Changing Relationships of Media, Police and Society - Assignment Example

Identify and discuss potential friction points in the police-media relationship arising from the transformations occurring in the media environment. Name ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------- ----------------------- Changing Relationships of Media, Police and Society If the media wants then it can repress as well as liberate. If it chooses to, it can unite the society and also fragment it. It can promote and also hold back change (MaQuail, 2010). However it is media that has undergone the biggest change and with the change in technology perceptions about its negative effects have made bigger headlines and generated more discussions and more fragmented views than anything else. Law enforcement stories have always made good copy particularly if it is of a violent nature. Media according to Lang and Lang (1995) operates on the premise of “inferential structures” and report according to the assumption that the targeted audience expects a certain kind of news. The G20 Summit protests in London and how the news changed colour from “protester violence” to “police violence” changed the perception of how the public viewed it. This also brought into focus the credibility of news as the media is capable of “crystallizing news to even over-ride subsequent news.” Even though there was fairly little violence the G20 Summit was perceived as being rampant with violence which came from the protesters, counter-protestors and then the police. The 1968 anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in Grosvenor Square in London is another instance where the protests were already seen as violent even though they were peaceful so there was really no relation between what was happening on ground and reporting. It was because of “inferential structures” that even though the clash was peaceful it was reported as a law and order situation because violence was news worthy (Greer & McLaughlin, 2010, pp 1043 -1047). Reporting Crime Causes Friction between Media and Police Friction between media and police comes to a head when crime is reported. Also at any time the media can switch sides immediately if their interests and profitability clash. “The police are then enmeshed in a web of internal and external stakeholders” who wish the media to represent the news as serving their interest. A case in point is the 2002 murder of two 10 year old girls Holly Welles and Jessica Chapman in the village of Soham, Cambridgeshire, England (The Independent, 2002). The media demanded all sorts of information from the police about the developments in solving the case and presented it to the viewership in conformation with the “hierarchy of credibility” (Becker, 1967, p- 241, as cited in Greer & McLaughlin (pp. 1042) either making the police heroes or villains according to the market for the news. Eugene McLaughlin, Schlesinger and Tumber “a pro-police perspective is structurally and culturally advantaged, if not necessarily guaranteed,” Moral Panic and All Its Connotations The other moot point is the question of “moral panic.” As outlined by (Cohen, 1972, p 9) the stages of moral panic are four and it begins when “a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values or interest”, media presents it in a stereotyped fashion and once the moral limitations are established ways of coping are evolved which causes the condition to disappear, submerge, deteriorate of become more visible. These were used to determine if internet contents, particularly pornography, caused moral panic. It also led to a media hostility that projected the negative impact of the internet. This in turn brought new laws and the police can now access encrypted information through the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The sentence for possession of paedophilic images has been increased from three to a maximum of twelve years. Media pressure put on the British Internet Service Providers and the police led to the formation of the IWF in 1996 which was seen by many as media forcing legislation that involved the law enforcers (Littlewood, p12) On the other hand the media itself is seen as “portraying crime, sex, violence with the seeming increase in social and moral disorder” (McQuail, 2003, pp. 55). This may have the consequence of appealing to the negative side of human nature. Since the police are the ones that have to deal with the ‘evil’ behaviour resulting from the consequences of mass media influence they become the target. Media is also seen as not being above board (Tiffen, 1994, pp. 333) and public figures as also the police have been the subjected to character assassination. Sue Williams (1994) in a biographical account writes of Peter Ryan, Police Commissioner, who came to reform the most corrupt police force in Australia and how he had to resign as he was constantly vilified by the media, even though public opinion was with him and how subsequently he became a victim of Byzantine politics. Stanley Baldwin’s dictum that the “press has the same prerogative as the harlot – power without responsibility –“would be an apt description of the press in Australia. “Evidence comes forward and is tested in the media follows no clear rules and timing is dictated only by availability, by opportunity and by a fickle and fluid sense of news worthiness.” The media and police sometimes make an unholy alliance as in the case of the murder of Donald Mackay in 1977 in New South Wales. This led to the revelation of the corruption and the incompetence of the police investigations. However there was a silent conspiracy to call the murder a “disappearance” by the media, police and the government. Media as a Tool of Governments and Law Enforcing Agencies Many feel that the press is more interested in providing services to those in power and influence ‘than in maintaining critical scrutiny of the state (Donohue et al, 1995, p 115-132). A “symbiotic relationship” between the police and media allows for a well oiled police media liaison as is said by Grabosky and Wilson (pp.137) and this can unduly influence the way the crime is. The tragedy in Port Arthur, Tasmania in 1996 shocked Australians. Most still believe that the massacres were perpetrated by Martin Bryant a 29 year old man from Hobart who has an IQ of only 66. This unholy alliance between the police and the media made it possible for the media to hand out information to the public that amounted to ‘evidence.’ “A media trial is in effect a dramatic miniseries developed around a criminal case.” (Surette, 2007, pp. 24). The course of events was narrated over and over again by the media on 28th and 29th April. A photograph of Bryant showing “psycho eyes” was published by 30th April in the newspapers. His mental illness and his sexual relationship with the eccentric Helen Hervey was reported in the media and so was the fact that she bequeathed him $650,000 on her death in a car crash. Also repeated revelations that he owned violent and pornographic videos helped to formulate an image of violent behaviour. Conspiracy theorists believe that this was a ‘psyop” or psychological operation to soften the Australian public into accepting the change in arms laws that Prime Minister Howard wanted to pass (Wernerhof, 2006) Bryant first pleaded not guilty and then guilty but the media had already pronounced judgment before that. Research indications prove that the public usually gets to know about crime and justice from media’s interpretation of it. “The media and the criminal justice system are penetrating each other increasingly, making a distinction between ‘factual’ and ‘fictional’ programming even more tenuous (Manning 1998; Ferrell 1998; Tunnel 1998 and Brown 2003, as cited in Reiner, p 305) “Critical stories exposing malpractices by the police and criminal justice officials are regularly published.” Friction between the police and media thus becomes inevitable especially as police are more susceptible to corruption due to the wide discretionary powers they enjoy. The investigative process is not open to external scrutiny. “As the volume of police deviance stories increase” it becomes hard to retain the positive public image of the police force and the ‘one bad apple theory’ no longer holds water and the entire institution is portrayed as being deviant. In both forms, whether news or fiction, there is a clear tendency to criticise law enforcement “in terms of both its effectiveness and its justice and honesty.” (Reiner, 2007, pp. 310-311) In Australia on the media reporting of Peter Ward, Police Commissioner, Harold Salisbury was fired over the activities of the state’s Special Branch and an inquiry was called. Not only was the special branch put under scrutiny but the controversy between the supporters of The Police Commissioner and Premier Dunstan’s supporters grew out of proportion. Thus the relationship at all times is fragile between media and police particularly where police involvement in corruption and brutality is reported by the media. Use of Brutal Force by Police and Media Reporting Another issue that is sensationalized is the use of physical force by the police. Two cases that involve the American police force come to the forefront as media has the tendency to highlight events where police brutality is evidenced. Nathaniel Gaines was a veteran of the Iraq war and he had no previous criminal record. However he was shot in the back by a police officer in a dark subway. “New York Police Department has never adequately addressed the brutality in its ranks” was what columnist Bob Herbert reported. Others in the media like Haberman said that it “was hard to accept the Police department’s assurances that the bad apple officers were being dealt with more firmly than ever.” The police department tried to defend the use of force with different degrees of success but could not stifle the voice of the media that questioned policing methods (Lawrence, pp.1-4) The news about the police use of force is “accidental” as defined by Hall and is not intended to be in the news or covered by media. Such events like Daryl Gates use of a “battering ram” as a media event are an exception. Police brutality always generates divergent views on what constitutes excessive force. The police generally tries to control such news as being “individualized” or the problem of a “few rogue cops”. However sometimes it gets out of control like the beating of Rodney King by officers of the LAPD in March 1991. The police could not control this news as an “aberration” as it had been videotaped by an amateur, George Halliday. The incident attracted international media attention. The American media used the story in the broader context of police abuse of minorities and also linked it to the American Civil Rights Movement. Viewing the incident about the amateur video in relationship to today’s use of technology we see the birth of the citizen journalist and can be viewed as the revolutionary change that the media has undergone. Framing As Used By Media Causes Policing Problems Journalistic professionals use framing quite as the norm and to it is attributed a time frame of 14 days during which a particular frame establishes itself (Scheufele, 1999, pp. 103–122.).However when the media constantly produces the same frame repeatedly a pattern builds up that is embedded into the minds of the public. The “war on terror” and also “9-11” (Reese, 2001, pp. 152) has led to the rise against minorities significantly in America. Greta Bird Director National Centre for Cross Cultural Studies and Law writes that the National inquiry into Racist Violence praised most media reports but felt that unbalanced and sensational reporting with phrases like “Arab terrorists” or “Muslim extremists” have a negative effect on Australians and leads to a rise in crime and violence. Words like “Asian Crime Wave” and “Vietnamese Gang Warfare” make headlines in Melbourne (Bird, 1993, pp. 6). Images like these again create “moral panic” which leads to a law and order situation for the police and as the perceived fear can lead to attacks on the “other.” To the government, the media seem to be the cause of “exaggerated public alarm about law and order, generating support for repressive solutions” (Gerbner 1984, pp. 17-40) this leads to a situation where the police officials are left to “devise ways of denying failure and subordinates give a contrary view which exposes the official line” (Becker, 1967, p - 244). The media is quick to grab the controversy as they are willing to report anti-establishment since it looks to be more newsworthy. This is actually an example of preying on dissent and so a damaging picture of the police finds its way to the public who discern it as police inefficiency and not really as an outcome of the framing by media originally. Rising Technology and Changing Relationships of Police and Media In the wake of rising technology not only has the media changed it has led to the police changing how they interact with the media. The New South Wales police have a Police Media Unit which handles the public relations aspect of the police. David Garland says that there is governmental pressure to ‘tame the system’ and control crime have placed the police media units in a problematic role as they have to construct crime and police news on the lines of what counts as truth. This has lead to a somewhat watered down version of “investigative journalism”. Ian Freckelton has mentioned now there is an ‘unnecessary and improper reliance upon ‘unnamed police sources’ and an unwillingness to seek out alternatives points. It has been argued that this leads to police exercising power which will lead “orchestration of what is written and photographed” (McGovern & Alyce, 2004). It will lead to them withholding information from journalists who they have a fractious relationship with. The changing media environment has made everyone a creator of news. If the police do not want to give rise to friction and mistrust when a journalist asks for information then it is transparency that will work and if the police media representative does not come forward with information then the reporter could get it from the internet. The authenticity of the information might not be correct and once it gets viral the wrong information could spread and cause more loss of face for the police leading to further friction. Andrew Olle in his 2000 media lecture has pointed out that today “spinning” stories by PR personnel have led to “nudging” of stories in the direction that is of interest to vested parties is now considered newsworthy. In this sense the relationship is changing between the media and the police in which the police will stage mange a story that will show them in favourable light. Is the police success rate in solving crimes a PR effort or is it journalism that has been doctored to show the public that the police are on the job and that crime is not really as prevalent as the various media are trying to portray? Statistics show that the media report the success rate of violent crimes on a more regular basis than of ordinary crime like property crimes. This may be partly due to the newsworthiness of a story though the PR angle cannot be overlooked. “Much of the literature focuses on media portrayals of police officers and findings reveal conflicting views” (Dowler, 2003, pp. 109-126). Some feel that the police are presented favourably while others contradict that view however, Surette and Reiner both feel that the role of police is often “overdramatized”and “romanticized” by television and crime drama as well as newspapers who make them out to be heroes. According to Stephen Chermock (1995) media is now becoming more dependent on police media representatives for news on crime because of financial constraints. The police on its part tries to formulate a policy based on “public opinion and political ideology” that will show them in good light. Police departments are now reinventing themselves to be seen in a positive light by the public and so the news presentation made available to media “benefits the organisation rather than harms it.” Conclusion The Police and the media have always shared symbiotic relationship which has served the interest of both. However with rapid technological changes the relationship in undergoing changes. Media is indefinable and the evolving internet has created an altogether new genre of journalism that is not part of mainstream media. It is this journalism that will define how the public views the police and crime. No PR services will be able to get round them as they are everywhere and their reporting is always viral. With the advent of new technology in the form of motorized patrols and radios the police is also moving towards change but the contact between society and the police is growing bigger. With the advent of social media the image of the police as a law enforcement agency remains both in the traditional media and also in ‘infotainment’. However it is yet to be seen how distant media and police grow with the changes that the media is undergoing. References Becker H. (1967). ‘Whose Side Are We On?’. Social Problems 1967;14:234-47 Bird, G. 1993, The Process of Law in Australia: Intercultural Perspectives, Butterworths, North Ryde. 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