The main role of news

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.