> The people in the media aren't actually suffering.
I would argue that from their point of view, they very well do. See "Last Action Hero" for my point. How do you know, one dimension higher from them, that they do not suffer ? Do you see the actor "winking" at you, like it's a joke ? No, from their point of view, the suffering is pretty much real.
You imagine suffering from our point of view. Try to imagine that a God might see you as you see Bruce Wayne in the comics.