reported to the police.

I think the empty town speaks for itself. I went pottery shopping with an out of town guest saturday afternoon and Blvd. Popotla was virtually free of shoppers and you could park in front of any artisan shop with no problem.

When crossing back to San Diego- a young man handed us two postcards through the car window touting "Get your passport, it pays- show your passport and receive discounts in Hotels, Restaurants and more!..." They give this to you as you leave the country and then only list a website for participating establishements ww.discoverbajacalifornia.com

[Edited on 8-25-2008 by Woooosh]

[Edited on 8-25-2008 by Woooosh]

bajabound2005 - 8-25-2008 at 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
Yet another self-appointed Rosarito authority surfaces.

I watch the local news of Rosarito carefully anad can't recall this event of a missing spring break student at all. Did they just make up that story to support their flawed premise?

I believe the article says it was reported to and by SAN DIEGO news media which is why you wouldn't see it on local Rosarito news.

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 10:10 AM

Find it and post it please. I read the UT on line edition every day and never saw it. It's fiction.

Baja crime was only one reason why Rosarito Beach was a ghost town this summer. More important was the economy and longer border crossing waits.

Young people simply had better options this year for their dollars- more spring break events in Vegas and much better deals in Cancun.

[Edited on 8-25-2008 by Woooosh]

It pays to read the...

Dave - 8-25-2008 at 12:08 PM

fine print.

Quote:

Ron Raposa, the international public relations representative for Rosarito Beach, also worked for 20 years as a journalist, most of that time in the United States. This commentary first appeared in the August 16 edition of the biweekly Baja Times English language newspaper.

Ron works for Hugo Torres. Mayor Torres also owns the "Baja Times".

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 12:21 PM

Thanks for the links. Same fools. They are all stuck on stupid in Rosarito.

Why rehash history? Why blame the media? Is that going to bring in tourists? Is that their marketing strategy?

Did Mayor Torres ever recover his assistant that was kidnapped? Maybe he's too busy pushing his condo/hotel units to notice it all fell apart around him.

They do have options. But if they want to be a tourist destination they need to start acting like one. Stop the whining about the past and get on with what needs to be done. Hire and train a "to serve and protect" bilingual police force. Price and sell real estate realistically and make the sales honest and transparent. Stop the double-priced menus in restaurants that make tourists feel like they just got fleeced. Stop the guys who chase cars around the streets of Puerto Nuevo with their frozen lobster menus in hand. Start treating the American residents and US tourists with respect instead of with thinly disguised contempt.

[Edited on 8-25-2008 by Woooosh]

[Edited on 8-25-2008 by Woooosh]

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 12:48 PM

"His family also said that $1,600 of unexplained charges have been made on Samuel's credit card."

So what is the end of that story. Did he and his friends just whoop it up at the Rosarito strip clubs for $1600? This is better for Rosarito PR? He was only detained and robbed- not actually missing?

No one is "kidapped" in Rosarito. Officially they "have been temporaritly denied their freedom for the pupose of robbery." Sounds better and there's no column for that on the crime stats.

Oy, Gevalt!

Dave - 8-25-2008 at 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
So what is the end of that story. Did he and his friends just whoop it up at the Rosarito strip clubs for $1600?

A nice Jewish boy should go to a strip club???

A shonde!

More likely a donation to the Rosarito Synagogue building fund.

CaboRon - 8-25-2008 at 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave
fine print.

Quote:

Ron works for Hugo Torres. Mayor Torres also owns the "Baja Times".

Torres and his family have stunk up Rosarito Beach for many, many years.....

Supprised they haven't been taken out long before now...

CaboRon

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 04:51 PM

Yup- things are tourist-ready and safe as ever this week in Rosarito Beach... must be the media... the Mexican media.

El Mexicano newspaper
Saturday, 23 August 2008 12:53

"Rosarito’s “Oficial Mayor” quits job after tense meeting with Mayor Hugo Torres, no mention of motives for the resignation."

"Banks circulating notice warning clients about crocked cops. Banks are sending alerts to their customers on how to avoid becoming a victim of fake police officers. "

"In Rosarito $1.2 million pesos are spent on drugs," said Ricardo Moreno Villa, President of Citizens Public Safety Committee, anonymous citizen complaints are needed desperately. Playas de Rosarito President of the Citizens Committee for Public Safety explained that, “It is estimated that in our city some ten percent of the residents consume drugs, which is the root of robberies and other crimes against society.” “In this city of 120,000 residents, that 10% of people dependent on drugs, who spend an average of $100 pesos each day to sustain their habit and that do not have a job to get $100 pesos, they turn to stealing,” he continued, “simple math dictates they are spending $1.2 million pesos for drugs each day. That’s money out of citizens’ pockets, daily.” He explained that the citizens groups he presides is working with the local authorities and State Attorney General to promote citizens to turn-in suspicious acts in their communities, as there just aren’t enough police agents to be everywhere at once. There are methods for placing complaints anonymously and if it appears the authorities are not following-up, our citizen’s committee would then help residents get answers. “We have been well-received by the residents and citizens. To date, we have been helping an average of four citizens each day, mostly due to slow follow-up to complaints files with the Public Ministry,” he explained.

The second most common complaint from citizens is the manner in which police treat citizens. There have been no complaints as yet from tourists he added.

In Rosarito 15 “commando” armed men take car dealer Donato Camacho, a male nurse and his brother, a security guard, hostage yesterday at 3:30am

and in TJ this week...

Frontera Newspaper

Federal agents raid Caliente Casino, apprehend Rubén Ríos Estrada, alias “El Carlos” and/or “El Pit,” and Héctor Manuel Mora Mendoza, presumed members of the Arellano Félix cartel.

Caliente Casino management (Hank Rhon owned) says 300 of their clients were put at risk due to federal police operation.

On Revolution, disco "City" in which 16-year-old was molested, Tourism Secretary calls for closure and investigation.

Our guy at city hall

Dave - 8-25-2008 at 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CaboRon
Torres and his family have stunk up Rosarito Beach for many, many years.....

I got no problem with Torres. MUCH better than the last pri*k. Most all the resident gringos like and support him.

He does stuff for us.

palmeto99 - 8-25-2008 at 07:17 PM

This area of Baja is lost and should be given up on. Move the resources to the areas further south and save them while they can.
No one is safe from the real or fake police.
Thats what they will not tell you with their press releases.

bajabound2005 - 8-25-2008 at 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh"Banks circulating notice warning clients about crocked cops."

I just LOVE those "crocked" cops!

Woooosh - 8-25-2008 at 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabound2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh"Banks circulating notice warning clients about crocked cops."

I just LOVE those "crocked" cops!

I don't know who does their translations.

CaboRon - 8-26-2008 at 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Quote:

Originally posted by CaboRon
Torres and his family have stunk up Rosarito Beach for many, many years.....

I got no problem with Torres. MUCH better than the last pri*k. Most all the resident gringos like and support him.

He does stuff for us.

So, what kind of "stuff" does he do for you ??

Did he buy you dinner once ??

Does he score for you ??

"stuff" is pretty vague ....

CaboRon

Dave - 8-28-2008 at 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CaboRon

Did he buy you dinner once ??

Does he score for you ??

Si.