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influence of mass media in world politics
influence of mass media in world politics
6 importance of journalism
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The importance of journalism has always been defined by the inherent value of information. To possess information is to possess power, and without it a society can effectively be rendered mute. The essential functions of a journalist, to be both the watchdogs of the elite and the providers of factual and unbiased reporting to the public, have begun to decline in recent decades. Although the news is integral to the fabric of democracy, the current market imperatives of sustaining a profitable business model, the rise of a corporate ethos within journalistic institutions, and the slowly deteriorating standards of what makes a good story have all contributed to the devaluation of fact-based, unbiased, and investigative journalism. When looking …show more content…
The constant struggle between profitability and ethical journalism has brought us to the current problems facing journalists today. Trying to reconcile the economic pressures of a failing newspaper with the costs of investigative and well researched news gathering is nigh impossible within the current capitalist system, as it rewards only those who make money quickly. Corporate ownership, most especially in instances such as Rupert Murdoch’s biased right-wing cross media ownership, can influence which stories are run and from what angle – impacting the accuracy, impartiality, and ethical responsibilities of the journalists they employ. The influence of ownership on such a vital profession is not only perturbing but has direct consequences on global events. The impact of the news media in the 2016 US election is perhaps the best example of how the decline in newspaper reporting contributed to the clear divide between the views of the corporate media versus the underreported public views on the then Republican nominee, and now president-elect, Donald …show more content…
Recalling the actions of William Randolph Hearst in 1898, the sensationalized and inaccurate media coverage of a US Naval ship sinking along the coast Spain contributed to an unnecessary war between the two countries. This was not the last time the media aided the government in garnering public support for overseas conquests; the pro-government media coverage of the Bush administrations invasion of Iraq due to “weapons of mass destruction” was integral to garnering the support needed to legitimize the invasion and continue extending missions. Fox News played a pivotal role in the pro-government, right wing rhetoric that criticized any neutral or left leaning media coverage as liberal lies, and once again Fox News and the effects of unethical journalism were seen in the in the polarizing US elections coverage. This, coupled with the underfunded local newspapers, lead to the divide between what pollsters and what corporate media considered “public opinion” and the true opinions of the working class, which were revealed for seemingly the first time to the broader public after Donald Trumps win on November 8th. Reputable newspapers, however, are not immune to their own scandals involving fraudulent reporters, such as in the case of Jayson Blair at the New York Times. The unimaginable influence of the news media on public opinion and global events cannot be
The Prime Minister of Spain once told an American, “The newspapers in your country seem to be more powerful than the government.” This statement was never more true than in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. The rulers of the New York newspaper empire, Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, battled against one another in the ultimate test of journalism. With a real war on the horizon, these men fought to produce the most sensational stories Americans had ever read; and, as a result, they brought forth a new age in the American newspaper business, an age of fighting for the little guy, and beating back tyranny one paper at a time.
The media takes a biased approach on the news that they cover, giving their audience an incomplete view of what had actually happened in a story. Most people believe that they are not “being propagandized or being in some way manipulated” into thinking a certain way or hearing certain “truths” told by their favorite media outlets (Greenwald 827). In reality, everyone is susceptible to suggestion as emphasized in the article “Limiting Democracy: The American Media’s World View, and Ours.” The
398).It is also stated that news divisions reduced their costs, and raised the entertainment factor of the broadcasts put on air. (p. 400). Secondly, the media determines its sources for stories by putting the best journalists on the case and assign them to areas where news worthy stories just emanates. (p.400). Third, the media decides how to present the news by taking the most controversial or relevant events and compressing them into 30 second sound-bites. (p.402). finally, the authors also explain how the media affects the general public. The authors’ state “The effect of one news story on public opinion may be trivial but the cumulative effect of dozens of news stories may be important. This shows a direct correlation between public opinions and what the media may find “relevant”. (Edwards, Wattenberg, Lineberry, 2015, p.
“Journalists are given the privilege of shared access to the first draft of history, and some responsibility to make sense of it.”(NFP) The light that Chris masters sheds on the ethics and responsibility of investigative journalism in relation to the public and on whom the report on is explored in Not for publication. Masters’ expository discourse develops the common ‘essential objective is profit rather that saving the world.” Masters first hand experience and unearthing of the true facets that are todays investigative media, is more sinister than one would expect. Through direct expressions of Masters’ concern we see how the public is stimulated and deluded by masses of entertainment and propaganda, the cry for bad news is so inert in our society, that the concept of Masters exposition stories would not mediate to the mass media.
Today’s mass media has been molded by hundreds of years of reporting, journalism, and personal opinions. America’s mainstream media thrives upon stretching the truth and ‘creating’ interesting stories for the public. Tactics like this can be credited to people such as William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper mogul from the late 19th to the 20th centuries. Hearst greatly influenced the practice of American journalism through his wealth, short political career, and use of unorthodox reporting methods such as yellow journalism.
The American news media is an extremely important “engine of American democracy” (Kaiser). Its role of informing the public is the foundation for our form of self-governance, and with that the influence that it has over the American people is paramount. In his essay “The Bad News About the News,” Robert G. Kaiser argues the importance of bi-partisan news outlets and the dismal impacts of the “[recent] rise of the fragmented news media,” however, this phenomenon may not be as recent as Kaiser believes. In what he refers to as the “golden era in journalism,” he writes of news anchors like Cronkite, Chancellor, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, and Peter Jennings as “gatekeepers” of the media; however, much of the issues that Kaiser claims “unified American
Bernard Goldberg’s book, Bias, reveals the truth of journalism, rather than its art. He pinpoints the inevitability and reasoning behind the majority of the media, the nation’s informant, slanting the news in a liberal direction. Clear examples and statistics highlight the condition; denied by the media moguls, already identified by the country.
In America we value the freedom of the press. The press is the one place where most Americans go to get educated on issues facing their community, state, and most of all nation. Everyone knows that the media plays a major role in Americans' lives; however their role of gatekeeper is not completely understood. The press decides which issues to report and how to report them. In order to improve the nation and world, the media should present their unbiased findings to allow people to make up their own minds. However, this is not the case. The media often shows its bias. Their widespread exposure enables them to communicate their ideas to the public, regardless of the public's responsiveness. The elections of officials for the federal government during the late 20th century serve as prime examples of their bias. An analysis of surveys, media delivery, and reporter's testimonies, I have found that the media is actually more out of touch with mainstream America than the politicians they cover.
Bennett (2011) felt that one of the biggest problems with bias in the American media was its “overwhelming tendency to downplay the big social, economic, or political picture in favor of the human trials, tragedies, and triumphs (177).” Shaiko (2008) alluded to the fact that the American news media is “accountable to the corporate conglomerates” and not “to the readers, listeners, and viewers (205).” Probably the most telling quotation of all can be found in Chapter 10 of The News Media: Communicating Pol...
The news media rejects the fact that they are biased. They claim that they are the “middle of the road,” and are neutral on the stories that they cover. Publishers also claim that they are the watchdog for the political system, and they make sure that the system is free of any corruption, or wrongdoing. Th...
I say this because there were points in which I personally could not really understand what was going on due to my lack of exposure to this problem that American journalism is facing. More specifically, terminology that was used, especially from business standpoints, and the different companies that were involved made it harder to keep up with the issue at hand. However, with a little editing and better explanation of terminology, I think that this film could extend to a wide audience that would include both digital natives and digital immigrants that are experiencing this transition within American news reporting. This paper will examine the difference between old and new journalism and its new standards, “The New York Times Effect” and its 21st century challenges, important qualifications to be a successful journalist, and the future role of journalism within American society.
she effectively remain a credible journalist while still holding her vow to help those "trapped in
"Journalism Ethics Online Journalism Ethics Gatekeeping." Journalism Ethics for the Global Citizen. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. .
In trying to attract new audiences, news media have begun to transition from reporting to becoming a form of entertainment. With the meteoric rise of social media’s role as a news source, the fight for an increase of diversity in the media, and the ever-growing desire of immediate content, the future of responsible journalism is more important than ever. Ask yourself, why do I think the way I do? Where do my political views originate? How do I prove them? Most likely, it is due to the biased portrayal of issues in the media and the politicization that accompanies what we consume. Now, compare your views to your preferred news reporting entity. More than likely, they are the same.
The introduction of the internet to modern society has brought about a new age of information relation. Since there is no longer a need to wait until the next print day, news from all over the world is available at a person’s fingertips within hours or even minutes of the event. With this advent of such easily accessible information, new problems for the news media have also arisen. Aside from potentially losing good economic standing because newspapers are no longer being purchased in the quantities they used to be, the credibility of the information itself is also put into question. No one would argue that credibility of news sources is unimportant, but there is a discrepancy in what takes precedence; economy and speed or getting the information out correctly at the first publishing by taking the time to make sure all facts are checked. The importance of having a system of checks on all information submitted is paramount. People trust what they read and believe it to be so without always questioning. If all information were to not be checked thoroughly, there would be instances where people read an article only for information included to be wrong and they go on believing such information. This can be very dangerous as misinformed people make misinformed decisions. With an increase in errors being made by citizen bloggers and even major publications, many are worried that journalistic ethics and credibility in the news media are being sacrificed in order to maintain swiftness in the news circuit and to retain personal profits. Though getting information to the masses quickly is a major part of the media’s importance, this should not mean that the credibility of that information being presented should be sacrificed for it...