The Control Large Players Have on Mass Media

The media is an extremely powerful source in society today. Surprisingly, many are unaware of this and choose to believe everything they read in magazines, newspapers and online without actually understanding where this information is coming from. This is a monumental problem in our generation today because like Malcolm X said, the media has the power to make the innocent look guilty and the guilty look innocent. In other words, the media has the power to manipulate our views and perspectives on controversial issues to persuade us to believe their

It being the leading source of news since the printing press. We put our faith in the media to report accurate facts unbiasedly. Between 1983 and now the media industry has consolidated from 50 individual companies to 6. That means that though the impression given is that there are a multitude of sources to attain information, the messages being communicated are all one in the same. The limitation of media sources cause a ripple effect of limited information, allowing these companies to control the public’s perception on

Ever since the 17th century, the newspaper has been produced and blown out of proportion, known as mass media. George A. Krimsky shines his own opinion in his essay, “The Role of the Media in a Democracy.” Krimsky provides many examples, reasoning, and rhetoric devices to expand his argument even more, his argument being that; the press should send out straight facts, let people interpret them, and allow the free press to hold the government accountable.

The power and consequently the responsibility of media, especially mainstream, is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. It often sets the agenda amongst the general public and is the reference point for the majority of the discussion surrounding it. For many, what they see and read in the media forms the basis of their opinions on most important topics. Despite warnings not to, many believe that everything they read in the media must be true.

Media has completely evolved from what it was twenty years ago and now the media plays an extremely large role in politics. Mass media refers to the means for communicating to audiences. In the past, mass media would be considered newspapers, radios, and television announcements. Now, there are social media platforms and apps that deliver news and information to the people wherever they are. Even the current President has no qualms using such platforms as he is a frequent, and not so loved, user of the Twitter app. Almost every government agency and organization has their own website, or even their own twitter/instagram account. This provides the public easy access to information and updates regarding who they follow and what party they identify with. However, this leads to the problem of “newsworthiness”. Newsworthiness is the degree in which a story will likely appeal to the public. This can have very negative consequences as many journalists will write their pieces biasedly to attract the attention of fellow supporters. They will forgo the facts and instead, pick and choose what they want to include in their articles. This leads to a misinformed public, as they never receive the full

The media controls many thoughts and facts given to the public that may or may not be true. With the Internet at fingertips across the world, news spreads faster with little evidence provided. Over the last century, the world’s speed increased with news inventions such as cars, electronics, and the Internet. Society’s mindset transformed from hard working to free handouts; therefore, when news sources make a statement, humankind believes it without researching the topic at all. Sometimes, news reporters make legitimate statements that are misinterpreted by readers. The words of the writer are at fault for perspective or understanding of news rather than the interpretation the readers obtain.

We are living in information age, where quick access to all types of information is a way of life. People around the relay on media, for information related to politics, culture, sports, technology, economy and various other factors. Although media is applauded for its role in transforming our life by providing relevant and accurate information, there is increasing exasperation about current media practices. Many people believe that current media practices are not aligned with the objective of providing correct information to public. In doing so, media portrays a picture that is favorable to its own objective and may contradict the reality; consequently these practices are termed

The Mediatized refers to the information overload provided by the government, the media and any other mean of mass communication (Page 14). The problem resides in the notion that it is very difficult to choose which information is precise and which is information is factually wrong (Page 15). The media is usually motivated by subjectivity and biases, which removes the objectivity of the information that is being broadcast (Page 16). As a result, skepticism about the legitimacy and worthiness of the material delivered is raised in terms of serving a greater purpose of connectivity at the multitude level (Page

Lack of media influence in present-day democracies makes accountability and openness virtually impossible. Nevertheless, the media is a powerful tool that can be used to either support or hinder political transparency. Can we, as Americans, really believe the media? If so, how can we find clarity on what’s true and what’s not? In most cases, the media tends to translate coverage of politics and law into forms of entertainment for the American people (London, 2015). However, the media also acts a powerful informant of the country’s political issues and status. Consequently, this triggers a great dilemma among the American people as to whether or not to believe the media. As a result, it is a major challenge among the citizens to differentiate

In today’s society, remaining connected and knowledgeable of current events and the newest trends is vital to staying ahead in business, education, and social standing. This information is supplied to everyone through the internet, newspapers, television, and radio. One can tune into stations such as CNN, NBC, Fox News, Al-Jazeera, and many others (“SQs of Media Outlets”). In order to meet the needs of viewers, readers, and listeners, the ideal media system would contain accurate, quick information, with a purely impartial view on the facts as they are known. However, this modern media system has not maintained an objective view, pushing opinionated and slanted reporting onto the population in order to create profit and gain customers. The exploitation of information media for personal gain has created a toxic and inaccurate present, constant in today’s society.

of people believe that the media is essential to our democracy (Knight Foundation); the vast communication network keeps audiences connected and aware of current events or affairs. However, within the past couple of years, some people have perceived the media to be untrustworthy and problematic due to the rise of fake news. Consequently, “nearly two thirds of Americans say the mainstream press is full of fake news, a sentiment that is held by

An independent foreign observer might be surprised to see that what role does the media plays in our society. The people consider information fed to them by the media as gospel truth. The politicians, bureaucrats and elites are so afraid of media, that whenever something wrong on part of government is shown to the people, the

Media coverage reflects the media’s agenda. The agenda setting theory predicts that people will place importance on issues to which they are exposed. Agenda setting by the media tells us what to think about – public opinion about what should be on the public agenda is heavily influenced by the topics and issues that appear in the news (Glenn G. Sparks , 2012). The type of news people select often takes the form of opinionated entertainment rather than politically oriented information because some of this information is simply not presented. “All the reporters in the world working all the hours of the day could not witness all the happenings in the world” (Lippmann, 1922, p. 183). Limitations such as distance, time constraints, and subjectivity challenge the media.

"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." This quote by A.J. Liebling illustrates the reality of where the media stands in today's society. Over the past twenty years there has been an increase in power throughout the media with regard to politics. The media's original purpose was to inform the public of the relevant events that occurred around the world. The job of the media is to search out the truth and relay that news to the people. The media has the power to inform the people but often times the stories given to the public are distorted for one reason or another. Using slant and sensationalism, the media has begun to shape our views in society and the process by which

Thousands of our nation's men and women were fighting for their country, yet the media limited the amount of information that they chose to pass on to the public. Each day the media is faced with the choice of making decisions of what news to pass on, when that news could make a significant difference in someone's life, or in the fate of our nation.