Trial by Media

1461 Words3 Pages

Trial by Media

With 27 million newspapers bought and 99 percent of the adult

population watching an average of 2½ hours of television every day,

the British Media (mass media) has a massive audience. Since the

1920's, sociological research has been conducted on the basis of

concerns about the potentially negative influence over the media

consuming public.

Early research conducted by the Payne Fund studies found that the mass

media had a powerful effect over its audience, which lead to the more

recent 'trial by media' debate. 'Trial by Media' essentially

translates as media bias. The Sun Newspaper's switch from Conservative

to Labour just before the general election in 1997, and Labour's

subsequent win, arguably demonstrates evidence of the powerful effect

of bias within the media. (Jones M., Jones E. Mass Media 1998 p190) In

the case of Jamie Bulger, murdered by two young boys in 1993, blame

was attributed to the media for the 18-certificate horror 'Childs

Play3' production, from which the boys were said to have 're-enacted'

some scenes. (Jones p76) The many studies into media effects on

audiences have raised some valid arguments and theories. Belief as to

who has more effect over media content (and bias of content) is

divided into hegemonic Marxist theory (dominated by elite ideology)

versus the pluralist approach (public autonomy). Debate into audience

reception of media output falls into several different schools of

thought; reception analysis theory, deviancy amplification and moral

panic, and the argument over whether the media encourages violence.

This essay will examine these issues with reference to the

implications ...

... middle of paper ...

...is the norm,

implications are both positive and negative; they serve to maintain

the capitalist structure economically and ideologically though

hegemonic rule that legitimates itself through the media. This

legitimisation arguably creates an audience that is both acquiescent

of the media and inculcated with an elitist perspective.

Bibliography

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1. Maguire K. (2002) The Guardian (Manchester)

2. Jones M., Jones E. (1998) Mass Media (Hampshire - Palgrave)

3. Esher (2002) Mass Media, Crime and Ethnicity (http://www.esher.ac.uk)

4. Whale J (1997) The Politics of the Media (London : Fontana)

5. Bilton et al (2002) Introductory Sociology 4th ed(Palgrave

Hampshire)

6. Tunstall J. (1996) Newspaper Power (Oxford - USA)

7. McQuail D (1989)Mass Communication Theory ( Sage - London)

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