It seems the media is growing more powerful with time which is, in my opinion, both good and bad. The media takes full advantage of their first amendment right and the freedom of the press. The media has three main roles and responsibilities to the American public, which I will cover in detail. I will explain how these responsibilities fit in with my current events project on our economy. Our politicians have a great influence over what the media reports as well.
The threat of terrorist attacks changed American culture immensely; the devastation wakened the need for protection and a sense of security. Dramatic measures were taken in order to protect this country, so foreign relations were severely affected. Post 9/11 government saw the “link between immigration and security”, and that by changing foreign policy it would “reduce the likelihood of future attacks” (Krikorian 567).The safety measure in airports were countless from metal detectors to full body scans. “The immigration system has being penetrated by the enemy”, the officials realized which led to unfair accusation of innocents (Krikorian 568). “Overzealous officials” grill suspicious foreigners “to the point of near panic” (Khan 559).
However, today "muckraker" takes on a more positive connotation, referring to a journalist "who inquires into and publishes scandal and allegations of corruption among political and business leaders" ("Muckraker" 2). The more recent definition of a "muckraker" is the more accurate of the two, since it depicts investigative journalists in a positive light. These journalists should be able to go to whatever length necessary to reveal any harmful acts being committed toward American society, even
The Truth About the Media There are many behaviors and habits that have become “normal” in society and have existed almost as long as human beings themselves. Early in History many of these behaviors were controlled by monarchs and the aristocratic oligarch governments that dominated early civilizations. Eventually through inventions and advancements in human thinking, individuality, and forms of art additional factors began to dictate and profoundly influence these behaviors. Today one of the most influential bodies in society is the media. Especially in our behaviors and what we deem as acceptable or for that matter the converse and unacceptable.
“The more our government sanctions torture, the more that high-level officials do not face censure, the more our democracy erodes”(Cusac 141). Regardless, the effectiveness of certain interrogation methods, under the International Law, it is not acceptable. The actions that exemplify crime and punishment are not appropriate on television. We need to stop supporting this kind of entertainment on television, and protect our society from being influenced through televisions message. The need to show that there are rules and rights of humans rather than television being in contradiction of the human rights side of our
We must name it, describe it, analyze it, understand it and change it” he is talking about the injustices of the American government. The more the American people are better to understand the way our system really works the more we will have the power to change the corrupt system. One point that stood out for me was when he said that the U.S. was so afraid that if they were to leave
Manipulation of media is of course one of the main factors. Nowadays, we know all too well how easily it is for media corporations to support one political agenda or another by twisting facts and feeding false information. Consumerism, supported and viralized by media, also carries a message which tends to separate those who consume a certain kind of product from those who do not, stating that the former are happier than the latter. This exercises certain social pressure among consumerist individuals who may somehow see their social status affected and thus feel left out. As a result, the key for the survival of individuality lies in how conformist the people are ready and willing to become.
How to tackle the addiction, prevent it and allow people to recover is an ongoing problem. We must look at it symbolically and take responsibility of our social networks and media influence. By breaking it down to the subgroups of a drug culture, changing the unnecessary glamorization by film and music industry. Educational opportunities for lower socioeconomic groups may decrease the need for a dependency on drug dealing. The answers are not easy, the task seems unobtainable, but without an attempt “The Unnecessary Epidemic” continues at a great cost to human beings and our existence.
A “moral panic” starts with an unspeakable tragedy, which sparks an attempt to ascribe blame and responsibility. Framers or activists, fueled with exaggeration of statistics and the strong imagery presented through pop culture and especially the media help define “moral panic”. The most interesting relationship to me that is created by the “moral panic” is the involvement of the media or pop culture. The media in all these articles have a crucial role in escalating the issue as well as pop culture. The movies, literature, and news all have a stake in the phenomenon of serial homicide.
Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of the role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime and deviance. (21) A moral panic is an outrage that is stirred up by the media about a particular group or issue. The role of the mass media is to communicate to a large audience, whether it be written or spoken, though the radio, television, newspapers or the internet; as item A states the news media are one of our main sources of knowledge about crime and deviance. Often the media will create a moral panic surrounding crimes and criminals or deviants. Cohen’s explanation of folk devils and moral panics is highly relevant to understand the role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime