Media Impact on People's Thoughts - Essay Example

Chapter 13: Media Impact The media comprises many sources of information that is available to the public through a variety of sources including radio, television, books and the Internet. These help the public to know more about the world around them and gain insight and knowledge about a variety of issues. The media also has a powerful impact in shaping how people think and has been used as a tool to frame and alter public opinion, especially in the context of the war in Iraq. The current war in Iraq has seen a shift in public opinion. In the weeks just after the United States invaded Iraq, public support from the American people for the war was high. This was due to the largely favorable presentation of the war in the media, such as the images of Saddam’s statute being pulled down, and President Bush stepping off a plane to a banner proclaiming victory in Iraq. Selective reporting, biased reporting, or the manner in which certain issues are highlighted while others are glossed over can elevate or diminish the significance of an issue in the mind of the public. During the initial weeks of the war, there was widespread media coverage of President Bush giving pep talks at military locations and negative reaction to the war was sparingly reported. The opposition of France and other European countries to the Iraq was sparingly reported while those in the Senate who opposed the war received no media coverage. The public also had the image of the prior Iraq war in mind, which was concluded quickly and painlessly and expected the second war to follow the same path. However, media images in America began to change as the war continued. For example, one local television news program aired a fifteen minute segment each evening when it focused on the body of one dead soldier in a brief eulogy. The persistent images of dead American soldiers presented every night have subtly influenced public opinion, so that the once favorable opinion of the public has been altered. By the end of 2003, polls were showing public support down to 50% from 70%. The impact of the images of the dead is evident from the words of former tanker Ed Collins, now 82, who says, “When is it going to stop? We’re losing a lot of youngsters.” The perception that lives are being lost is brought forcefully into the public consciousness through the personalized eulogy for each soldier presented in TV programs such as those mentioned above. According to polling experts, Americans are more sensitive to casualties in this Iraq war because they see no vital interests at stake to justify the deaths which are taking place. The increased American sensitivity to casualties is also related to the slick media presentation of the previous Gulf war. According to Christopher Gelphi, who is a casualty researcher at Duke University, “in a world of smart bombs, you expect the military to be able to insulate the military from getting killed.” The way the first Iraq war was presented in the media, showing bombs and missiles being fired in the sky with hardly any reports on casualties, has led people to expect wars not to generate many casualties because of the availability of instant technology to gain a quick, painless victory in a war. When the reality is proving to be different, the initial positive hype generated by the media about an easy victory in Iraq has not been able to sustain itself and with the change in media images, public perception about the war is also changing. Chapter 8: Television The advent of television was a landmark in the development of the media because it was able to transmit visual images as well as audio and written images. With the development of better technology, television programs have become more sophisticated. There are programs to suit every kind of taste and need, from news programs to movies to sports and cooking shows, shows for children, game shows and soap operas, all of which compete fiercely to grab high viewer ratings so that they can become more profitable with increased advertising. Reality television is now among the most popular kind of program people watch. The term “reality” associated with a television program suggests that the events transpiring on the television screen may be true, based upon actual life events, and offer glimpses to worlds the average Joe Shmoe wouldn’t normally enter. Reality programs pack a substantial impact on young people today. For example, the reality show “America’s top model” allows the everyday teenager to fantasize about being on the program, with the lure of potentially being selected as the top model to earn more money. These programs may therefore be making young people more materialistic and centered on sensationalist, mega scale kinds of programs. Events in such programs also purportedly play out exactly as they happen, without any kind of editing or revising to make it palatable for public consumption, which is a powerful lure for viewers. Such programs offer viewers the opportunity for a voyeuristic look into other peoples’ lives, while for the ones participating in the programs, the focus is a narcissistic or materialistic one. With the onset of more sensational kinds of programs on television, reality television, which attempts to compete with it, offers an equal amount of shock value but is drawn from “reality,” which packs a bigger thrill for viewers as compared to standard television programs, where viewers are aware that the events are fictional or doctored in some way. Another reason for society’s fascination with reality television is that it allows a forum for the expression of what may sometimes be unacceptable with political or cultural norms. Some of the most popular shows, for example, are those that deal with real life filming of police events or dangerous stunts, such as “America’s Most Wanted” or “COPS”. While caught in a crisis-like situation, characters may often reveal their inner views in an uncensored form, without the necessary filtering that occurs in the case of standard television programs. Corporate ownership of television networks in America has created a trend where the integrity of journalistic reporting has been compromised. Since corporate entities seek to enhance their profits, they are not unduly concerned about the content of television programs; their primary consideration lies in making more money. They seek to grab viewer interest in an arena where there are many other sources competing for the viewer’s attention: books, the Internet and newspapers, to name only a few. Television channels and programs also compete fiercely with each other to grab a larger slice of the viewer-ship cake, because advertising sponsorship increases with increased viewer-ship. Programs that may be morally uplifting or educational, such as PBS, have been relegated to the status of second-rate shows in terms of viewer-ship and have to be funded by the government and public funds because they are not well patronized by the television viewing public. The quality of programs on television has, therefore, been compromised and the focus these days is more on providing sensationalist elements, as opposed to providing clean, wholesome programs suitable for family viewing. Chapter 9: the Internet With the advent of the Internet, the geographical boundaries that once separated people have dissolved, and instant communication has become possible. Moreover, the Internet has thrown open the floodgates to wide-ranging sources of information and allowed people all over the world to be exposed to different viewpoints and opinions. Blogs and chat rooms provide forums for ordinary people to express their views on several issues and to reach a large audience. The facility of easy, fast access to information is one of the biggest advantages of the Internet. However, the disadvantage lies in the fact that it is difficult to control the flood of information and censor it appropriately where necessary. While the facility of the Internet has led to the development of online financial transactions, such as online banking, there is also a threat posed in terms of confidentiality and security of the information that is being transmitted online. Most bank sites require customers to use a PIN Code and/or a password to gain access to their accounts. The number of hackers is proliferating however, and there is also software available such as “password crackers” which sifts through millions of letter combinations in seconds to gain access to passwords. There is a growing demand for secured online information transmission systems such as VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and encrypted information so that confidentiality is maintained. The facility of banking on the Internet provides a considerable savings in time for customers, while it also produces considerable savings in resources for banks in human resources and errors generated by humans, which are eliminated through automated software. Moreover, the Internet knows no time or geographical constraints; as a result a bank can serve its customers worldwide despite the differences in time zones, since the Internet can be accessed on a 24 hour basis. This is an added facility for both banks and customers, who may also enjoy the ease and speed with which they can complete banking transactions online. However, banking transactions also require customers to divulge sensitive personal information over the Internet, where they can be hacked into by unauthorized persons who gain access to such information by cracking passwords and pin codes. The development of VPNs and secured networks are just one way in which banks are tailoring their systems to serve customers, additionally, customers are also instructed to select alphanumeric passwords and to refrain from using easily identifiable information such as birth date, etc in selection of passwords. The Government is also issuing legal regulations to protect individual privacy, such as the provisions of the Privacy Act, which prohibit the disclosure of personal information to unauthorized sources without the consent of the individual concerned. These measures are helping to make the Internet a safer medium for consumers to conduct their financial transactions. Chapter 10: News The manner in which news is being reported has changed substantially during the course of the last few decades. With the proliferation of news channels and the struggle to retain viewership, news channels are resorting to the introduction of more and more sensationalist elements which reflect a credibility gap in their anxiety to seize and retain viewer attention. As a result, there is a greater focus on negative events such as murders and bombings rather than straight reporting of the news. The bottom line in news presentation is to be the first to present the news, so reporters are voracious in their search for new stories. In some instances, the eagerness of the news reporters to grab an edge on news stories may also compromise war efforts; for example during the US-Iraq war, one reporter publicly carried a discussion with a troop commander on troop movements that were being planned, which posed a threat to the security of the war plans. News channels also need to provide material to fill up their time slots between newsreels, using stringers to ensure that viewers remain glued to their TV sets and do not switch channels. As a result, they include commentaries from veterans of the armed forces in the media reporting of war. They aim to keep the viewers interested by presenting events that are likely to attract attention, whether positive or negative, without caring about the impact that such programs may have. In practice, this has created some problems. For example, the traditional relation between the military and civil authority has been that civil authorities frame the rules and objectives of war while the military leaders make the necessary plans to execute those objectives on the battlefield. However, during the course of the Iraq war, commentaries from several veterans of the armed forces have been featured, discussing military strategy and openly criticizing the policies of the administration. The relentless hunt for news by media person and the willingness of media organizations to pay well for breaking news stories is the reason why several members within the armed forces leaked out confidential war news to the Press. This was how media reports started to appear about the opposition of the military Generals to the policies of Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and finally led to an open rebellion of generals, calling for Mr. Rumsfeld’s resignation. While it is quite likely that the generals may have been justified in their position, nevertheless such actions have seriously compromised army morale and discipline and do not appear favorable for civil-military relations in the future. The media plays a significant role in altering relations and perceptions and in several instances, causing serious dangers to war efforts through leaking of information. Read More