How does media affect the way people percieve the world - Essay Example

Hostility of Moroccans towards US has increased from 61 percent in 2002 to 88 percent in 2004. Egypt negative perception of US has risen from 76 percent to 96 percent. An Opinion poll (study) conducted in Egypt at Cairo University in 2002 revealed that 72 percent of the respondents held negative perception of US when compared to 28 percent of the respondents who portrayed positive attitudes. The American regime is portrayed as a hostile country that fails to respect the rights of other individuals.

People in Middle East have used various words to describe US such as tyranny, supremacy, deceit, pro Israel, enemy, hypocrisy and ethical decay (El-Bendary, 2011). Research has suggested that Arab hostility towards U.S is worsened by US activities and policies in the Middle East. It has its origin from the Gulf war and the alleged US support of Israel in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Additionally, there have been allegations that America is trying to humiliate and subject Arab people to their ideologies.

Because of this, the Arab regimes (through their control of the media), have been spreading negative stereotyped images about the west (Zogby, 2004). The Arab opinion of U.S policy in the Middle East is much influenced by the Arab media. Video footage showing images of violence in the West Bank and Gaza strip are delivered across Arab satellite news channel, radio and by other news agencies to the millions of Muslims and Arabs around the World. The Americans foreign policy is defined and debated over Arab media as it unfolds.

Satellite television, newspaper, magazines and radios have the greatest influence in the Middle East as they are accessed by many audiences (Zogby, 2004). The information contained in the Arab media about the US is a perception of how the Arabs and Muslims think about the west. There is a disregard whether the news is negative or positive. Americans have adopted the same logic. The popular culture and mass media in the United Stated have come up with stereotypes that portray all Muslims as Arabs and all Arabs as terrorist.

The Americans utilize representations and language in cartoons, movies, news, magazine stories, the popular culture and the media in propagating of evil Arab stereotypes. These stereotypes are comprised of various people, beliefs, ideas, religions and assumptions. Movies and magazines present tainted images of Middle East men. The recent movies have highlighted Barbarism and cruelty as the common traits associated with Arabs. The Mentioned stereotypes are a false mental image and are not from the true image (Mady, 2004).

The United States has made efforts to present a clear image of American society and polices, which have not had an impact. Washington has sponsored various Arabic-language media organization. This includes Hi Magazine, Al Hurra TV and Radio Sawa. In spite of this funding ($62 million to Al Hurra in 2004 alone), these stations and publications have failed to project and improve American credibility in the Middle East region. Galal notes that the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S illustrate the problem of negatively held perception about U.

S in the Arab and Muslim World (El-Bendary, 2011). Differences and Similarities between the Middle East and the United States According to Mady (2004), the media in the Middle East and United states have had many significant similarities despite their