Instant Transmission - Essay Example

Instant Transmission: Covering Columbine’s Victims and Villains; Marguerite J Moritz Moritz identifies theadvancement in technology as a significant reason for media inaccuracy in reporting news (Gross et al., 92). The events of April 20, 1999 that saw the death of twelve students at the hands of two of their fellow classmates served as the background for Moritz’s conclusion. Moritz reports that CNN and MSNBC continuously covered the events approximately forty minutes after the incident commenced (Gross et al., 72). The professional codes of journalism were brought to question after news networks aired disturbing images from the event.

Moritz identifies that the professional codes have been negatively affected by the environmental changes in the digital world. Technology is the cause for such concerns due to the high demand of news coverage from the public. The author collected sufficient data about the topic from interviewing reporters, photographers, videographers, editors, producers, and school administrators (Gross et al., 72). Moritz convincingly argue that the ability to distribute news is highly influenced by the available technology (Gross et al., 72). In addition, she argues that the same technology is accessible to both media professionals and non-professionals.

In her interviews, she convincingly concludes that the media hold the highest form of accountability to the content distributed to the public. In addition, the general public has a responsibility towards spreading information that is confirmed and accurate. Moritz successfully concludes her findings by stating, “Both accuracy and control are sacrificed for speed of delivery” (Gross et al., 92). She arrives at such a conclusion from the manner in which news networks covered the infamous incident.

The news network transmitted disturbing images that were considered as not fit for the public. It is evident that the demand for news surpasses the supply. It is for this reason that media networks utilize any news-making opportunity to generate news that would ensure that the customers get what they demand. The author explains how technology limits the control and accuracy of news content distributed to the public. She acknowledges that technology is accessible to both professionals and non-professionals.

In the contemporary world, everyone can express their views on the World Wide Web. The speed in which media houses release news content results in premature, and at times sensitive information reaching the public. In addition, the public is at liberty to either access or distribute subjective information that is out-of-context. Such misinformation is misleading and has an adverse effect on the society. Moritz points out a similar event where JonBenet Ramsey was murdered. Like the JonBenet story, the Columbine story was another example of news saturation “that created a backlash in the community” (Gross et al., 92). The author establishes a concrete conclusion as to why technology is the primary factor for the loss of accuracy and control in the manner in which media professionals generate and distribute news content.

The arrival of the internet, cable news network, digital cameras, Smartphone, fiber-optic cables, and communication satellites explains the transformation of news presentation (Gross et al., 92). The nature of news presented will continue to be influenced by amateur videos and misinformation due to the ubiquitous nature of technology accessible to both media professionals and the public.Work CitedGross, Larry P., John Stuart, and Jay Ruby. Image Ethics in the Digital Age. Minneapolis, MN: U of Minnesota, 2003. Print.