I really need to spell this out? The media of Hometown are vastly more likley to treat an immolation in Megdad as due to a legitimate grievance worthy of attention and down play any mental health problems or details that might paint the person in an unflattering light compared to someone who self-immolates in Hometown.
So basically your position summarizes to "a nation's establishment is more likely to control the media of that same nation instead of the media of a foreign nation?" That's indeed highly probable, yes.
Noble act of defiant self-sacrifice is far. Suicidal crazies are near.
Does that mean that Palestinians are more likely to see Palestinian suicide bombers as "suicidal crazies" and less likely as "noble and defiant self-sacrificing heroes" than an American is? Palestinians are far from America, and near to other Palestinians, so isn't that the sort of prediction that your near/far theory about sacrifice vs crazies would make?
Someone self immolates and explicitly states it is a form of political protest in Megdad. What a crazy regime!
Someone self immolates and explicitly states it is a form of political protest in Hometown. What a crazy person!
Edit: What -5 already? What is giving an example of how people never take the outside view of their own society that bad a topic for the discussion section? Also disclaimer both Hometown State and Megdadistan Republic are fictional countries and no actual examples where given, to avoid mind killers.
2nd Edit: Wow I really need to spell this out? The media of Hometown are more likley to treat an immolation in Megdad as due to a legitimate grievance worthy of attention and down play any mental health problems or details that might paint the person in an unflattering light compared to someone who self-immolates in Hometown. And I think this effect is mostly not due to government enforced censorship or pressure.
Noble act of defiant self-sacrifice is far. Suicidal crazies are near.
The only way to get good coverage to acheive social change is to count on foreign media to paint a kind picture of you. And supposing your people care about what the media of Megdad say about your country.
3rd Edit: -15 Pretty clear that I'm wrong .