Journalism Ethics and Society - Essay Example

The media, everywhere in the world, is a leading agency for projecting the ideologies and news to a huge target population or viewers. The larger theaudience base, the more powerful it becomes. The media in its various format like television, radio and newspaper and magazine, basically has the main objective of informing the audience of the events and news that are taking place around the world or it may just be region-centric, depending whether it is targeting domestic or international market. According to Herman and Chomsky (1988) the news media is engaged in ‘manufacturing consent’ on behalf of powerful elites. The increasing contentious role of journalism is a major concern and therefore, we would be studying the role and impact of news media in the wider interest of the public. It is true that media, in all formats, exerts powerful influence. It is therefore, not surprising that in the last thirty years, number of ownership has been reduced to just 9 major media conglomerates (Bagdikian) who now own all the major media outlets which include TV, newspaper, radio, publishing houses and movie production houses. Since Media has the power to change public perception, news channels mostly have different channels for domestic and international audience and as per the coverage, content and the authenticity of the news, the media often gains an enviable status and popularity among the masses. The pressure on the journalists to conform to the diktats of the management has intensified. Richard Keeble has asserted that ‘In the face of the enormous cultural, ideological and financial power of the dominant media and their hierarchically organised management structures, it is not surprising that isolated journalists (driven by their consciences) feel impotent to effect change’. (2005, p58). Looking through the last two decade of media evolution, one finds that the democratic and conscientious approach towards various issues that so characterized the media in earlier years, has gradually turned towards capitalistic values. Initially, media served as a link between the community and the government. The newspapers and radio made conscious effort to raise the problems and issues which directly affected the community and their welfare. It acted as the watchdog of the public and made sure that the government adhered to policies and plans best suited for national and regional development. Gradually all that changed and the various media like newspaper and publishers, radio, TV network, motion picture etc. gravitated towards a more powerful goal of vested interests! Brian McNair, in his book, ‘News and Journalism in UK’ has quoted an observer who said ‘BBC’s future is entirely in the hands of the government of today. There were many close shaves under the Tories..’ (2003, p59) and further states that ‘journalism focuses not on who owns the news media, but on how those media are positioned relative to the power elites within the societies’ (2003, p62). In the early eighties, there were about 80 media houses which have now shrunk to only five. These are Time Warner, Walt Disney Company, Murdoch’s New Corporation, Viacom and Bertelsmann. This cartel of big five, control a lot more than media houses. Each of them has stake in all forms of mass media; be it radio and television, newspaper and publishing house or motion pictures. They have become strong advocates for power games. Vested interests now dominate the overall goals and objectives of the media owners. Chomsky and Herman state that American news media acts more as ‘propaganda agencies’ and ‘the capacity of western ideological institutions (principally the media) to falsify, obscure and reinterpret the facts in the interests of those who dominate the economy and political system’ (1979, p71). Citizens’ welfare has taken a backseat and manipulation of public opinion has become the norm. Bob Franklin in ‘Newszak and News Media’ has succinctly declared that ‘news media have increasingly become part of entertainment industry instead of providing a forum for informed debate of key issues of public interest… measured judgment has succumbed to sensationalism.’ (1997, p4). Each media house has specific political leaning and back their own candidates for legislative seats, thereby influencing policies and plans which may make them more powerful. Public representatives are bought by these media giants so that they may advocate the cartel’s dubious aims and objectives. The whole power game is a mutually benefiting vicious cycle. Each of the party tries to outmanoeuvre each other to come out with a clean image for the public! The intrigue and indeed the intricate drama played subtly on various media are often in the guise of news, talk shows and public debates. The revenue earning through these media outlets are so vast that the slightest threat to this, creates immediate flutter among the ‘big five’ and they soon unite to overcome the danger by any means, fair or foul. It therefore comes as no surprise to know that outwardly they might be five different entities having similar goals but they have few interlocking members in the board of directors and that ‘they have 141 joint ventures which make them business partners…’(Bagdikian, 2000, p9). The opinions expressed in the media and sensational news items are not always what they appear to be. Allan Stuart in his book ‘’Journalism: Critical issues’ has claimed that the news is deliberately manipulated to garner maximum readership and hence the revenues. The fake photographs of the soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, is a case in point of orchestrated news items (Stuart, 2005). In the rat race to become the first to cover the scandal, the media is often seen to distort the real facts. The issues pertaining to the welfare of the society are seldom taken up, public has become mute spectator and they are unable to exert any visible impact on the policies and plans which are supposed to benefit them. When Herman and Chomsky say that ‘they manufacture consent on behalf of the elites’, one can gauge the extent of the influence the ‘big five’ exert on the public and the government alike. Apart from nefarious political agenda, the news media has also taken up more public interest issues in order to exhibit a more liberal, fair and empathetic attitude towards public welfare and developmental issues. It plays a prominent role in the portrayal of women, especially those above fifty years of age. In this patriarchal society, women are still struggling to establish their identity. Though women may share almost equal platform on visual media as TV anchors, newsreaders but in general, they have not been given the space and the importance that they deserve. Celebrity status and glamour seems to be the focal point in media for projecting them. Looking at the increasing number of TV soaps and mainstream cinema, one finds that the appeal for women protagonists, decrease with age. Fewer films and prime time soaps are produced with matured female artistes as central characters as opposed to their counterparts who seem to have a new lease of life after fifty years of age. Sean Connery (The Rock, Finding Forester etc.), Richard Gere’ (Chicago, Flock etc.) and many more Hollywood heroes seems to have more work after crossing fifty years! Gender bias seems to dominate all areas of media, including news media. World is fast moving towards a multicultural society. Certain areas of public interests are exception to the general perception. Acculturation has made it easy for the emigrant to identify with the mainstream population while maintaining their ethnic identity. The media, all over the world, has been quick to absorb this changing environment both in its corporate ideology and media projection. Hence, the basic agenda of newspaper and news channels has undergone major reshuffle to incorporate the changing socio-political profile of men and women in its programs. These are visible in the new talk shows and discussion panels that have become hugely popular in American television and newspapers. Emergence of new channels devoted to emigrants’ culture and nativity demonstrate the growing change in media policy. The last few years have been significant in terms of changing outlook towards sexuality. The media has helped in raising the controversial issue of sexual preferences specially that of gays. It is because of the attention given to gays groups and their needs that seems to have changed public perception leading to special laws and legalising their marriage. The positive impact of media has greatly helped to raise awareness about issues which have hitherto been not voiced because of fear of huge public outcry. While the motive might be suspect but it has positive outcome. Another area which has seen significant impact of the new media is the issue of ethnic minority that has been taken up with growing enthusiasm. While it is true that the corporate ideology seems to have adopted a broader outlook so far as the ethnic minority is concerned, Ponsford has noted that a journalist from Express has told the ‘Press Gazette’ that ‘there’s a feeling of resentment that people are being pressured into writing articles which they believe to be racist and inflammatory’ (Ponsford, 2004). But increasingly, blacks have been shown to work together in almost all shows that are being aired. This can be seen in the emerging trend of the prime time soaps and popularity of cross culture cinema. Oprah Winfrey Talk Show is one glowing example. The public debates on the racial prejudices and the increasing exposure of the ethnic minority to the media in the form of anchors, artists, journalists etc. has helped to narrow the socio-cultural and ideological differences amongst the communities. The news media has also been prominently used to propagate contentious issues and ideologies of the vested interests especially that of militants. Al-Jazeera, a Qatar based news channel, was started as an unbiased and independent newscast which would report the news as they see it and firmly asserted that the criticism can be a good thing (Al-Jazeera). The news channel gained instant popularity when it covered the conflict ridden Afghanistan and literally became the voice of Taliban, an extremist outfit who propagated Islamic fundamentalism. After 9/11, Al-Jazeera became shrouded in controversy when it became the mouthpiece of Osama Bin Ladin and Al Qaeda, who had accepted the responsibility for the 9/11 world catastrophe. Through the coverage of Osama and his various video tapes, containing inflammatory speeches and inciting muslims for the acts of terrorism in the guise of religion, it has earned the loyalty of the committed audience of the West who mostly comprise of Arab immigrants. It has successfully put Islam as the world map. Despite the information explosion and communication being redefined through the evolving new technologies like internet, news media, especially print and television network, need to re-focus their goals and incorporate strategic changes which involve more public participation. When David Taras in ‘Power and Betrayal in Canadian Media’ says ‘…A healthy democracy depends on open lines of communication and fundamental respect for the views of citizens. Anything less can lead to dangerous distortions and disfiguring of the democratic process’ he reminds that the role of media is crucial for a democratic state to discharge its duty effectively. Internet has given public a very strong tool to voice its demand and if judiciously used, the citizens of the country can counter the threat of media monopoly by a select few. In the rapidly changing environment of globalization, the roles and responsibility of the journalists have become crucial. The huge implications of the misuse of the news media have frightening consequences for everybody, as is evident by the Al-Jazeera television. The advent of internet, to a great extent, has been able to shift the power to the public as it has made it possible for the common man to voice his concern and at the same time, garner support for issues which may have considerable impact on the overall development of the society. The recent trend in the news media towards sensationalism and growing unethical practices in presenting concocted tales as the ‘true stories’ have long term damaging effects on the cross border relationship of the nationals and corrode the inherent value system of the social norms. Such gutter journalism promotes violence and hatred amongst the communities. One can therefore conclude that the concern of Herman and Chomsky is legitimate and the issue needs to be addressed urgently if media has to perform its real duty of fostering brotherhood and universal values. (2058) Reference Aljazeera. Available from: .[Accessed on 22 October, 2008]. Bagdikian, Ben.2000. The Media Monopoly, 6th ed. Beacon Press. Franklin, Bob. (1997). ‘Newszak and News Media’. UK. Hodder Arnold. Herman, E and Chomsky, N. (1979). Manufacturing Consent. New York. Pantheon. Keeble, Richard (2005) ‘Journalism ethics: towards an Orwellian critique’, in Stuart Allan (2005) (ed) Journalism: critical issues, Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp54-66. McNair, Brian 2003: News and Journalism in the UK (4th edn) London: Routledge. Ponsford, Dominic. (2004). ‘Express staff call in PCC over anti-gypsy articles’. Press Gazette 30 January 2004. Stuart, Allan (ed.). (2005). ‘Journalism: Critical Issues’. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Taras, David. (2001). ‘Power and Betrayal in Canadian Media’. Broadview Press. Read More