The
main role of news and the media is to offer the public information and also
give alerts associated with important events. The information presented by the
media is usually influential and can affect the way the public thinks. It is
very difficult to undervalue the importance of the news and the media. It is a system that is very influential in
the process of policymaking in a country. The news and the media are considered
to have a great impact on the shaping of the American government. It is an institution
considered by much as more powerful than the judicially and the legislature but
lacks a formal way of oversight.
The
aspect of the existence of bias in the news is very common and has existed for
many years. This is an aspect that creates a lot of concerns because it shows
how media houses can fail to become objective and tailor make their broadcast
to suit needs other than that of the general public. Media coverage has great
influence on an aspect of governance. The media is considered as kingmakers
because of its ability to influence who will get into power. They can interview
candidates, discuss the messages these candidates propagate, vet their
credentials and assess their characters. This can be used to influence the
public significantly. A better media coverage develops more momentum for the
candidates and gets a higher chance of success.
The
news industry and mass media is a business like any other. The ownership of
media houses, especially in the country, is usually in the hands of the largest
corporations in the country. Most of the news comes from a few sources. The big
media houses in the country are, therefore, very influential in what is to be
aired to the public as news. Local news depends on the news from the big media.
These big media houses are, therefore, great determinant factors of what news
to be aired. In most cases, editors of local news ignore any news until it gets
covered by any of the big media house. This shows how business conglomerate
which owns the big media houses dictate news coverage in the country. As a big
business, media house sells their audiences to advertisers. As a result, there
is a very great fear associated with the inability of media houses to product
based on the interest of the general public.
Media
houses of today maintain more business goals that meet the needs of the
shareholders rather than the general public they were intended to serve. This
is a factor that has forced the editorial process and broadcasting of news to
be based purely on the needs of profit making. There has developed great fear
associated with the monopolization of the media industry by the wealthy and as
a result, dictate what message is received by the public.
The
media is, therefore, a very influential tool in the society. News coverage has
a great capacity of influencing the public. Attitudes and perceptions towards
political factors. In democracies where the power is spread to the general
public, the media can enhance the power of the people by giving them insight
and critical information relating to various aspects of their governance.
However, the rise of corporations that own most media houses, profitability has
been focused more than the interest of the general public. There is, therefore,
a high risk of propagating propaganda to meet the needs of the few.
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