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Why is Media News in the 21st Century? Insert Insert s The mass media is worthy of communication used by the public (Hamilton, 1961). The informants hold that they enlighten the demographics by presenting news that is recent and objective. Citizens have not always had the privilege to receive stories that happen. Freedom of speech was limited to the elite. However, reporters began to elevate the status of the working class, inspiring them to make a difference in the flow of information. The current situation is less restricted than the former because the journalists have a bigger say on what to present to the populace.
They had endure a fight before they could establish such rights. Nonetheless, the elite have still devised ways to controlling the generation of news. Newspersons aim to remain objective, giving news that is unbiased (Tuchman, 1972). This has become an illusion. Stories seem to favour some candidates yet still discredit candidates, which are flawless, indicating that there are other forces pulling the shots in the news making (Scharrer, 2002). News people are put in such compromising situations because of the nature of their work.
It is their job to gather information, which can be given by certain individuals. Journalists have to be careful not to upset their informants. Therefore, they present news that is befitting to them. Moreover, even though their informants have accurate information, they might twist the information so that it can fit their interests. News people do not please their informants only but also their sponsors (Herman & Chomsky, 2002). Advertisers cut down the operational costs of mass media to a point of giving them a high competitive edge.
These are business corporations who want to promote their products. They fund certain messages and shun away from some. In many cases, they avoid ethical topics such as environmental degradation because it fixes them to take responsibilities over their business activities. Given such conditions, mass media filter the message they are to give to the public to please such powers. The government officials have particular interest in the message spread through the mass media (Herman & Chomsky, 2002).
They control it in various ways. There are other times that they manipulate the newspersons by making them believe they have uncovered a mystery that they themselves have planted. There are times they threatened the collapse of a production company because often hold stocks in the business. They can also use flakes, which are negative messages that undermine the legitimacy of the stories given through the mass media. Journalists have to put all these factors into consideration before they can produce news.
One other element that controls the publishing of a certain story is the economy. Newspapers target a certain market to make profits (Hamilton, 1961). They do not only want people who are interested in their stories but those who will buy the paper. They focus on persons with high purchasing power. Attracting such, an audience attracts advertisers as well. Newspersons have to operate on a budget. Otherwise, they will be kicked out of business. Consequently, their objectivity on a matter is altered.
Still on economics, journalists have to maximise resources (Tuchman, 1973). They cannot report on just about any issue. A material has to be newsworthy for it to obtain coverage. Therefore, some matters are given more priorities than others are by using the discussed criteria. All forces that come into play explains why reporters villainies Iran for bombing the Korean civilian aeroplane but treated US less harshly when it did the same to an Iran civilian craft (Entman, 1991). ReferencesEntman, M. R. (1991).
Framing US Coverage of International News: Contrasts of Narratives of the KAL and Iran Air Incidents. Journal of Communication , 6-26.Hamilton, T. J. (1961). All the News that fit to Sell: How the Market Transforms Information into News. Princetonm New Jersey: Princeton University Press.Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (2002). Manufacturing Consent: The Poilitical Economy of the Mass Media. New York: Pantheon Books.Scharrer, E. (2002). An “Improbable Leap”: a content analysis of newspaper coverage of Hillary Clinton’s transition from first lady to Senate candidate.
Journalism Studies , 393–406.Tuchman, G. (110-131). Making News by Doing Work: Routinizing the Unexpected. American Journal of Sociology , 1973.Tuchman, G. (1972). Objectivity as Strategic Ritual: An Examination of Newsmens Notions of Objectivity. American Journal of Sociology , 660-679.
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