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the headlines? Recent evidence is clear. Make sure the poor in question are registered voters or get a huge rock star to champion your cause. Both of these things seem to greatly improve your chance of getting poverty onto the front page. Sadly though, these stories tend to focus on the personalities and not the issues. These become stories about Bono and the poor people or the politician and the poor people rather than about the tragedy of the poverty stricken.

The stories that transcend and grip the imagination in respect of poverty are clearly the ones that allow the reader to internalize the suffering. Sadly, too many editors choose not to do run these articles. It's distasteful for the average reader to have to deal with along with their morning coffee. Guilt does not sell.

I am of the opinion that the crusaders of the poor are doing themselves an injustice trying to leverage traditional media to highlight the plight of the poor. The only thing that captures the imagination of the West seems to be lights cameras and action. I suspect that most Americans wouldn't be able to pick Somalia on a map, I struggle and I'm African, but the Somalis still need our help. Our ignorance won't make them disappear. Their children still cry when they've gone 36 hours without food. We should give up engaging the press on poverty and hand over to entertainment. Detail the efforts of volunteer workers as a reality television show. Showcase the crafts of the truly poor on home shopping networks. Use the mighty commercial arm where the news has failed. Do something, anything.

I have no doubt that if we could just a put a face to the pain of poverty, tell the stories of the lives ruined and give a voice to doomed we would find the world a better place tomorrow.

Learn more about this author, Michael Fletcher.
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