The two specific examples that represent "sameness and otherness" in mass media are the nytimes.com and the film Slumdog Millionaire can be further examined to explore the ideas of media fostering sameness and otherness. The New York Times will often do " human interest" stories when discussing the rest of the world. These news stories often strive to make the comparison of humanity and draw on emotions that everyone can identify with. Love, loss, despair, hope, understanding, tolerance, freedom. human rights and many other themes are often emphasized in these types of news stories The New York Times can also emphasize otherness when depicting a news story especially when condemning a nation that steps on these human attributes or is seen as an oppressor of human rights. These news stories seem to emphasize the otherness of the cultures being discussed. Slumdog Millionaire offers a good example of a media that draws on both sameness and otherness. In this film the culture of India especially that of the urban "slumdog" is shown as very different. Although the film emphasizes the difference in culture it uses a story that highlights sameness as well. The story of the underdog is a very American concept and the TV game show who wants to be a millionaire is paralleled. Often media chooses to anchor on the sameness of particular culture at least to give the audience something to identify with even if the media is ultimately trying to highlight the otherness.
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