Posted Tuesday, May 02, 2006; 5:37 p.m.

American Media: Are We Getting the Full Story?
The media has long influenced the way we see ourselves and other people, but could it be that people often miss crucial information when forming conceptions of other cultures?

By Rocio Zamora
The L.A. Pilot

LOS ANGELES -- Often limited to learning about South Africa from what they read in the paper or see on television, most Americans know very little about South African culture.

Results for a search on news stories about South Africa in the past six months, Lexis-Nexis turned up many news stories focusing on Africa having to do with AIDS, violence, poverty or famine.

In March 2006, CNN reported on South Africa’s high rate of rape cases, including the one involving Jacob Zuma, one of the country’s leading politicians.

“Relative to its population, South Africa has more reported cases of rape than any country on earth," CNN reported. "The number of victims keeps going up, and so do the number of victims who are children.

In April, NPR broadcast a radio diary of Thembi Ngubane, a young South African mother who at 16 found out she was HIV positive.

While these stories deal with topics that are having a great impact on the South African community, it leaves people who know nothing of the country with no other perception of South Africa.

Though news stories dealing with negative aspects of South Africa were predominant, there were a couple of stories which focused on South Africa’s appeal.

The Chicago tribune reported in March that more African-Americans are considering South Africa a "must-see" destination, curious to see the land of Nelson Mandela.

"It was interesting to meet blacks from a different culture and different experiences," said Hall, 17, who was on his first trip outside the U.S. "Growing up here [in Atlanta], the only black people you talk to are the same. They are just like me and they all fit in one box."

Due to media coverage focusing mainly on poverty and hunger plaguing various parts of the continent, many Americans believe that all Africans are poor. At the same time, and because of the same media coverage, many Africans believe all Americans are rich. And people from both countries believe the other is a violent and dangerous place.