Page 63 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 63
4.2 Memory from the Media Perspective
tourism organisations, as well as the media (Seaton, 1996). Thus, Mionel
(2019, p. 428) and Seaton (1999) similarly claim that suppliers’ marketing
campaigns (including mass-media) follow consumer preferences and, in
fact, create dark tourism, which is, however, subject to changes due to
political and cultural influences. Thus, the tourist’s image of the sites pre-
sented in the media can create motivational dynamics of tourism demand
(Burns & Holden, 1995; Foley & Lennon, 1996, p. 198, 199). The aspect of
destination image should also be pointed out, especially because the ra-
tionale here is different than with other forms of tourism, where everyone
avoids a negative destination image. In general, positive media images
create a desire to experience the reality at a specific destination, but the
peculiarity of dark tourism is that the more negative the image is (the
extent of conflict, damage, casualties), the more attractive the destination
becomes for ‘dark tourists’ (Foley & Lennon, 1996, p. 198).⁵ Dark tourism
site managers and product developers should be aware of the likelihood
that prior knowledge from the media and the inverted logic of the image
are a vital component of the visit.
4.2 Memory from the Media Perspective
As already mentioned in this research, events related to death – in spite of
the general marginalisation/negligence of the dead body and death itself
– usually offer a good news story. Journalists/the media search for sto-
ries related to memory, especially when people need help with recover-
ing from past traumatic events, i.e. in the case of the news of war, crime,
terror, and natural disaster (Zelizer, 2008a, p. 383).⁶ This way the mass
media generate empathy through the production and dissemination of
memory, which represents an imaginary temporal bridge that connects
or separates people from the traumatic past. Thus, individuals can have
an intimate relationship with the memories of past events which they did
not personally experience (Landsberg, 2003, p. 148); the author – see also
Sturken (2008, p. 75) – marked such circulation of memories in mass
culture as a ‘prosthetic memory’ (‘the corrupted mirror of the authen-
tic memory’). It is in some way worrying how mass/popular culture and
mass media can co-opt memories and reconfigure histories into enter-
tainment (Sturken, 2008, p. 75); Zelizer (2008a, p. 381) – in accordance
⁵ This applies in particular to the situation immediately after the conflict.
⁶ According to Wertsch (2002), story or narrative within this study is perceived as a tool
for transfer/dissemination of certain images of the historical events.
63
tourism organisations, as well as the media (Seaton, 1996). Thus, Mionel
(2019, p. 428) and Seaton (1999) similarly claim that suppliers’ marketing
campaigns (including mass-media) follow consumer preferences and, in
fact, create dark tourism, which is, however, subject to changes due to
political and cultural influences. Thus, the tourist’s image of the sites pre-
sented in the media can create motivational dynamics of tourism demand
(Burns & Holden, 1995; Foley & Lennon, 1996, p. 198, 199). The aspect of
destination image should also be pointed out, especially because the ra-
tionale here is different than with other forms of tourism, where everyone
avoids a negative destination image. In general, positive media images
create a desire to experience the reality at a specific destination, but the
peculiarity of dark tourism is that the more negative the image is (the
extent of conflict, damage, casualties), the more attractive the destination
becomes for ‘dark tourists’ (Foley & Lennon, 1996, p. 198).⁵ Dark tourism
site managers and product developers should be aware of the likelihood
that prior knowledge from the media and the inverted logic of the image
are a vital component of the visit.
4.2 Memory from the Media Perspective
As already mentioned in this research, events related to death – in spite of
the general marginalisation/negligence of the dead body and death itself
– usually offer a good news story. Journalists/the media search for sto-
ries related to memory, especially when people need help with recover-
ing from past traumatic events, i.e. in the case of the news of war, crime,
terror, and natural disaster (Zelizer, 2008a, p. 383).⁶ This way the mass
media generate empathy through the production and dissemination of
memory, which represents an imaginary temporal bridge that connects
or separates people from the traumatic past. Thus, individuals can have
an intimate relationship with the memories of past events which they did
not personally experience (Landsberg, 2003, p. 148); the author – see also
Sturken (2008, p. 75) – marked such circulation of memories in mass
culture as a ‘prosthetic memory’ (‘the corrupted mirror of the authen-
tic memory’). It is in some way worrying how mass/popular culture and
mass media can co-opt memories and reconfigure histories into enter-
tainment (Sturken, 2008, p. 75); Zelizer (2008a, p. 381) – in accordance
⁵ This applies in particular to the situation immediately after the conflict.
⁶ According to Wertsch (2002), story or narrative within this study is perceived as a tool
for transfer/dissemination of certain images of the historical events.
63
