Wanted: The Media That We Need

Necessary News Needed

In the past few decades, our society has been witnesses to the drastic transformation that the media has experienced.  Recently, the news has taken on the ability to travel around the world instantly, allowing for people to be updated constantly on world events.  Many years ago, people were obligated to go and discover information for themselves rather than rely on the Internet.  In today’s North American culture, the news travels much faster thanks to the use of technology.  Because the media is now responsible for passing informative intelligence to the population, they must improve their appearance in order to appeal to people.  However, I believe that in the media’s effort to enhance their presence, important aspects have been removed from their stories.  The media will present to the viewers what they want to see, not what is the most important.

            The media presents information that everybody wants to watch.  In order for the media to be profitable they must attract a substantial audience.  In Sarah Trotman’s blog, she describes this scenario completely.  She explains that the media must provide information that is desirable by the public in order for them to increase profit through viewership and advertising (1).  Therefore, the media will alter their product, so that the population continues to support it.

            The media has grown exponentially.  It seems that we cannot go anywhere today without seeing a commercial or promotion.  This is because the media has realized the power that it has over our lifestyle choices and decisions.  If society is exposed to an idea endlessly, those ideas will eventually be accepted as the norm.  Emma Knight also questions the information from the media that we assume as truth.  She thinks that the media has manipulated us to simply accept all the news that they fabricate (2).  I agree with her perspective and believe that people should apply strong filters to what they understand as fact from the media.

             In conclusion, I think that society needs to be better prepared for what the media offers to them.  Nicole Hough says that it’s our fault for allowing media to control the public and influence our beliefs (3).  We need to build a better immunity to what the media says.  We should not be as open are we are, but rather carefully depict what we are being told.

(1) Sarah Trotman - http://st12tq.wordpress.com

(2) Emma Knight - http://brockbadger.wordpress.com

(3) Nicole Hough - http://nhough95.wordpress.com

Do We Get The Media We Want, Or Want The Media We Get?

    

Media Melts Minds

     “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.”  The great musician, Jim Morrison, hit the nail on the head with this statement about media.  Our media is responsible for all of our thoughts due to the power and influence that it has established within us. Therefore, I state that people today are tricked into thinking that we get the media we want, but actually want the media we get.

     The media will cater their message to the desires of their target audience.  This is a pivotal method of trickery that the media employs on us today.  Our textbook reads, “…advertising can be seen as a form of propaganda and brainwashing…” (O’Shaughnessy, Stadler, 2012 p. 16)  As long as we allow ourselves to act as a mirror to the media, our society’s culture will continue to plummet towards humiliation.  Unfortunately for those who don’t understand this, they are misled into wanting the media they get, instead of getting the media they deserve. 

     Another example of this is how the media presents its content in a misrepresented way.  Our textbook also touches on this subject by stating that, “…content analysis can be used to locate and measure patterns in what the media actually produce;” (O’Shaughnessy, Stadler, 2012 p. 21)  A common thread that can be seen strung through almost every media outlet is the idea of ‘new’.  Anything that has been recently added to the world is constantly pushed in every magazine or TV station.  This may be the new iPhone release, or another Kardashian scandal, but these are always the key focus of every media message.  People should pay less attention to these headlines, and notice that we are becoming zombies to the media.

     Many years ago, the media had a reputation as a very dependable news source, but has recently abandoned that status.  Unfortunately, many people permit the media to govern their every thought and motivate their actions.  People want the media they get because they have been fed lies from the media and should realize the truth – the media will act as a faulty compass until you can find true direction.

O’Shaughnessy, M., Stadler J. (2012). Media and Society Fifth Edition. Victoria, Australia: Oxford.