The media is, among other things, big business (obviously.) Since fear is one of the few things to sell better than sex, the media paints those of us who like to be more independent, competent, and self-reliant together with the other less savory characters. It gives them more material to draw from, so it doesn't matter to them, apparently, that we, who practice disaster preparedness, could be counted among the more rational and balanced members of modern society.