Pew Internet & American Life Project has performed a phone survey (pdf) which shows that millions of Americans go online to get alternatives to big media about for example the war in Iraq. One quarter of the respondents in the survey searched for news and images online that could not be found in traditional media. But seeing the images that traditional media choose not to publish, leaves surfers with mixed feelings.
“…millions of Internet users want to be able to view the graphic war images and they see the Internet as an alternative source of news and information from traditional media. But many who do venture outside the traditional and familiar standards of the mainstream news organizations to look at the images online end up feeling very uncomfortable.”
33 per cent wished they hadn’t seen the pictures. Sometimes we should be thankful that media serves as a filter. (I just noticed this report was a month old, but it’s still interesting.)