The Pluralist View of Mass Media Essay

On the contrary, Kenneth Newton, Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Southampton, considers why "the media are generally a weak force in society" (209). News syndicates constantly publish information to increase their influence, yet the endless editorials provoke discouragement among readers. With various writings broadcasted in the world, audiences disregard the data since most of the information is partisan. Newton acknowledges that the broadcasts are in a cutthroat industry because they "are bound by the golden chains of the market" and it is their viewers who mold the market (215). Katie Kindelan, a writer for the online magazine Social Times, reveals that a study concluded that sixty-one percent of adults surveyed had access to a vast scope of political views but "remained skeptical about the quality and value of the information.” Since the public has access to a diverse range of views and beliefs, the influence of one story can be negated by another. Also, the press is seen as a segregated entity, but, in reality they are an indispensable component of society. All American citizens have their values and concerns, as do the people of the media. Newton points out how the media are "products of society" (215). Their beliefs are indistinguishable with those of their audiences and the content they publish

In a seminar discussion it was mentioned that one of the major things missing in regards to journalism is integrity, that journalists have compromised their journalistic integrity because they know that it is the only way to get their work out there. In the Mass Communication in Canada, one of the chapter’s talks about the process in which information is processed before it is eventually put out for the general public. The book says that before any information can be published or printed it first has to be decided whether or not that piece of information is news; a subjective process that involves reporters, editors and producers in a complex and consultative process of selection. It also goes on to add that although most news stories are based on actual events and real people they never simply “mirror” reality, meaning to say that just like a mirror only shows us what is placed before it as a society we are only shown what these corporation place before our eyes. We as people are at a point where we have been overly influenced that we have allowed ourselves to accept whatever it is that has been put before our eyes without question. Personally I think that government policies should be implemented in order to stop these news corporations from continuing to negatively influence and control just to benefit themselves. The fact that they feel obligated to be held accountable to only themselves and their shareholders and not the general public that they are earning their wealth

     “It is the power that shapes and molds the mind of virtually every citizen, young or old, rich or poor, simple or sophisticated” (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 1). The media is a part of everyday life in America. News and events outside of one’s home or neighborhood are brought to their area via the newspaper, magazines, radio, television, and the internet. As the quote above mentions mass media, and its components, are very powerful and are capable of influencing one’s mind, as well as their behavior. The images and stories introduced to children and young adults make it difficult for these viewers to distinguish between fact and fiction (Cable News

In fact, even the journalism literature suggests that some 40-50 per cent or more of all the news that’s reported on any given day originated in PR departments” (Parsons, 2008). Hence, Parsons’ goes on to further elaborate that even though the relationship between journalists and public relations personnel is indeed significant, there are also ethical problems that are naturally evident within that connection.

Journalists are often confronted with the ethical and moral dilemmas of producing accurate, yet interesting stories. They must be responsible with their reporting, but at the same time keep the public interest high in order to be successful. It is suspected the propaganda has been around as long as freedom of expression.

The Four Theories of the Press encompasses the Authoritarian Theory, Libertarian Theory, Soviet Media Theory and Social Responsibility Theory introduced by Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson and Wilbur Schramm. The abovementioned theories were formulated in response to the question ‘Why do the mass media appear in widely different forms and serve different purposes in different countries?’

The priority of news outlets is to keep an audience which is its most vital commodity. This involves making the news appealing and entertaining which should cater to the guilty pleasures and prejudices of the audience, such as: fear, moral self-satisfaction and feel good stories. Furthermore, news channels need to sensor themselves to avoid legal action being taken against them, so tread softly when it comes to sensitive matters and embellish stories. This clearly displays media as bias as they have their own agenda of making profit and garnering an

The first issue of The Sun contained a photograph of the Rolling Stones accompanied by a naked female and within 100 days the paper's circulation leapt from 850,000 to 1.5 million. "Women were routinely degraded through page 3 photos of nudes or near nudes." (Source: Despite The Sun -Spectacle productions, 1987) Stephen Koss, author of The Rise and Fall of the Political Press in Britain described Rupert Murdoch's genre of newspaper proprietor as "a businessman first and foremost". Koss argues that politics were less of a motive for the actions of newspaper owners and more of a method for achieving financial success.

The mass media plays a large role in modern society. Indeed, many have argued that people spend more time in "mass-mediated" interaction than in actual human interaction. The mass media, then, would seemingly be an excellent position to initiate social change, positively affect social problems, and help combat social ills that are considered normal patterns of behavior. Yet, the mass media has largely failed in addressing and helping to solve social problems. As seen through its presentation of the three major variables of race, class, and gender, the mass media has actually served to contribute to the social problems it covers, reinforcing them, and creating an inter-related

The new kinds of technologies were also used for shrinking the problems of media portrayal of sex and violence. The technologies that the media have includes the Social Networking sites, such as Facebook, Instagram and other interactive websites. These Social Media websites were used to reach the sexual health audiences for mobile target audiences. The sexual health message of media technologies could make awareness for minimizing the problems of portrayal of sex and violence.

Every day we rely on the news to keep us abreast of the state of affairs in our lives. From the tiniest of towns to the largest sprawling metropolis we need our news to be accurate, objective and we need it fast. As times change not only does the way in which we get our news change but in how it is presented to us. Biases in our media have always existed but the public’s distrust of the media because of these biases is quite high. Recent polls show that nearly 80 percent of Americans believe that the media influenced by influenced by the powerful and that they tend to favor one side of issues over another (Keiner, 2013, p. 401). A Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2011 found that 77 percent of respondents believed news organizations tend to favor one side over the other (Keiner, 2013, p. 405).

At the point when a reporter or some other media outlet reports news with a perspective and not only the realities, it is called media predisposition or media bias. Media predisposition can occur in a few structures. These incorporate particular announcing of actualities, oversight of certainties and ponder contortion. Media bias in America comes essentially in two structures, conservative and liberal. Significant media outlets are in some cases known for their predisposition detailing. The Fox News Channel has a tendency to have a more conservative perspective with their announcing, though the NBC, ABC and CBS News Channels have a tendency to have more liberal perspectives. Groups of onlookers of these systems have a tendency to be determined with regards to the issues being talked about (DellaVigna and Kaplan 2006). Effects of this incorporate a partition among the American open. Because of this separation, America is ending up progressively split into two posts on either end of the political range. Americans have turned out to be all the more doubting of reporter to convey news completely, decently and precisely. As media inclination turns into a more noticeable issue in present day society, it has appeared to influence political issues and social issues and additionally preparing for a partitioned society later on.

The ultimate purpose of the news media is to be a promoter of the voice of the voiceless (the common people) on both a local and global scale—ultimately, a public servant. Today, the media molds, shapes and creates an opinion in our minds before we get an opportunity to think for ourselves. Whether we watch the news on the television or listen to the radio or follow CNN or BBC World News on some social media platform like Facebook or Twitter—we receive controlled content altered to favor a certain group of people, companies, industries—or in this case, countries. Irrespective of what the media implies in its actions, no life lost is less or more important

It is a hot summer evening, and you are sitting on your couch reading the daily newspaper, scanning the stories that tell you what the world is like today. The lines paint a clear picture of what is happening or what has happened. Sorry! but that’s not how things work. Like other types of journalistic media, newspapers do not always tell the truth in a reliable and trustworthy fashion. As with other everyday items, the purpose is there, but it is not always akin to what we truly need. Brooke Gladstone references these notions often in her book The Influencing Machine. In short, Gladstone shows that the media has a much-needed purpose, like informing us on governmental decisions and briefing the people on new issues; However, this function is meaningless in a society in which dishonest media outlets are more popular, and thusly more profitable, than more honest and reliable sources. Journalistic media today is not what you thought it was; It may have a purpose we cannot live without, but it is often unreliable and dishonest.

Media will need to stick to their owners and advertisers in order to receive support. Owners’ ideological thoughts, either supporting or going against a certain idea, are shown through those media (Pedro 2011). Since it respects these five filters, the outcome of news reports is different from the fact. For instance, Telegraph did not cover HSBC’s tax scandal because HSBC is one of Telegraph’s major company advertiser (Plunkett 2015). Telegraph would not offend its advertiser; therefore, media owners decide contents that do not impact on their profit. They prioritise their profit rather than reporting the truth. Rupert Murdoch supported Trump during the US presidential election (Graves 2017). Due to this, Fox News is looked upon favourably by the Trump administration. Unlike other media, former press officer, Sean Spicer, did not exclude Fox News at the press conference (Siddiqui 2017). The media that supports only one side of the fact would not achieve the role to retain objectivity. Instead, it damages democracy since the audience will be forced to have a certain idea.