A with many of my strange ideas, they struck when I least expect them to. The other day me and my room mate view a documentary about hiphop beefs. A though struck me, how big of a role has media played, how much have they (unintentionally or not?) helped fuel the battles?
For many people media constitute the only source of information about the world around us. Even in this modern information age, the regular media still play a huge roll to provide us with news. And by media I refer to published media. Classical media like tv, newpapers and radio, often owned or sponsored by a huge corporation with the mission to earn as fucking much money they can. Still, I’m sceptical whether media truly live up to what to expect of them, to supply society with relevant news, which also should be true. Many times media actually delivers true news, but how many times do they miss or simply print false story’s with the intent to entice readers?
Regular media or what I would like to call “Popular media”, are according to me, good examples of easy consumed news deliverer. Often paid for by advertisers and a small part from the people who pay. What they care for is a high number of readers (Including viewers and listeners), to they can sell more and expensive advertising. To attract readers selling story’s is a must, unfortunately. The result from this leads to the important news sometimes have to step down for more “selling” news. Like all this crap with gossip news surrounding celebrities. What does those news really contribute to society, NOTHING!
Now, my main point, or rather question/though was… how many people have died (direct or indirect) from media reporting? A very controversial question indeed, but nonetheless interesting. To develop my though some more and explain how I think:
Looking in the review mirror of media history, media was the only way for people to get news from around the world and in some way, create their view of the world through media reporting. Media have been the medium for politicians to spread their message, critics to spread the truth and corporations to market their brand or products to lure people into the buying cycle. Especially news media should be impartial and not influenced by outside powers. To deliver good and true news. And these news, affect people in many ways. They can create strong reactions, sorrows, emotions and happiness. And these reactions can sometimes lead to actions, which can end in horrifying endings. That’s not to say that all media is responsible, and how could one measure this anyway?
But still I think it raises the question of medias responsibility in there news reporting. Can they be hold accountable for deaths? Its hard to prove, and they shouldn’t stop to report important news. All I would like is for news media to really be causes and aware of the power they hold in our world view and how they report it.
Then the next question of cause becomes, what about the new media like blogs. When classical news media compete with the small people who write about news and other read. Even if they’re not educated within the journalistic profession, in today’s digital world the possibilities are endless. Today, the amount of information is endless, and the ability to aggregate information from different sources doesn’t require to much time or education. Regular media have lost credibility, and alternative (more trusted) sources are becoming more common, and threatens paid media. Never underestimate the power and energy of the little people will to find the truth.
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