Category: Media

The essay intends to analyse the relationship between democracy (freedom and security) and media while simultaneously commenting on the increasing capitalistic attitude, the advent of digital media and its influence. Social Media often acts as a catalyst to bring out reformations through intuitive communication and spread of information which at a plain hindsight seems to challenge traditional journalism that in countries like India fall at hands of Neo – liberal, capitalist bodies. India has a list of mainstream News Channels such as Sun Tv, Times, NDTV, Republic TV, ……that are either co-owned by legislative members of a certain political party or have proclivity to them in terms of sales of propaganda or the theatrics of agenda setting.

Academician like Manoj Kumar from Delhi University, Senior Journalist and Editor such as Rahul Dev from CNEB and UrmileshSingh Senior Journalist from Rajya Sabha Tv and Author of “Kashmir Virasat se Siyasat “had addressed in 2016 on a panel discussion on the news channel Rajya Sabha about the necessity of democratization of news media for unbiased coverage and dispersion of information. The restrictive coverage of issues and the overt sensationalism and trending consumerism have often lead a mass to substitute social media as their first-hand resources whereby they could not only acquire information but also what allows them to hold discourses was further challenged and contested.

Inidi has law and China has order but a successful nation needs both” writes Das Gurcharan (2012 India Grows at Night, New York.Penguin Books). Das in his book inspects whether the neoliberal economic and media Model can truly help India to remain one of the powerful democracies of the world. He tends to compare the countries and its steady growth and further asserts that the only thing that could either succor or demolish either of their growth is the government.

The emergence of Media Corporation, through growing cross media ownership is having their impact on media’s public service commitment. ″Paid news is run to pass off an advertisement, apiece of propaganda and advertisement…pass that as news, pretend that it is news that is “paid news” – P. Sainath. Editorial columns are bid among corporates or members of legislative and other political identities. A trust Barometer Survey was run by Edelman, an independent public relations firm in the year 2010 that credibility in media seems quiet tentative resulting into loss of faith among people. “Over the past two years, trust on television news dropped sharply from 61 percent to just 36 percent that of business magazines have gone down from 72 percent to 47 percent, and that of newspaper gone down from 61 percent to 40 percent. Trust in the media in India declined by 7 percent (from 65 percent in 2009 to 58 percent in 2010) “- “media paid news India”

In Democracy, Inc.: the press and law in the corporate rationalization of the public sphere by David S Allen the chapter Corporate Ownership and the Press: Collapsing Distinctions, he unearthed the whole conflict and history of stance from the U.S. Supreme Court about how free press in a democratic society identified with for-profit organization. Ignorance of this among the commonalities and corporates is what is called as corporate rationalization. This effect the process of inclusion whereby the citizens are now paranoid and thus affecting their relationship with media. The increasing segregation between the public sphere and its institution per say leaves the fight for democracy among the elite making the sphere passive.

Newspapers in India have have investigated political figures and businessman and often have succumbed to pressure to change headlines and withhold stories. A report by Press Council of India stated that paid news coverage during 2009 general elections had instances of paid coverage due to elections. The most recent 2014 election saw an unprecedented $100 million spent on advertorials. The results are not only tampered reportage available to the highest bidder but also owners who are willing to self-sensor for a better under the table payee

Coming to the normative role which is the role of media as what they are supposed to do in society rather than what they are doing. Based on the present scenario, the normative media theory fails to be heuristic in the new digital media landscape with it initiating medialization of the everyday life, society and the world. The reason being that the theory focuses on fundamentals of media ethics which are related to journalism while in the new media sphere, it includes; just more than journalism a cognitive model for current retrospection about media.

There is a synergized relationship between media and democracy and neither can survive without the other and if media must play a vital role here then it must adapt to the needs of late modern society and the new digitized media landscape. The new digital media came along with information communication technology, convergence and digitization shifting from public to network communication, so it can be taken as hypothesis that a shift is necessary from media ethics to ethical communication. Th emphasis should now lay on respect, caring, responsibility for the speaking, listening, reading, viewing and media producing subject. Based on the reading from (Fourie Peter J Normative Media Theory in Digital Media Landscape) ‘ethical communication is more human oriented whereas media ethics is more career and profession oriented; ethical communication asks questions about ethical sustainability of a media practice and performance. ‘The new digital media as argued earlier comes with contention in regards to the blurring lines between information and entertainment, rise of market driven journalism, the distinction between public and private media and between mainstream community and personal media., rise of niche markets choice and abundance, increased ability of the media content the increased ability of media makers and media users to access and store media content in different forms and formats and to use it where and when they prefer; new regulatory frameworks moving in the direction of a synthesis between telecommunications, broadcasting, narrowcasting and print regulatory models.’(Normative Media Theory in Digital Media Landscape A-114)

The society lays its prominence in adapting a role of civic political and cultural minorities and minority rights; blurring the segmentation of public and private; within which exists communities with shared value system; again, where a single glorified structure of Habermas in public sphere no longer exists. Several public sphere claim to be legitimate in ideas centric to democracy dialogue and debate. To all this media must respond by creating diverse platforms and channel.

Drawing back to the concept of Journalism and it personified as a watchdog of society in context to India the discussion made above plays a cardinal role. The ethical communication is an essential element which is to contest the overt sensationalism of news in India. Where does the conventional boundaries end when it comes to extracting information is a crucial thought to ponder upon? Who makes these distinction and boundaries, what are the consequences.

To look at boundaries in an organized fashion, we begin with Thomas Gieryn’s pioneering work in sociology of science. To him the boundaries of science are born from issues that he calls credibility contest in which the establishment of borders relates a core, to the question of legitimacy. Boundary work is quiet challenging. In his book Cultural Boundaries of Science. He breaks it down in three categories, that is expansion, expulsion, protection of autonomy, to build power, to control the world -be intruders.

While we discuss media and its ethics it’s also important to understand and question regarding the safety of these journalists and further analyze as to does the ethical communication have any relevance to the government. Gauri Lankesh an activist and journalist was assassinated on 5th September 2017, right outside her house in Bangalore.

India currently holds the 136th position in the world freedom index (Reporters without borders,2017). Around 11 journalists had been killed, 46 were attacked and 27 had cases lodged against them, further India never responded to UNESCO’S request for the judicial status of journalist killings in the country. “Fatal attacks by no means are the sole measure of safety- which is also severely compromised in the form of non-fatal attacks, imprisonment, threats online bullying and lawsuits. The reports also noted that “Journalists are increasingly targeting of online smear campaigns by the most radical nationalists, who vilify them and even threaten physical reprisals” no journalist so far has been slapped with section 124(A) better known as sedition clause, the threat has been palpable enough for a while to influence conduct.” – (Indian Express) Lankesh was a vociferous critic of the Bharatiya Janta Party and right-wing Hindutva group. Her assasination raises potent questions regarding India free press.

“In 2016 Global Impunity Index.the committee to protect journalists observed that India hadn’t solved a single murder over the past decade. Most of these journalists were independent reporters in a small town and have been shot dead near their home. The murder of Jagendra Singh 2015 had been especiallly brutal he had been set on fire, by the local police next to his home.

“I had been keeping track of these murders, perhaps because I am an independent reporter myself. Earlier this year, I spent several months investigating the collapse of a bridge that killed 26 people in Kolkata. The state administration shut down channels of communication. It took weeks of waiting and some sheer luck to access some materials via the Right to Information Act. When the story was published, I felt relieved for the delay. I was leaving for Germany within a few days for a fellowship. I was wary of every phone call from an unknown number. Earlier this year, a journalist called Sandhya Ravishankar, also independent, had received threats for her superb investigation on illegal sand mining.”- (C Sohini Inconvenient Truths: Murder of journalism in India.)

In a democratic political system, it is more likely to perceive that it should be able to provide a safer working environment to journalists, but it’s quite the opposite way around where the likelihood of a journalist being killed is higher whereas in less democratic countries its quite the opposite. (Victor et al. 2016)

“Democracy allows for and encourages increased investigative reporting, which, in turn, can get journalists killed. Alternatively, journalists are not at as great a risk for murder in autocracies not because autocracies make them “safer” but because there are fewer incentives or opportunities for them to pursue stories that would put them in mortal danger” (Victor et al. 2016)

Post 2014 general elections the state has often tried to muzzle the rights and voice of media. Followed by the global rise in the narrative of hyper-nationalism and politics committed to populist ideas. While all governments aim to manage and massage the fourth estate, there is a rhetorical difference in the relationship between the State and the news media before the 2014 elections and afterwards,” – (Mukul Kesavan) “I can’t remember a time when there was as strong a rightward tilt in television news as we have now and the worrying thing is that it makes sound business sense, not just in terms of political access, but in terms of advertising, revenue and profit.”(A delicate balance: The state of the fourth estate | The Telegraph.) (2017, February 12) After 2014 elections there was a shift in a paradigm of people who folllow the leader and those who criticize his populist policies. As Kesavan suggests the change in media was always upfront its either with the institution or against it. The neutral media discontinued to persist in a popular narrative. After Narendra Modi led BJP ( Bharatiya Janata Party) took over ( May 2014) attempts have been made to polarize media. “In this kind of structure, the media is forced not to debate but disemminaate news” (Ketkar Kumar, PM forces Government into a silent zone. In the past media has terrorized the UPA government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh and have challenged and critic them but on the contrary, there is a drift in the attitude now.

The event that led to violent scrutinization of media and some university teachers is in context to the demonstrations held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. A sedition case was filed against Kanhaiya Kumar from the Delhi University for protest and assimilating anti national values. And he was alleged “anti- national”

The event that led to the violent targeting of journalists and some university teachers was related to the demonstrations that took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru University few days earlier. The university’s student union president was being tried for sedition for the alleged “anti-national” protests that took place inside the university campus few days earlier20. The ‘patriotic’ lawyers, unhappy with the media’s coverage of the entire episode, decided to take matters into their hand.

Geeta Sheeshu a critic on this issue commented that “current political movement, irrespective of the party in power is responsible for the impunity with the attacks. The difference between he political party and are currently holding power makes it is that often, the vigilante groups that attack the journalist or awe alliance to the same power”

Coming back to does digital media, the new media compliments traditional journalism? Social media over the time has accelerated the changes in transformation in journalism. With the facilities of interactive dialogue and social interaction journalists can finally run an informal or formal set of discourse with people. Earlier the flow of message was one sided, and the audience were mere consumers but now they are active listeners who contribute and participate.

With the veracity of all kinds of news and information material, the authenticity of what one is reading is questionable. In aspects of social media news, it’s important to understand that individuals who pitch stories and articles aren’t trained and hence there are high chances to lead bias into the material. Irish Social Journalism Survey published the statistic that 64% of Irish journalists said that information on social media can’t be trusted. The question between who a journalist is now has been replaced by who a publisher is. There is a shift from quality journalism to quantity for mere TRP (Television Rating Point)

In Jodi Deans Communicative Capitalism, the idea of social media and selling of personal data to the advertisers was brought up. Communicative Capitalism is a material ideological formation in it the values held are central to democracy take practical material form in networked communication technology so ideals of access voice inclusion, discussion and participation are practically realized through global telecommunications. Changes in information and communication network associated with digitalization personalization, localization, speed and memory storage capacity impacts capitalism and democracy complimenting each as it forms a new combination. Our setting is that of a convergence of capitalism and communication that incites participation only to capture it I the effect of personalized media. On one hand this generates a common communicative mesh through which affects and idea, on the other hand it also promotes individualism. Communication today is captured in capitalist circuits it produces and amplifies. This entrapment in capitalist circuits is the condition of possibility for communication transfer and production. Now that democratic Rhetoric have access and transparency voice disunion reflection participation all of these strengthen

The strengthens hold of capitals in network societies. Thus, to sum up Dean stated that internet is good for democracy helps the neo liberalists aggressive distribution of wealth. Three features of communicative capitalism

• Change in form of utterances from messages to contributions
• The decline of symbolic efficiency
• The reflexive trap of circuits and drives

Industrialization exploits labor while communicative capitalism adds in the exploitation of communication manipulating our responses and preferences She further argues that democracy is an egalitarian political ideal particularly those who can project the synergies that others have, and we seem to lack. Our participation is manipulated in such a way that Facebook or Instagram becomes a story and not the people who are suffering

When the unfolding events are condensed in too story about social media, we lose sight of the economic revolution, we contain a struggle against capitalism within a democratic script, leading on to believe that social media is a wholistic representative of us, they stand for our interest and they are egalitarian ends that revolutionary change is availed through quick fix, helping us believe that our communicative entertainment practices are the best political ones. Democracy is a powerful political idea one that is materialized in social media technologies that let us cover over our current political impedance and imagine our self as active political participants.

Reflecting on the advent of new media or per say digital media substantiating traditional journalism would be a myth. Social Medes is not the answer for egalitarian democratic societies that affirms peoples struggle these struggles unfold in a turbulent and information communication environment are weapons and forces as well as setting an environment. Hence digital media can also be portals of fake news and propagandas, leading us back to the beginning of our introduction whereby the panel debated on the same crisis.

Thus, again Media to efficiently function in India, it must be a democratic field rather than capitalistic or the progress will remain stunted forever. Democracy also comes with the idea of free speech and security. The agenda could be to retrace one’s step backwards to quality and not the number of newspapers sold that is to forfeit the quantitative approach.

40% of fatal shootings by police officers of unarmed victims, were African American men in 2015 (Lowery, cited in Jones, 2017, pg. 873). Known statistics such as this example, speculate the appearance of individual and systemic racism within the police force in the past, present, and as it appears the possibility of the future. African American’s have faced brutality, discrimination, and prejudice perceptions from privileged White Americans, for centuries such as during the slave era, to modern times as of today. These adverse ideologies society has of African American’s did not emerge out of nowhere, but rather from the media’s representation of racial stereotypes throughout its entire existence. These harrowing stereotypes have depicted that these racial minorities are deviant in the eyes of the Law and social control. As a result of the media’s continuous portrayal of African American individuals and communities throughout the evolution of media in the United States, it’s constructed a pervasive narrative that serves as justification for the abuse of black people, highlighted by police brutality.

History

Although mainstream media reporting had not always occurred, entertainment of ads, theatre, TV shows, and movies became a crucial factor of the beginning of the widespread stereotypes persuading deviance and the enforcement regarding fear of African Americans, particularly males. Through the era of slavery, African Americans were servants and workers of the upper white class. Without a choice, these people were prisoners to this lifestyle, unable to leave or disobey their masters. During the 19th century, it was white Americans objective to portray slavery as unharmful along with the fact that African Americans were meant for the roles as butlers, servants, workers, etc. and that they were pleased to serve these entitled individuals (Morris, 2011, pg.77). This led to the introduction of the stereotype that these African American men were illustrated as “lazy and childlike, docile and happy, in the role of the servant” (Morris,2011, pg.77), this stereotype was shown in movies, picture advertisements, and entertainment such as plays. This representation gave white people a sense of morality, that what they were doing was taking care of these black people, as though they were children (Pilgrim, cited in Morris,2011, pg.78).

The obedient childlike persona of African Americans was carried through into the beginning of the 20th century until America transitioned into the post-slavery era, where it became apparent this misrepresentation needed to be changed in order to keep African American men inferior and defer these men from entering society into situated authoritative, and dominant positions (Morris,2011, pg.79). To hinder the possibilities of this happening it became crucial to characterize these men as aggressive and threatening. This came from the idea that these men were concealing resentment resulting in anger and were willing to lash out against white people at any moment (Morris,2011, pg.79).

This indicated concept was the birth of the “Mandingo stereotype” portraying black men as “primitive and hypersexual” (Weaver Jr, 2016, pg.59). The stereotype was a given way of enforcing rape and murder accusations, whilst dividing black people from white. The change in perception was further spread by a media film by D.W Griffith called “Birth of a nation” which featured the Ku Klux Klan as heroes, and a white woman throwing herself off a cliff in order to escape the African American “brute’s” sexuality (Morris, 2011, pg.79). In continuation, this perception was further spread in advertisements, games, greeting cards etc.

Lynching began as a result of the justification of violence against black people since they were regarded as inherently deserving of these punishments due to their supposed deviance, violence, and sexuality. Lynching serves as a historical perspective of police brutality. Unknown to most, according to Weaver (2014, pg.5) half of the 5,000 lynching during the 20th century, incorporated members of law enforcement’s involvement or disregard. This set an early precedent that police could brutalize black people and get off scot-free.

The history of social control of African Americans by police can be drawn back to the slavery era in the South of the United States. The population of poor white southerners was greater than the population of black slaves, enabling the success of slave control by employing around 5 million poor white southerners into a significant police force who would keep slaves in order, murder those who acted in disobedience, and drive slaves (Bois, cited in Pratt-Harris,2016, pg. 379). Awareness of these task forces, brings forth the indication as to why white people in the past and present have a sense of privilege and ability to control black people, considering it was essentially a source of income during historical times. Along with the specialized police force William Lynch wrote a letter to owners of slaves that provided a method of slave control which embodied hate amongst black on blacks, white servants on black slaves, genders, age, and range of skin color (Lynch, cited in Pratt-Harris, 2016, pg. 380).

The knowledge on historical lynching, specialized police force, and media spread of misrepresentation of African Americans traits carries through into today’s explanation of why stereotypes are still existent such as the Mandigo stereotype, brought forth into modern day media by portrayals of African Americans as “thugs, gangsters, or other black male characters who lack empathy, and only show a penchant for violence and sexual activity” (Weaver Jr, 2016, pg. 60). Centuries of ideologies such as these have brought over a misrepresented view of African American’s in our society and annotation as to why police brutality is existent and rarely consequential, drawing attention to the continuation of white privilege.

Modern Day Media Influence on Victimization

According to a report consisting of how people receive news about crime in the United States, a mass of people provided that they receive their information via the media (Russell, cited by Oliver, 2003). This is essential in understanding the large-scale influence the media has on its viewers, and of those acquiring these stories from public discussion.

In a study conducted by Entman (1990) based on Chicago’s local news, Entman would report that stories covering African American’s were more inclined to depict crime, than news reports of white people (cited in Oliver, 2003, pg.6). This led to the statistic that 41% of stories covering African Americans were associated to crime (Entman, cited in Oliver, 2003, pg.6). During a continuation of a 6-month study of news on crime, Entman discovered 84% of crime perpetrated by black suspects were established as violent, in comparison to stories of crime related to 71% of white suspects. In addition to these findings, Entman expressed that when media outlets reported on black suspects, negative imagery such as the suspect being detained, handcuffed, or poorly dressed was broadcasted, in comparison to a white suspect (cited in, Oliver, 2003, pg.6).

The media’s insensitive reports in recent years of unarmed African American men, has created persuasive reasoning in defense of the actions of these police officers to the public. The media draws in and emphasizes these victims past or present criminal history, how these victims are perceived by physique or appearance in clothing etc., the location of where these killings occurred or where the victim has lived, and known stereotypes that have been continuously enforced by the media, such as violence, fear, and deviant characteristics of these victims (Smiley,& Fakunle, cited in Dukes,& Gaiter, 2017, pg. 791).

Circumstances that accentuated these occurrences are, Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed by a police officer when assumed to be a home intruder in his neighbourhood, was discredited by the media in regard to implementing deviance through the use of marijuana (Pratt-Harris, 2016, pg. 381), Philando Castile who had 52 previous arrests due to minor automobile offenses (Jones,2017, pg. 876), and Tamir Rice a 12 year old boy playing with a toy BB gun, implying threat and criminal responsibility. These representations of these victims along with many more destine blame to be placed on the victim.

The issue of biased stereotypical reports of these black victims by the media is brought forth in comparison to Dylan Roof, a white male who mass murdered nine black people in 2015, who notably was arrested by police, and although committing this heinous act, the question brought to attention by the media was in regard to Roof’s mental state, implementing the inquiry of criminal responsibility of his crime.

The medias representation of Black people is causing distrust and division between races. The improvised news the media is broadcasting, further causes racial stereotypes to inflict fear and anxiety from white civilians, as similarly mentioned in the historical context of this matter. An interpretation of research findings by Dixon and Linz (2000) prompted the thought that “white viewers who regularly watch television news may come to overestimate their chances of victimization and be unrealistically fearful of victimization by black perpetrators” (cited in, Oliver,2003, pg. 7). Research discovered that white people experienced increased brain activity in the regions that are associated with fear, when witnessing an unknown African American individual (Phelps, cited in Weaver Jr, 2016, pg.60).

These research findings could hypothetically correlate the excessive use of force by police officers when dealing with black individuals. Officer Darren Wilson, responsible for killing Michael B`rown stated that “he felt like a child in the grip of “Hulk Hogan” and that Michael Brown’s eyes revealed to him to be a demon possessed with the intent to inflict harm” (Weismann, cited in Pratt-Harris, 2016, pg. 381). Whether officer Wilson truly felt threatened or used the existent stereotype of threatening violence by black people as his defence, it is statements like these that justify the actions of brutality to the public, therefore producing victim blaming, and lack of sympathy for these victims of police brutality.

Conclusion

Research and narrative material regarding the history, and modern day influence the media has on negative portrayals of African Americans, demonstrates the impact on societies view of the justification in police brutality and killing of African American’s. Racial bias whether consciously or not in the police force, is influenced by the perception of black stereotypes, negatively painted in the media. The media’s influence on the public’s apprehension of black victims, allows for justification of these brutal killings of unarmed African American men as Dukes and Gaither brought attention to in a study, which resulted in the findings that people reported their opinion that victims were more at fault than the shooter when described in negatively, black racially stereotypical way (cited in, Jones, 2017, pg.876). Recollecting historical narratives, and observing the continuation of negative depictions, and prolongation of abuse towards black people, conveys a discouraging standpoint for the future of African Americans in the United States subjected to interactions with law enforcement and a biased society.

Introduction to the Debate on Media Violence and Violent Behavior

Although there have been numerous studies and research on the subject, I firmly believe that playing violent video games does not cause violent behaviors. Existing research has not be able to claim with certainty that there is a causal link between playing violent video games and developing violent behaviors immediately after playing or in the near future for that matter. For that reason, it is my belief that violent behavior comes from a predisposition to violence in the player’s genetic make-up, previous exposure to violence (physical, mental, emotional, or sexual), and the lack of parents supervision and guidance when it comes to purchasing and playing these types of video games.

Public Concerns and Notable Incidents Linking Media Violence to Real-Life Aggression

Public opinion claims that playing violent video games promotes violent behavior and causes children to become violent towards their parents, teachers, peers and society at large. Case in point, April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enter Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and open fire leaving 15 dead including the suicide of both shooters and 24 injured. Subsequent investigations into why they did what they did revealed that they were avid video game players and their game of choice was “Doom” , “which Harris modified to be played by two shooters, each with extra weapons, unlimited ammunition, and unarmed victimns who couldn’t fight back” (Chananie, 2007) – much like the event that unfolded that fateful day in Littleton, Colorado. This event further spread society’s belief that violent video games cause violent behavior. Another case which fueled the already heated debate on violent video games causing violent behavior was the second half of the D.C. snipers team. In Lee Boyd Malvo’s trial, a “defense was based on allegations that John Mohammed”, the other half of the D. C. sniper team, “ used violent games, movies and audiotapes to mold Malvo into a killer” (Chananie, 2007) Even though it did not succeed, it did serve as a mitigating circumstance which made the difference between a death sentence and life without parole which, was the sentence that was ultimately imposed on Malvo.

Research Findings on the Effects of Violent Video Games

Researchers started to conduct “population-based epidemiologic investigations of violence in American society, cross- cultural studies, experimental and “natural” laboratory research, and longitudinal studies that show that aggressive behavior associated with media exposure persists for decades” (Pediatrics, American Academy of, 2001). Craig A. Anderson and Karen E. Dill conducted two studies: one correlational, the other experimental using the General Affective Aggression Model (GAAM) as their theoretical approach to both studies. Study 1 measured the amount of exposure to video game violence and the amount of time the participants had played video games in prior time periods regardless of content through the completion of a self-report questionnaire which collected individual difference data as well as data on aggressive behavior, delinquency, and world view. Study 2 participants were assigned to play either a violent or non-violent video game and subsequently played a competitive reaction time game in which they could punish their opponent by delivering a noxious blast of white noise. This constituted their laboratory measure of aggression. They also assessed the effects of the video games on both hostile thoughts and feelings to see whether either (or both) types of games served as mediators of the violent video game effect on aggressive behavior. They stated that Study 1 indicates that in real life, concern about violent video games effect on delinquent behavior, aggressive and non-aggressive, is legitimate but the correlational nature of the study means the causal statements are risky at best because the link between aggressive and non-aggressive delinquency and violent video games could be found in the possibility that highly aggressive individuals are especially attracted to violent video games. Study 2 then focused on short-term effects of video game violence using an experimental methodology which would address more clearly the causality issue. In their summary and conclusion of both studies, Anderson and Dill concluded that the effect of violent video games appears to be cognitive in nature and that in the short-term, playing these games appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts while in the long-term, the effects are likely longer lasting as new aggression-related scripts are learned and practiced becoming more and more accessible for use in a real-life conflict situation when it arises. (Anderson & Dill, 2000) Researchers, led by Vincent Mathews, conducted a study which included 44 students split into two groups (one group played violent video games while the other group played non-violent video games) for a half hour then gave them tasks measuring inhibition and concentration while measuring their brain functions through a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis. No difference in reaction time or accuracy completing the tasks was found. However, those who played violent video games showed less prefrontal activation associated with inhibition and concentration but more activation in the amygdalae associated with emotional arousal. (Chananie, 2007)

Challenging the Causal Link Between Violent Media and Aggressive Behavior

On the other hand, opposing viewpoints on the matter have done further research on prior studies disagreeing with the results and claiming that there may be other factors at play when it comes to violent behavior on the part of the players of violent video games. Also that “the studies were not conclusive in their findings of a causal relation between playing violent video games and violent behavior.” (Kennedy-Moore, 2015) Eileen Kennedy-Moore mentions in her article in Psychology Today that, Paul Adachi and Teena Wiloughby (2011) found in their studies “it was competitiveness of video games, rather than how violent they were, that predicted later aggressive behavior. Struggling with a game can lead to frustration and aggression, whether or not the game is violent.” (Kennedy-Moore, 2015) Furthermore, “other risk factors”… which may… “include family violence, having an anger-prone personality, poverty, harsh parental discipline, peer rejection, and school problems” (Kennedy-Moore, 2015), “specific personality factors of the individual” (Vessey & Lee, 2000), and “association with delinquent peers, substance use, weak social ties, parental abuse or neglect, and cognitive and volitional limitations.” (Chananie, 2007) may also be factors in developing violent behaviors. For this reason, I will present evidence as to why I believe that playing violent video games does not cause violent behaviors but that instead other factors may very well be at work and that although they may be a part of it, they are not the totality of a reason as to the cause of violent behavior. Factors which include a genetic propensity for violent behaviors, previous exposure to violence and the lack of parental supervision and guidance when it comes to violent video games and how parents allow children these games in their households will be discussed.

Genetic Predisposition and Environmental Factors as Contributors to Violent Behavior

Violent behavior may have its roots deeper into those whose genetic make-up is predisposed to violence and violent behaviors. Studies on violence and violent behavior have found that these “can be triggered in various ways by any number of factors separately or in combination and can, in turn, affect individual behavior regarding violent expression in various degrees”. (Javier, Heron, & Primavera, 1998) Researchers found that physiological/chemical factors in the hypothalamus, the anterior poles of the temporal lobes, the amygdala, and the orbital frontal context which control aggression may be responsible for aggressive behavior but are not adequate to explain such a complex phenomenon like violent behavior being caused by playing violent video games yet they play a role in it. And although “more systematic investigation is necessary, J. Monahan’s analysis (1992) suggests that mental disorders may be a consistent, albeit only a modest, risk factor for the occurrence of violence.” (Javier, Heron, & Primavera, 1998) Social-structural conditions also contribute to violent behaviors of those genetically predisposed to violence by promoting violent content in the media based on the violent culture we live in which is characterized by an appetite for violence and a higher tolerance for it through higher rates of viewing and interacting in violent video games. We as a society have made media violence an acceptable form of entertainment while developing an appetite for more gore, more blood, more guts which perpetuates the cycle. The individual psychology factor states that “If one accepts the psychoanalytic explanation about aggression—that it results from unneutralized aggressive impulses in a person with an immature ego configuration—it is likely that at any level of frustration in an individual with such psychological characteristics will lead to an expression of aggressive behavior.” (Javier, Heron, & Primavera, 1998) In other words, those who are predisposed to aggression will become violent at any given moment if there is sufficient stimulus for frustration present during violent video game playing. Eileen Kennedy-Moore points out in her article in Psychology Today that , “ The effect of violent video games may depend on who is playing them and under what circumstances. …people with a constellation of being easily upset (high neuroticism), showing little concern for other people’s feelings (low agreeableness), and having a tendency to break rules and act without thinking (low conscientousness) are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of violent video games.” (Kennedy-Moore, 2015) Again, this relates to those who are predisposed to violence through genetic make-up but also to those who are exposed to violence at an early age and throughout their childhood.

In an article from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ research on media violence their “research has shown that the strongest single correlate with violent behavior is previous exposure to violence.” They also state that “repeated exposure to violent behavioral scripts (which iResearchnet.com defines as a package of knowledge that a person has about particular kinds of situations that he/she has encountered frequently) can lead to increased feelings of hostility, expectations that others will behave aggressively, desensitization to the pain of others, and increased likelihood of interacting and responding to others with violence.” (Pediatrics, American Academy of, 2001) “Children learn from what happens around them (and to them) from the people most important to them like parents, aunts and uncles, teachers, priests, and ministers because it is in that context that they develop a sense of themselves to others, a sense of right and wrong, and learn respect for themselves and others.” (Javier, Heron, & Primavera, 1998) In an article by Dwaine C. Fehon in the Psychiatric Times, he states that “Researchers have consistently found that children exposed to violence, either as witnesses or victims, are at high risk for having their own patterns of aggressive behavior develop. A considerable body of research points to a number of family, social, and community factors that increase the probability of violence. Specifically, family issues such as inadequate home environments, parental alcohol and drug abuse,witnessing domestic violence, and harsh parental discipline increase the risk for violent behavior in children and adolescents.” (Fehon, 2007) Aggression and violent behavior are learned through a person’s previous exposure to violence whether it is emotional, physical, psychological or sexual in nature. In that light then, we expect the adults in our lives to offer the kind of supervision and guidance which will foster prosocial behavior, empathy and sensitivity in shaping a child’s mind so that if, and when, they are exposed to violence the influence will be less and have little to no impact on their behavior.

The Role of Parental Supervision and Media Literacy in Mitigating Violence

The adults in a child’s life, mainly their parents, have a strong influence in the kind and type of entertainment they are capable of understanding and are allowed to view because of its rating, content and impressionability. Therefore, it is up to us to spend more time monitoring our kids choice of media and that it contains a minimum to none violent content. “Supportive parent-child relationships characterized by communication, concern, and parent-connectedness have been linked to reductions in internalizing and externalizing behavior, including PTSD and aggression. (…) Thus, while supportive families, peers, and schools may not prevent an individual from being exposed to violence, they can indeed protect against the risk of subsequent emotional maladjustment, including the risk of violence.” (Fehon, 2007) “Parents, it turns out, can play an important and positive role in how electronic media affect young people’s lives: they can not only enhance the benefits but also reduce the risks associated with children’s media exposure. Parents who watch prosocial programming with their child and reinforce the messages in different portrayals can enhance their child’s prosocial learning. Such active mediation can include explaining and discussing the moral lessons in a plot, reinforcing the information through rehearsal, and engaging in role-playing activities that elaborate on the information. By helping children think critically about potentially harmful content in the media, parents can also reduce the impact of media violence. Parents can also teach children coping strategies to deal with frightening images in the media. In general, it is essential for parents to monitor the media content their children view and find attractive. Such parental involvement is arguably more important than establishing rules about how much time children can spend watching TV or playing video games. Guiding children’s media choices and helping children become critical consumers of media content can foster the prosocial benefits of spending time in front of a screen while preventing some of the risks.” (Wilson, 2008) Consequently, parents have a huge responsibility when it comes to their children and how much exposure they have from playing violent video games and, as such, should not allow their children to convince them that a popular game which his/her best friend owns and they want is cool and not violent at all. Instead, parents should do their research, check the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board Interactive) rating of the game, seek out others’ reviews and comments on the game but most importantly, if there is a chance to, play the game yourself. See what it is all about and then make an informed decision. Ultimately your child will thank you for it even if its not at that particular moment.

As part of my final essay for DME1000, will be discussing the concept of narrative agency and I will also analyse two set media texts of my choosing. Within this essay whilst analyzing my media texts I will proceed to discussing various narrative theories, differentiating the key difference between a story and plot, as well talking about the significance of the technical and symbolic codes of my chosen media texts.

When analyzing a movie’s narrative ones must know the difference between a story and plot. Plot and story are very similar however are differentiated from each other as Suzzane Keen once mentioned “story means the event of the narrative as “they happened in the imaginative zone, chronological and ordering of fictive time (Keen 2003:75) “ this emphasizes that a story is an essential timeline of circumstance that are showcased in a narrative. A story is a mental construct that connects certain circumstances in the film together. The plot differs from a story however they are affiliated; a plot is a logic that educates its viewers, readers, and audience on why certain series of events make a story. “The fully reconstituted set of narrated even, completed with casual relation and consequences, makes the plot”.

As most films go through, a three-structure act: Beginning, Middle, and End. Emphasized by poet Aristotle, I have realized that Tzvetan Todorov’s narrative theory plays a major contribution towards this point.

Tzvetan Todorov was a French/ Bulgarian film narrative theorist/structuralist. Born on March 1st, 1939 in Sofia, Bulgaria; Todorov has had a major influence on Ferdinand’s semiology and g culture. Whilst reading “Structural analysis of narrative” it was mentioned that in 1969 Tzvetan Todorov that “plot consists of a movement from one state of equilibrium through a state of disequilibrium to a final state of equilibrium that is similar to, but not the same as, the first state of equilibrium”. (Richard L. W. Clarke, Novel 3 p1)

The equilibrium is the primary phase where everything in the narrative seems to be completely good and happy. The equilibrium stage of the film is where most characters in the film are introduced and the status quo. Todorov’s analysis always starts off with the equilibrium stage (balance), Todorov strongly believes that as the storyline develops the equilibrium phase will change shifty due to disrupting events in the story, therefore, allowing the narrative to enter a state of disequilibrium (unbalance). As the original equilibrium is ruptured, a new equilibrium must start, new equilibriums will begin until the final equilibrium has been reached.

Bulgarian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a five-part structure and they are following:

1. A state of equilibrium (stability) at the start
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption
4. An attempt to repair the disruption
5. Reinstatement of the equilibrium

Todorov’s narrative theory can be applied to Catwoman (2004) in the following ways:

The equilibrium theory is shown when Patience (protagonist) a very shy woman that cannot stand up for herself, goes to work at a cosmetic company as a graphic designer. Tasked to redesign an advert by her boss, she stumbles across a cat on her window ceil. Attempting to retrieve the cat from the ledge, a patrolling police officer thinks Patience (Catwoman) is attempting suicide. Saved by the police officer, Patience agree to detective Tom’s request for a date. Patience and Tom are seen smiling at each other and this connotes the stereotypical scene in a film where the main woman is saved by her love interest and this scene in most films are where women are represented as clumsy.

The disruption is shown in the form of Patience overhearing the discussion between Laurel and a Doctor on new ant aging product having major health problems. As patience’s and presence is noticed by Laurel’s guards she is ordered to be killed and drowns. As her body is found by several casts and she is mysteriously revived.

The third stage of Todorov narrative act “Recognition of the disruption” is when Patience start to attain Cat capabilities, as her movements are odd and uncontrollable. A good example of this would be when she breaks the glass door and tries to brush it off as a dream. Intrigued by the cat that appears at her flat, Patience realizes that cat belonged to an old Women named Ophelia, who informs to Patience that the cat is an Egyptian Mau a rare cat that gives special abilities to select women after they die.

As Patience is now official Known as ‘Catwoman” she encounters one of the man that was ordered to kill her. As Catwoman attacks the guard, he informs that the company ordered her killed and that he did not know who Patience was. Whilst investigating the company she saw another familiar guard on the night of her original death, murdered is blamed for his death.

As the narrative transitions to the penultimate Todorov film theory “An attempt to repair the damage”. Laurel Hedare contacts Catwoman reporting to her that her husband has committed crimes and she contains proof. When Catwoman arrives, George has been killed laurel and frames patience for the murder. As Tom investigates patience belongings and see a diamond, originally stolen by Catwoman at some point in the narrative. Tom put two in one together and confirms his suspicion that Patience is Catwoman. As the evidence collected clearly indicates that Patience is the murderer, however she denies having any involvement of George’s murder during the interrogation. As Patience escapes from the precinct from the help of Mau, she confronts Laurel in a stereotypical showdown between the hero vs. the villain. This concept strives toward Claude Levi Strauss structuralism theory based on binary opposites.

In typical fashion, Patience claws Laurel’s face during their fight and the instant transformation of her face, is a side effect of the skin care product that she is planning to release. As Laurel falls to her death and Patience manages to save Tom and shut down the Hedare company. Tzvetan Todorov’s narrative theory concludes as a ‘New Equilibrium is reached as she takes the mantle of her Lifetimes Catwoman.The narrative of this film is very tightly plotted because their is a reason for everything that happens in the film and therefore the event that occur in the film is a consequence of what happened previously

Whilst analysis Catwoman the concept of the male gaze an how women are perceived came to mind.The term ‘Male gaze’ stem from the way we create meaning through representations. To continue this, point the male gaze is an ideology to showcase the sexualization of women in films. Laura Mulvey a British feminist theorist in film has stated “This the women as Icon, displayed for the gaze and enjoyment of men, the active controller looks.” (John Storey 2015:9). A good example of this would be American actress Marilyn Monroe. Monroe is an excellent example of the male gaze, as she was highly sexualized in films and even until this very day she is considered majors sex symbol and was dependable to investors in in films. The male gaze is majority represented where a female is the main protagonist in a movie, this was mentioned in DME1000 week 14. “When woman the protagonist”. The male gaze was somewhat represented in the above media text Catwoman. In the Catwoman film, women are stereotypical as being very sexualized both the protagonist and antagonist, as we can see Halle Barry character wearing black leather suit and her female assets are clearly exposed. The ending scene of the Catwoman movie is good example of the male gaze, the camera, focuses on Halle Barry’s body language, the significance of this is to concentrate on the attractiveness of the character being represented.

Throughout my time during lectures and seminar in DME1000 Media Analysis, I have realized when watching Catwoman (2004) that Hollywood love representing woman as passive object, convincing myself to partially agree with Lara Mulvey when she stated female protagonist “coded for strong visual and erotic impact signaling to be looked at ness” (Collen Glen:502).

The second Media text I will analyze is Hancock as a superhero film starring Will smith released in 2008. In my analysis of this film, I will use Todorov’s narrative however It partially be analyzed using Claude Levi Straus’s structuralism theory.

Claude Levi Strauss discovered they understood certain words does depend not on the

meaning it directly holds. They understood the difference between the word and opposites or also known as binary opposition. Claude and Roland Barthes realised that words simply act as symbols society ideas between relationships than fixed relationships.

Levi Straus’s theory is conflict is centred on the binary opposites and that binary opposites are vital high point of a narrative structure. Once Strauss’s theory is understood people will start to realize the Hancock movie also trail the similar structure. Strauss binary opposition consist the following:

1. Good vs evil
2. Black vs white
3. Boy vs girl

The equilibrium stage of the narrative is when Hancock the hero is seen intoxicated and woken up by a child. As he does his deeds and stops a bunch of criminals the disruption occurs as the civilians complain about Hancock’s carelessness for personal property and demand he should be arrested. As relating to Vladimir Propps’s theory, the dispatcher ray (second character) persuades Hancock to go to prison to realise that they need him therefore the recognition part of Todorov’s theory comes in to play. The donor quickly becomes friends with Hancock much to the helper’s dismay.

The disruption relapses as Hancock is seen being terrorised in prison by fellow inmates as he’s responsible for putting them there. Attempting to repair the disruption he had caused Hancock silently pays for his crime but due to his containment crime level has risen. The equilibrium resurfaces as he is a free man; the equilibrium is short lived as there is bank robbery causing the disruption to occur and the robber is established as the villain of the movie. Strauss’s theory “binary opposition” comes into light as good vs evil is established between Hancock and the robber.

The equilibrium again resurfaces as he appreciates the police’s help. As Hancock finds out the truth that the helper was previously his wife they fight across the city, as Strauss theory I’ve noticed that a binary code – boy vs girl (Hancock vs Mary). Ray discovers them fighting making the disruption to happen again. the recognition is occurred again as she stayed away from Hancock to protect herself.

The villain escapes from prison wanting revenge against Hancock. Once he had found him they face off in hospital one final time as everything goes Hancock and Mary are hurting struggling to keep alive. The recognition stage is seen when he tries to stay away as far as possible healing from their wounds. The equilibrium is once and for all seen when Hancock puts the symbol of ray’s PR on moon smiling for his efforts.

Strauss, Todorov and Propps’s film theories are hard to recognise in art cinema are because they are independent films that they targeted at specific audience. Unlike Hollywood movies, art film does not target a large audience to create revenue. Art film does not have a huge budget, art film is eccentric this suggests that art cinemas does not follow the identical construction system like Hollywood movies.

It’s hard to uses narrative theories because art movies are surrealistic and directed and producers tend centre around the dreams of characters instead of giving a direct goal, in art movies, there are some codes and conventions such as, relationship

Art film/cinemas have an unclear structure and therefore could be puzzling. The storyline of an art movie is difficult to keep up with. Resulting that theories created by the film Philosopher that cannot be used in art movies. “There has always been a tradition in European cinema for the production of films that challenge or at least subvert the convention of the mainstream” (Jill Nelmes 1999:84)

Using lights and costumes are very important to the mise en scene, lighting can be used in various ways that can give its audience an impression or emotion on certain characters and scene is in Catwoman, when patience is resurrected, she is shown in an aura green light. As the color green connotes life and energy, this gives the audience the feeling of opportunity is represented as Catwoman is brought back to life. When it comes to a movies antagonist dark color are used, dark colour connotes fear and danger, an example of this is when Hancock is fighting the villain and almost dies on the fact that he’s easily wounded around his partner, you also see in movies that criminals/ villain are never in bright clothing but instead in black or brown clothing.

Even though Catwoman and Hancock are depicted from the same superhero genre, as both characters wear costumes, the costume are an insignia of their character’s history and development. The film does not deter from its original character aesthetically.

When it comes to technicality, Hancock and Catwoman are set in Los Angeles and New York respectively. In my opinion, I believe that Hancock and Catwoman used CGI as the building in the background are artificial. CGI add realism and makes the establishing camera shot very authentic. Films could be grounded with a particular “national milieu” Khan, A west well G. ( 2012:27).

The narrative agency is the agency of characters that Portray themselves to be independent, even though my chosen media texts are based from the superhero genre, the way their characters are represented by their genders is very different Claire Johnston stated “the fact that there is a far greater differentiation of men’s roles than of women’s roles in the history of cinema relates to sexist ideology” (Claire Johnston & Sue Thornman 1999:32). I believed that with the statement that has been made by C.Johnston and comparing to my text, I think that Hancock has agency as act and speak in the movie to own accord, whereas Cat woman, the supporting cast are the cause of the agency of the film. In terms with men having more agency than women in film, I do agree with the statement as society has made it a norm for men to be leaders and reasons for the own action and this is highly reflected in Hancock and represented minimally in Catwoman.

Overall, I believe that by conducting a thoroughly a conducting narrative analysis, I have understood the difference between a story & plot and how they connect with each other, I have also understood that most Hollywood film follow the same narrative structure that was highly influenced by Tzvetan Todorov. By using Todorov equilibrium theory to analyse a movie, the narrative structure does shift four times before finding it’s new equilibrium. Both Hancock and Catwoman are tightly plotted narratives and therefore what happens in the movie is a cause and effect of events that occur one after the other. Whilst conducting research for this essay, the concept of the male gaze, was very difficult for me, however once reading into Laura Mulvey statement on how woman is represented in mainstream media, I was able to apply to Cat woman and how her character was represented. Although whilst looking into Hancock I was able to use another narrative theory by Claude levi Strauss on binary opposite.

In the end decided to write my essay about question 9 Media Analysis DME1000 – Agency & Narrative Analysis best suited me as I enjoyed researching into many concepts, allowing my own opinion to influence this paper and using the knowledge we’ve gained throughout DME1000 to use.

Bibliography

1. Hallcrossmedia.files.wordpress.com. (1969). TZVETAN TODOROV ‘STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF NARRATIVE’. [online] Available at: https://hallcrossmedia.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/11btodorovstructuralanalysisofnarrative-1.pdf [Accessed 11 Apr. 2018].
2. Thornham, S. and Johnston, C. (1999). Feminist film theory. 1st ed. New York: Sue Thorman, p.32.
3. Storey, J. (2015). Cultural theory and popular culture. 7th ed. New York City: Routledge, p.9.
4. www.tandfonline.com. (2017). Complicating the theory of the male gaze: Hitchcock’s leading men. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17400309.2017.1376892?scroll=top&needAccess=true [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].

Introduction to Propaganda: Definitions and Implications

Propaganda is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as ‘the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the reason of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person’.

Whether the consequences of propaganda on society are poor or nice is problem to opinion. Propaganda has been used for the duration of history, taking exceptional forms and using different techniques, and is nonetheless surrounding us and our society. two Propaganda affects us via attractive to our thoughts and to the conformist in all of us. For higher or worse, it influences us to bend our wondering to the perspective of the propagandist, be it a perspective regarding a governmental policy, a political cause, or a corporate issue.

When human beings hear the word ‘propaganda’, a poor photograph automatically looks to pop up in their heads. two Propaganda usually revolves around hiding the whole story with data often being supplied in a biased or deceptive fashion.

Historical Context: Propaganda in World War II

In the United States all through World War II, propaganda was everywhere. There have been posters with Uncle Sam on them telling younger men to enlist in the military and go fight. There were posters with American troopers and American flags, with the phrases ‘Buy War Bonds’ at the bottom. The Japanese Navy devastated Pearl Harbor, and in its wake it left the American people with a ardour for vengeance. The Empire of Japan was once violating broadly conventional human rights in jap Asia, and its authorities had been seen by using the oppressed as a monster that needed to be stopped. The world was once divided between two sides, the majority of the countries of the world helping the Allied Powers. If propaganda had now not been used to rally support for the war, it is feasible that the fighting effort would now not have been as powerful. Perhaps it may want to have been weak sufficient for the Axis Powers to continue building up power all over the world. However, this does now not justify propaganda as something that is truly ‘good’.

The Ethical Dilemma: Positive and Negative Sides of Propaganda

Propaganda nevertheless has its aspects that are seen as negative. Even the instance related to World War II could be seen as bad in the eyes of an Axis supporter. However, in the eyes of the common person, it’s a precise thing. There are nevertheless things viewed as poor elements of propaganda. For example, the American propaganda that used racial slurs towards German and Japanese humans to get the American human beings to hate them. Even extra adverse have been the German pieces of propaganda that slandered Jews and portrayed them as thieves of cash and arrogant, elitist sub-humans; these stimulated aid for the deaths of 6 million Jews in Europe. However, for those who choose to assist the causes others see as negative, the propaganda does no longer appear so terrible to them. It is now not a query asking if it is a proper element or a bad thing, for there will be no concrete reply barring goal proof involving propaganda’s negativity or positivity in regards to its impact on human life.

Still, propaganda is not restrained to the infamous World War II posters, nor is it confined to wartime media in general; it is virtually all round us. Advertising departments in corporations all over the world use propaganda to encourage people to purchase their products, follow for a job at the propagandist’s company, or usually just do what the propagandist desires them to do. The matters humans do or agree with because of propaganda isn’t without delay ordered to them; it is slowly fed into their minds until they are influenced adequate to see things from a positive perspective.

Propaganda Beyond War: Its Presence in Modern Media and Advertising

Today, propaganda is all over the media. If one have been to take their preferred industrial on television, strip it down to its naked essence, and analyze it in detail, they would see that all classified ads use some type of propaganda to influence viewers. For example, the Old Spice advertisements featuring the famous Old Spice Man are a frequent favorite. The business depicts a muscular man explaining in a deadpan, monotone voice the tremendous matters about Old Spice body wash. The surroundings adjustments from a bathroom in which he had supposedly just taken a shower, to a cruise ship, to a countryside the place he is using a horse. On the cruise boats, he holds tickets to a show, and they mysteriously flip into diamonds. He makes use of this as proof that some thing can take place with Old Spice body wash, and then provides casually and humorously that he is driving a horse. The humor in this advert and of the actor taking part in the Old Spice Man appeals to the viewers, which will impact viewers to buy the product, even if it’s only to proceed the joke.

Propaganda is not confined to commercials for purchaser products, either. The media is swarming with political ads aiming to get help for a senator, congressman, or legislation. Less often, however nonetheless very well-used, is propaganda at some point of an election for the head of state, such as a president, premier, or high minister. Propaganda is additionally regularly used to collect assist for a group or cause. A current example is an ad from the Citizens Against Government Waste. The advert suggests a Chinese professor in a college classification hall. ‘Why do brilliant countries fail? The Ancient Greeks…the Roman Empire…the British Empire…and the United States of America. They all make the same mistakes, turning their back on the ideas that made them great,’ he says. The professor proceeds to remark how the United States government tried to tax and spend its way out of a recession, along with authorities takeovers of non-public industries and healthcare overhaul, which supposedly led to huge debt inflicting financial ruin in the United States. ‘Of course, we owned most of their debt,’ he adds, ‘so now they work for us.’ The advert ends with a monotone voice pleading for Americans to be part of the Citizens Against Government Waste to end the government spending that is “bankrupting America”. The ad is meant to exhibit a future the place the Chinese government has taken over the United States, and blames this on the Obama Administration’s strategies of getting the nation out of the recession. The advert uses a mixture of fear, erroneous purpose and effect, and scapegoat, the latter two being used to inspire that fear. When the people are afraid of this future, the group intends to inspire the people to support their cause to fight towards government spending.

Cultural Influence: Propaganda and Its Impact on Society

The impact of propaganda can vary based on the variations in culture, as well. For example, the Jim Crow legal guidelines in the United States, enacted between 1876 and 1965 to implement racial segregation, were primarily based on prejudice. The white men, who had been dominantly in energy at the time, felt that they were most suitable to black men. Part of white American way of life during that period of time was once the segregationist, racist conduct that nearly all people displayed. two While men such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. led the Civil Rights Movement in the 50’s and 60’s, propaganda that was towards their reason was once nonetheless all over the country. two For example, a poster from the Jim Crow era showed a watermelon and an African-American man. He is depicted as a ‘southern darky with material diaper fastened with a miniature security pin and a small nursing bottle’. In posters such as these ones, black human beings are depicted as stupid, primitive animals that are inferior to whites.

Racist propaganda doesn’t just focus on the infamous duration of segregation in the United States. American wartime propaganda against Japanese human beings meant to inspire hatred for Japanese people, even if they had nothing to do with Pearl Harbor, or if they have been second-generation immigrants who didn’t even support the Empire of Japan’s conquest in japanese Asia. two Examples of these are all over the internet, however one instance has a subtitle that reads, ‘Don’t talk; rats have large ears’. In the poster, it suggests a World War II-era Japanese flag, with the pink rays of the solar increasing out from the pink round sun. two In the front of the flag is a Japanese soldier carrying a bloodied katana, portrayed as a rat with large ears. The poster offers the message that all Japanese citizens of the United States were manageable threats to the country wide security of the United States. Posters like this supported President Roosevelt’s decision to put all Japanese residents in internment camps throughout the United States.

Propaganda’s have an impact on spans over quite a few components of grownup life, but an daily eighth grade pupil may ask how it impacts his or her life. Many young people may also say that they do now not care about politics, or that they do no longer think it has an effect on their lives. This is a display of no longer only indifference, but ignorance. For example, Adolf Hitler’s insurance policies regarding Jews in Nazi Germany nonetheless affected children, for the Holocaust led to the systematic executions of women, children, and men; anyone, as long as they have been Jewish, Gypsy, or homosexual.

In contemporary instances in extra developed countries, such as the United States and Japan, there is nothing as extreme as the Holocaust. There is no government that persecutes a positive team of humans primarily based on race, gender, or religion. However, propaganda can impact kids via influencing rules related to public education, health care or the environment. When selections are made that have an effect on the environment, they nevertheless have an effect on teenagers simply as an awful lot as all and sundry else.

Still, it is now not every day that legislation regarding the surroundings is proposed or passed. Propaganda directed at kids focuses more on commercials that target teenagers as consumers. Ads for cosmetic merchandise such as Axe attraction to the teenaged male’s libido, pronouncing that by sporting Axe products they will achieve the sexual desire of females. It is frequent experience that Axe physique spray is no longer magical, however the humor in the classified ads may have an impact on human beings to buy the product to proceed the joke. The aforementioned Old Spice body wash instance has this same effect on teenaged males. The advertisements have an effect on young people to spend their money on cosmetic products, which leads to the companies promoting said merchandise to get richer and richer off of client money.

Another large thing of teenage existence is the idea of ‘cool’. Cool is now not a concrete term. The thought is pretty frequently bought to the hundreds of teenagers. What qualified as cool fifty years ago may also no longer be cool now. Popular matters come and go. In the 1980’s, hair steel or R&B-influenced pop song used to be viewed cool, but then, the grunge movement came and swept up the concept of cool. Then, rap grew to become much more prominent, with the upward push of rappers such as the Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac. With the coming of the twenty first century, pop stars such as Britney Spears, and in even greater recent years, Lady Gaga, grew to become prominent. These matters all have some thing in common. They originated as something new, and as some thing special from what was once famous before. Sometimes, being cool capacity going in opposition to the norm. People went in opposition to the norm with grunge, a sub-genre of punk, and they went in opposition to the norm once more with rap, and as soon as once more with pop song with lyrics of letting loose and having fun in youth. Some matters are marketed as new and different, and as quickly as humans begin catching onto these things, the thinking of ‘cool’ has made its sell.

Reflections on Propaganda: Its Role in Shaping Civilization

It is hard to imagine lifestyles except propaganda, in particular when so many components of existence are influenced via propaganda, such as political alignment, the purchase of consumer products, assistance for a war, cause, or group, or the concept of cool. However, in a hunter-gatherer sense, none of these things are ultimately imperative to our survival. Propaganda did not have to exist when all people did was once hunt to feed themselves and their families. Neither did client products, or all of this debate on the money of tax payers, or authorities spending. When the foundations of modern existence have been analyzed, one would possibly come to the conclusion that propaganda has shaped most of what has made civilization what it is today. When specialization was first being introduced, possibly propaganda was used in that humans were forcing others to obey them, or perhaps they could tell others that they have to band together in opposition to a common foe to sooner or later create civilizations that would final millennia.

Without propaganda existing, absolutely everyone would possibly be an individual. They would not base their selections on how they see different people, or how they would be considered in by using their peers. Perhaps government would no longer be as effective, and governments would unexpectedly give way due to a lack of assist from citizens. Perhaps corporations that produce consumer merchandise would give way due to a lack of interest in the merchandise that are manufactured. Perhaps a notion of morality would now not exist as no man would be trying to have an effect on other people with his perspectives.

The word propaganda is almost usually stated with a terrible connotation to it. It’s nearly continually shown in a negative light. But barring it, the place would civilization be? Propaganda has made humans go forward in corporations to improve civilization, however perhaps people would be better off with an extra herbal way of life, with pure individuality and returning to the roots of human civilization: searching and gathering, besides the notion of civilization, or human beings influencing different people to see matters a positive way barring character thinking. Perhaps humanity would be better off no longer trying to manipulate life, and as an alternative simply letting matters in life pan out the way they do and letting the evolution of man take its course. We as a technology may additionally never see the day the place that type of hunter-gatherer life-style returns, however the future is most truely unpredictable.

The First Amendment; Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This is one of the most important amendments in the history of the world. It could be said that it is the foundation of our country and why people want to live here. The colonists left England in 1620 and came to this land to have free speech, free religion, and to have freedom of the press. Freedom of speech is the most important thing in this world. That is why so many people come to live here. The freedoms of speech, religion, and press gives everyone a new chance to express themselves. No suppression by the government and no suppression by the churches. The First Amendment needs to be preserved for its original intent. The First Amendment is not a weapon and it is not a tool to control people. The press, or the media, has been suppressing people though. They distort the presentation of information to control people’s thoughts and behaviors. The press was designed to present only the factual information to the people, nothing fake or misleading. The media does not directly suppress people, they cover the truth by distortion, omission, and falsehoods. They invoke the people of the United States of America to take a side for or against an individual or a group of individuals. The Covington School Protest demonstrates how the media distorts the information the everyday people absorb, which is not permitted under the First Amendment.

The Media has many ways that it distorts the information that we see and hear everyday. One example is how the media turns innocent people into public enemy number one. On January 18, 2019 a sixteen-year-old high school was turned into the most hated person in the United States of America. This young man was at peaceful assembly, exercising his first amendment rights, with his friends when he was confronted by a Native American activist playing a drum. The young man just stood there and smiled at the man. When the media looked at the video they had recorded, they turned a smiling, and a respectful young man listening to the Native American activist play his drum, into a racist, white power, activist who has no respect for other cultures. This was taken from a three-minute forty-four second video that the Media took their stance on. If they had watched, and presented to the public, the full one hour and forty-six minute recording that was taken their argument would have been a much different than the one they had. It was proven that it was a non-racist, peaceful assembly that the class of Covington High School was attending. It was also proven that the black, Hebrew, Israelites protesting group was yelling very harshly at this group of High School boys. The Hebrew group began talking about Donald Trump and Catholics because the group of high schoolers had MAGA hats on, while calling the group of young men “crackers” (Covington School Protests, USA today). Currently the young man has a lawsuit against the media for false representation of him on national television. The media uses many tactics to spark people’s anger for events that have little meaning to them. People are starting to catch on to what is real and what is biased.

The media has several ways of distorting information. The most used technique is bias by omission. Bias by omission is “leaving one side out of an article, or a series of articles over a period of time; ignoring facts that tend to disprove liberal or conservative claims, or that support liberal or conservative beliefs” (Media Bias 5). Another method is bias by selection of sources. Bias by selection of sources is “including more sources that support one view over another” (Media Bias 6). That would create a poll of which pizza is better, pepperoni or plain, and of the people you choose to poll, nine out of ten of them are eating pepperoni pizza at that moment and only one eats plain. That would obviously cause an unfair poll as the majority of sources chosen were biased towards one option. Another type of bias is bias by story selection. Bias by story selection is “a pattern of highlighting news stories that coincide with the agenda of either the Left or the Right, while ignoring stories that coincide with the opposing view” (Media Bias 7). That would be like providing a study that says there is a cure for cancer, but another study proved that the success rate of the procedure is one in a million. Providing a story that makes people feel good is good for publicity, but if they don’t present the other side of the story, like how often the procedure was successful, people would go around spreading false information that has only one side of the story. Another form of bias, commonly used in newspapers or news websites, is bias by placement. Bias by placement is “a measure of how important the editor considers the story. Studies have shown that, in the case of the average newspaper reader and the average news story, most people read only the headline” (Media Bias 8). Most people read the headline and formulate an opinion based on that when later on in the article, the author could disprove the headline based on evidence they had collected. One of the largest types of bias is used by television media every single day. This bias is bias by labeling. Bias by labeling comes in two forms. The first is the tagging of conservative politicians and groups with extreme labels while leaving liberal politicians and groups unlabeled or with more mild labels, or vice versa. The second kind of bias by labeling occurs when a reporter not only fails to identify a liberal as a liberal or a conservative as a conservative, but describes the person or group with positive labels, such as “an expert” or “independent consumer group” (Media Bias 9). The second type of bias can sometimes be avoided if people analyze the articles properly. If someone in an article is described as an expert, and that expert happens to be a conservative, then the assumption can be made that the author is a conservative author. The final form of media bias is bias by spin. Bias by spin “occurs when the story has only one interpretation of an event or policy, to the exclusion of the other; spin involves tone – it’s a reporter’s subjective comments about objective facts; makes one side’s ideological perspective look better than another” (Media Bias 10). To determine the bias’s spin, then one has to evaluate which agenda the article falls under, conservative or liberal. Once that is found then you have found the bias by spin. Both conservative and liberal media sources use these biases. That is the issue with today’s media. Neither side presents the full truth to a story. It is all about their own bottom dollar and not how they affect the lives of those who they report about.

These biases are not just used by big corporations or only national television, it is used throughout the world. From the largest company to the smallest newspaper, biases are used and create the world we live in now. The title of an article “Ruling Imperils Right To Protest” (First Amendment Coalition title) is false information. Later in the article the author describes that a protest group was not protesting peacefully as a rock was thrown at an officer and injured him. The protest group had every right to protest until they injured an officer. The article was not on national television or in a newspaper, but the title was proven false as the ruling of the court was correct as the protesters did not protest peacefully. In Bath, Maine, a law was put in place that anyone who wanted to perform a protest, had to get permission from the town to protest, pay a $25 fee for the paperwork, and do all this 30 days in advance of the protest. Most protests are not planned, they can happen spontaneously. That law revokes the right of the people to peacefully protest. Also an organization that hosts many events would be excluded from this law as they host many events throughout the year. Not only did the law limit the protesting capability of the people, organizations were excluded from the law so they did not have to follow the law. The law applies to everyone or it applies to no one, there is no picking and choosing who has to follow the law. “The permit application comes with a $25 fee and must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the event. If denied, the permit-seeker can appeal. A new bill being submitted to the people of Bath that requires any event to pay a $25 permit fee and submit this permit to the town for approval of the event. This infringes on the first amendment right because if a protest were to break out then it would be classified as illegal whereas our first amendment right states that the American people have the right to protest at will. So a protest would have to be paid for, and approved, 30 days before the protest would happen. That is illogical as protests happen all the time without warning. Some are planned and others are spontaneous. Some places and groups are exempt from this law as they host so many events, they would be billing them too much for their group to exist. The law either applies to everyone or no one at all” (Portland Press Herald Dec. 7 2019). Things change over time, like laws, television, and the weather. The media like all things change over time.

The media has become a different entity in the post 2000 years. The news presented is not the same as it was in the pre-2000 years. In the pre-2000’s the news gave more sources and gave more time references. There have been many teams that try to investigate the change in the news but the RAND team has seemed to hit the nail right on the head. “The RAND team found that much of the language and tone of reporting in the New York Times, Washington Post, and St. Louis Post-Dispatch remained constant over the past 30 years, but the team also found quantifiable changes in certain linguistic areas between the pre-2000 and post-2000 periods. For example, the three newspapers’ reporting before 2000 used language that was more heavily event- and context-based than it was in stories written after 2000; pre-2000 stories also contained more references to time, official titles, and positions and institutions and used more descriptive, elaborative language to provide story details. In contrast, the team found that post-2000 reporting engaged in more storytelling and emphasized interactions, personal perspective, and emotion more heavily than did stories in the pre-2000 period” (rand.org, Facts vs. Opinions: How the News Is Changing in the Digital Age. 1). The Media has become the one thing it can not be. It presents false information by creating titles that are untrue and choosing which parts of the story to tell to satisfy their bottom dollar. “Broadcast television journalism exhibited similar differences in the pre-2000 and post-2000 samples. The RAND team’s text analysis found a gradual shift in broadcast television coverage from more-conventional reporting in the pre-2000 period, during which news stories tended to use precise and concrete language and often turned to public sources of authority, to more-subjective coverage after 2000, when news stories relied less on concrete language and more on unplanned speech, expression of opinions, interviews, and arguments” (rand.org, Facts vs. Opinions: How the News Is Changing in the Digital Age. 1).

Our Social Media platforms have long been involved in presenting a one sided message to their audiences. Their practice of creating and using mathematical formulas – algorithms, to create a messaging platform that can influence the readers thought process. The unfortunate piece of this information is that readers today are not provided all of the information allowing them to develop their own interpretation of the information. This creates a society of thoughtless drones that only believe what they hear and see.

INTRODUCTION

In a democratic country, public and its opinion matters the most because democracy itself means of the people, by the people and for the people. According to lord Bryce public opinion is a term that is commonly used to denote the aggregate of the views, men hold regarding matters that affect or interest the community. Thus, understood it is a mixture of all sorts of different nations, belief, fancies, prejudices, aspirations. It is simply viewing of people on general issues. Public opinion has a very important place in democracy as government in democratic country is elected by the help of public opinion. Political parties in these countries try to make public on their side so that they get the majority of vote and win the election, as their existence is based on public. Public meetings, education television and cinemas, press, social media, religious institutions etc. are the various ways from which public opinion can be created. For a fair and good public opinion which will help in growth of a country, people should be educated and broad minded as they will be able to have a proper analysis on the issue of discussion and through that they can have a practical solution. Including education, that country should be free from issues like poverty and unemployment and media of that country should not be biased. Social media is a form of media which is via internet and in a world full of technologies it is accepted as the most because everyone is on social media and there are high chances of a person getting influenced by social media then any other form of media. The influence of public opinion is not confined to politics and election. It is a powerful force in many areas like culture, art, fashion, public relation and so on. Influencing people of a democratic country is very easy and media plays are very vital role in it.

MEDIA

Role of media is bigger than every other source which can influence public for creating a public opinion. Media plays a very vital role in informing the public of what is happening around our country and world. People are dependent on media for every news as it has a power to shape public opinion in whatever way it wants. What they get from media is what they believe as true. Media of country should be free and not biased as a biased media can influence people in a wrong way. People of a country deserve to know the true news but in the presence of biased media it is not possible. A free media will criticize government in many way but at last will get a sound and fair public opinion which will do good to the country but if a media of that country is controlled by a selfish political party, communities etc. than it will be difficult to make a sound opinion because then media will only show what these selfish parties wants public to see. It will make a huge chaos in country. Therefore, a good media is like a lighthouse to democracy. People can be influenced through media in many ways via television via radio, via newspaper, via press etc.

TELEVISON

television is a very crucial source from which we get the news of what is happening in world every day. It has become a part of our day to day life. In television there are so many media channels which talk about every day news and tells us about the major issues happening around the world, we as our daily routine watch those channel and make our opinion through that. For example, if we take CAA case, some news channel was against it an some were for it people watched them and through that made their opinion.

NEWSPAPER

If we talk about newspaper then it is too a part of our daily life. Newspaper contains a vide range of information related to local news, state news, country news and even international news and create political consciousness. It even entertains general public via giving games like sudoku in it and even by adding fashion and Bollywood news. An individual can get everything in newspaper. Newspaper can be called as “book of democracy”. Articles are written in it, news is written in it, and by reading these things we make our opinion.

RADIO

Talking about radio, it is also a very effective source which tells us about each and everything whether it is news, weather forecast, songs, discussions, public meetings etc. people listen to radio while traveling, people who don’t have television listen to radio to get updated. In a country like India radio is much more effective as here most of the people are illiterate and can’t read newspaper or they don’t understand English so they can’t hear to news channels which speak English. It even entertains people a lot.

PRESS

It is one of the most powerful media that influences public and create their opinion. It is just a small form of media. It educates people and thus help them to create their opinion by informing people about day to day news. The editorials influence both citizen as well as government. Even citizens bring their problem to press so that it could reach to government easily. It is a link between government and citizen and that is why press of a country should be free.

These are some major sources through which an individual makes its opinion in a democratic country and to make a right opinion these sources should be free, as, if they will be free public will be able to make a just and fair opinion and through that country will get developed. Media is just like a link between public and government as when government announces new laws and policies they communicate them to public through press and if, when public doesn’t like what government has bought they start opposing it by raising their voice which is wither they protest or they right it on internet which is carried forward to government via media. Media helps general public to stay in touch with government which is very important for democracy.

SELF – REGULATION FOR MEDIA

The freedom of expression is a very essential component of our individual development, to improve ourselves and this democracy. Mass media was invented for this only so that everyone could express themselves and could get better knowledge of what is happening around the world. Self-regulation is combination of standards setting out the appropriate codes of behavior for the media that are necessary to support freedom of expression, and process how those behaviors will be monitored or held to account. It is generally their own code of conduct, which guides them(media) and tell them what to do and what not. Self-regulation preserves independence of media and also protects it from those selfish government. It will be able to work more efficiently once media understand its power and don’t get scared of government as media has a lot of power through which it can influence people, even I think it’s the only power which can influence the opinion of an individual. Self-regulation tells media it’s priority which is citizen of its country. It helps media to work freely without any biasness. In many part of commercial life, self-regulation is entrusted to a body of industry professionals to administer. Inside a media organization the classic approach is to have a media ombudsman, employed by the media company to receive and investigate complains by newspaper readers, or listeners or viewers of radio and television and can work on it. Self-regulation for a media is very important as democracy is all about people and media helps those people to know what is happening and to raise a voice against something which is not good for them and their nation. Talking about how effective it has been for media, self-regulation is very effective for media as it gives media a clear path to walk on, it makes media much for stronger and independent of those selfish parties, communalist and ministers who try to buy them and show citizens fake news. They try to violate citizen’s fundamental rights but via this media does not let them do these stuffs. As we can see that self-regulation is over government regulation for media, its benefit is that increase in efficiency, incentives, reduced cost, incentive of compliance. There is a press council in India which takes care of every news house and make sure that no one is involved in some illegality. The Indian television media has its own self-regulation known as news broadcasting standards authority (NBSA), it keeps a check on news channel and make sure that no fake news, paid news or any kind of illegality happen. Though this is been made still there are cases where we get to hear that this was a paid news, journalist is absent, this was fake news so in my suggestion there should be some changes in NBSA and it should be made more stricter because if talking about this scenario of COVID-19 people are caged at home and if this time too they are getting fake news this will make a huge chaos, people will get influenced by something wrong which will be harmful for nation, not even this scenario in every scenario media should be taken care of and it should learn this that their first priority is their citizen.

When we talk about media it covers a vide range of communication methods and in this century, which is full of technology and internet. Social media is the best source through which media can do its work and help public to create its opinion.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Internet technology especially social media has made this world familiar with a new way of communication. You can get each and everything on social media, just type it you will get it. Nowadays everyone has access to social media and it is very easy to communicate with everyone. Social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, twitter etc. allows their user to post their views on what is happening around the world, it gives freedom of expression to each and every user using those apps. There are political leaders, social media influencers who have million of followers, so when they post their views people read it and then make their opinion on the topic. There are so many recent examples that proves that social media is one of the most important sources through public can create their opinion. as we all are in lockdown where we cannot go anywhere and cannot meet anyone because of corona virus which came from china. So now people are coming on social media and are posting videos, pictures, blogs in which they are telling their views about this situation and what can be done to get rid of this situation, these blogs, pictures and videos are seen my million and billion of people who read and see these and get influenced by them. Recently Sonam Wangchuk an Indian engineer posted a video in which he appealed to everyone to stop using Chinese software’s and hardware’s, he has a lot of followers and now his video is getting viral and everyone is getting influenced by him and are deleting Chinese apps from their phone. Another example is that there was a huge conflict between youtubers and tiktokers that who is best and this heat people who liked YouTube more started posting on social media to report and uninstall tiktok and by this many people reported tiktok on play store and the rating came down 1.2 star. From these examples we can see that how social media creates an opinion among general public. Apart from this there are public discussions held on app like Facebook, twitter where people can express their views and can even create an opinion. when a political leader or journalists etc. tweets something and people read it, they give their views on that. Nowadays there are several news pages which are on social media and are influencing people by posting news online. Getting update of what is happening around the world is quite easy now as people can get news by randomly scrolling in their social media. Social media is a very sensitive platform as from younger generation to old generation everyone is using it, it even make a very strong influence among people but if people post something wrong it can create a huge chaos among everyone and can create a false public opinion which can harm the entire nation so everyone has to be very careful on what they are watching and what they are reading as public opinion is all about what people of nation are getting to see and watch and for that media should be fair.

CONCLUSION

Media and social media are that much important for a democratic country as food to a person because these two sources help to create a public opinion and in democracy public opinion is everything because government is chosen by public. Through different ways of media which are television, newspaper, radio , press, internet etc. public get to know what is happening around the world and through that they make their opinion that is why it is said that media should be just and fair because if media will show fake news, public will get influenced in a wrong way and because of that whole nation can be in chaos. Media act as a link between government and general public. Media has its self-regulation which acts as its code of conduct which sets some standard for it and protects it. Social media is a form of media which is via internet and as in this era, it is totally about technologies so people are mostly staying online each and every time and through that they get so many news and discussions which help them to make their mind and create their opinion. if we conclude everything then media is the most crucial thing which can make or destroy any democratic country as

Media violence is become one of the top investigated topic these days. Media which is considered as best source of communication has made our lives much easier. Rising technology is making progress and new gadgets each day are there to catch our sight and make our life colorful. But, on the contrary, if we have a glance on the other side, the same media is responsible for causing violence in our lives and it has its negative impacts more than its beneficial outcomes, this developing media has been becoming the biggest source of social violence nowadays. It is the source of correspondence or devices used to store and convey data or information. The term alludes to parts of the broad communications interchanges industry, for example, print media, distributing, the news media, photography, film, broadcasting, and promoting.

According to research it is found that youngsters are spending more than 33% of their time utilizing media, for example, online video or music — about nine hours overall, as indicated by another investigation from the family innovation instruction non-benefit gathering, Common Sense Media. Children between the ages of 8 and 12, the normal is about six hours out of every day. ‘Our world is changing and kids are spending a lot of time with media — and they are doing it in a variety of ways on many platforms,’ said James P. Steyer, founder and chief executive of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping families promote safe technology and media for children.

Children in their leisure time, spend most of the time watching television and playing games. Children learn from what they see. When they are exposed to violent games, they are more attracted towards them and they try to imitate those things in the same way, hence, develop aggressive behavior, nightmares, anxiety. Dr. Dimitri Christakis, who is executive of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Said that, Violence generally when it is genuine however regardless of fictional it is unreliable, it is very terrible for kids with respect to their age. The children with aggressive behavior when grow up and become teenagers, the outcomes are much horrible. These teenagers are more likely to commit crimes and cause violence. Media brutality represents a risk to general wellbeing in light of the fact that it prompts an expansion in genuine savagery and animosity. Research demonstrates that anecdotal TV and film brutality add to both a present moment and a long haul increment in hostility and viciousness in youthful watchers. TV news viciousness additionally adds to expanded brutality, primarily as imitative suicides and demonstrations of animosity. Computer games are plainly fit for delivering an expansion in animosity and viciousness for the time being, albeit no long haul longitudinal investigations equipped for showing long haul impacts have been directed. The connection between media brutality and genuine savagery and animosity is directed by the idea of the media substance and attributes of and social impacts on the individual presented to that content. In any case, the normal in general size of the impact is enormous enough to put it in the class of known dangers to general wellbeing.

Inappropriate content at the wrong time can change our acts and deeds. According to WebMD A young person who watches sensual content are immensely bound to have sexual relations at their early age. Many youngsters get influence from movies to start drinking at very early age. Parents should be very much concerned about their children when they are young as their little lack of concern may cause them big troubles. Some way or another playing ruthless computer games can build an individual’s forceful considerations, feelings and conduct in day by day life. According to the survey in 2010, one psychologist found that “disclosure to savage computer games is a hazard factor for expanded aggressive behavior, forceful acts, and for diminished in sympathy and flatly conduct”.

The media plays a critical role either directly or indirectly in ensuring that the public is informed on matters that affect their lives. There are different types of media and coverage which determines what kind of crime stories are to be covered by each and to what extent. For example, the national press covers crime that is on national limelight rather than individual crime stories unless there is uniqueness in them. Local media, on the other hand, covers most crime stories within a specified geographical area. Since local media has a smaller geographic coverage as compared to the national press, crime stories get in-depth coverage; an advantage national media does not enjoy (McBride &Jessica, pg. 31).

Introduction

Web-based type of media is rapidly becoming common as a way of covering crime. This coverage is done entirely online on social media platforms. Its popularity is quickly growing since a large percentage of the population is technology enabled and the fact that information can be instantly distributed among masses at high speeds. Web-based media has overtaken newspapers as news are shared without having to wait for the next day for a paper to publish them. Web media use was seen immensely during the hearing and sentencing of David Russel Williams. He is a Canadian serial killer who until his arrest in February 2010 was a colonel in the force commanding the country’s largest military airbase (Hickey, Eric, pg. 364). During his sentencing, reporters tweeted live the developments and proceedings of court for the outside world to see. He was convicted of first-degree murder, sexual assault, forcible confinement, and breaking. The challenge that has come with this type of media coverage is there is no protection of the offenders and victims of crime from online trolls and comments that may be hurtful to them (Augie, pp. 7-9).

Media also cover crime in the form of hard news. Hard news is news that is current and being covered as it happens or shortly after. It is usually time sensitive and delivered in a way that suggests that the public need to be on the know while it is happening. Crime stories that form examples of hard news include an arrest, a serious offense, or a verdict in a high-profile case.

In-Depth coverage of the lives of crime victims and their family form what is known as soft news. Soft news tends to look deep into hard news and bring out what may not have been said and discoveries. Those covering soft news tend to be sensitive to the victims’ stories rather than time sensitive.

Columns and editorials have also come in handy in media coverage of crime where writers of columns can report and more importantly, air their own opinion on matters of crime such as made arrests, fines, and sentencing of offenders. They are not always based on facts but instead on the general view of the writer on an aspect in a criminal process. Columnist differs from journalists in that they are not free from bias in their reporting. They have an essential role in keeping watch of the justice system by airing their opinions when they sense that justice was not well served (Augie, pg. 9). Different columnist will have different views on each crime story, and this will always determine who their followers are after each story. Those who agree with their opinion at that particular time will push their story, and those disagreeing will disregard their views. A crime story that may attract the attention of a columnist is if an offender’s sentence is deemed too lenient thus prompting the columnist to write complaining about the penalty and even the judges.

The internet has generally propelled media coverage of crime. This is in addition to the twenty-four-hour news reporting that has been adopted by most national and international television companies such as CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and CTV (Canadian Television). People no longer have to depend on traditional broadcasting where there was a set time for news broadcasting. These television networks are regularly reporting news as they occur, so issues of interest are aired (Bikram, et al. pp. 25-27). This system is of importance in that warnings can be sent out to the public to avoid areas where crime is ongoing. For Canada, a country that has in the recent years seen a rise in crime especially single perpetrator events, shooting sprees, and rampage killers, twenty-four-hour reporting has enabled would be victims to keep clear of such crime scenes. These events can be described as massacres, that is, deliberate killing of a mass of individuals in a ferocious way especially when they can’t protect themselves.

The media industry is facing an upcoming challenge in reporting of crime by having less personnel and inadequate resources due to declined revenues. This is because there is competition in the media industry with the introduction of many media houses and outlets all competing for the same story. Therefore, a single story ends up in all media outlets and may suffer dilution or even exaggeration in a bid to bring out uniqueness. Many are times that the media has been on the receiving end for producing fabricating and confusing crime stories what one media outlet reports contradict what the other reports and this result in a confused public.

The Canadian Newspaper Association estimates that there are ninety-five daily newspapers in the country. The competition is therefore genuine. The media has high power in controlling public opinion on matters of crime and to control the formulation and execution of policies of the government. The media has a significant role in determining what stories are aired out and those that are not. It in return determines whose voice is heard and whose voice is silenced as evident in the public outcry that happened after the realization that Graham James, a notorious sex offender had received a pardon. It is agreeable that the media has been immensely involved in seeking justice for some of the crime victims by voicing their grievances and concerns (Bikram, et al. pp. 10 -12).

An issue arises with the complexity of what the media covers or not. The editors will usually control what is included in a news report and what is not. In this way, those who cover new will determine the perception of crime depending on the intensity of news coverage and what details are included in the coverage. The opinion of the public on offense will be based on what the media has chosen to tell the people and what it has hidden (Bikram, et al. pg. 3). It is through the media that the public will estimate the rate and kind of crime that happen in their neighbourhoods and cities. The press to shape the sort of attention the people will give a particular featured story on offense. For example, the way a reporter will phrase the headline and where the story will be placed in a paper will determine whether it captures public attention or not.

Crime stories from the fourth largest category of accounts covered by the media. Because no Canadian newspaper lacks a feature on crime, it is evident to the public that crime rate is on the rise and therefore a cause for concern. Although many forms of corruption occur, homicide garners significant attention and coverage in the Canadian media. This is due to the likelihood of the media to focus on stories that are extreme, unique and capable of attracting maximum interest. There are crime stories that are newsworthy and those that are not. The reason some stories are newsworthy is their ability to capture headlines for days, their rareness and the effect they have on people such as shock, fright, and fear. It is common for the media to focus on the homicidal death of a family man and not focus on the killing of a homeless man. The press decides for the public what is worth focusing on.

It is not uncommon for the media to do more coverage on crimes that are committed by strangers and less coverage on those committed by persons known to the victims. A good example is a sexual assault or kidnapping. A case where a woman is sexually assaulted in her home by a stranger who broke into her home will be more newsworthy than an incident where her husband attacks a woman (Tammy, pg. 18). All the crimes are equal in their intensity and seriousness, but the media will make one seem more pressing. By hiding the others, the media creates an impression that those crimes are not happening and if happening they are unreported. Even worse is the creation of a reaction to the public and especially the victims that such crimes need no attention and it ends up that victims suffer in silence while the society adopts them as regular occurrences.

How the media covers crime stories in Canada has developed a notion that some victims are more innocent than others (Tammy, pg 20). This is an indirect victimization of crime victims by the media. A woman raped while in her house would make an ideal victim than a woman who is assaulted at a party. Such kind of profiling leave out some victims from seeking help as it will be seen like they attracted trouble unto themselves. Legitimizing victims by the media is one of the way media reporting impact negatively on victims.

The media portrayal of onscreen violence has contributed to the general behaviour of people. With people becoming mostly interested in seeing things as they are, the media has been a platform that is increasingly becoming uncensored on things appropriate for display to the public. On-screen viewing of violence has been connected to increased aggression, fear, aping and violence with children being most at risk. There is a recognition of the association between watching violence and being aggressive and violent. With such a discovery, copycat crimes are not a surprise.

According to sociologists, how the media cover crime has dramatically impacted on the lives of people especially the youth with an intensification of anxiety (Gerbner et al., pg. 172). There is a distorted reporting on the part of the media as they are taking on biased coverage of crime. This has in return created a public perception that the world is generally mean and there is the elevation of crime in the streets while it may not be true. What people perceive does not mirror reality.

There is a critical question that the media during its crime coverage need to ask; how much information is too much. With the majority of people technologically empowered, there is a rise in the urge and feeling of entitlement and the right to know no matter how life is impacting a story may be. This prompts the question of whether there is a need for the media to report and showcase all the gruesome details of a crime to the public. That kind of crime coverage instead inflicts more wounds on the victims making it harder for them to surpass their ordeal (Gerbner et al., pg. 175).

Media coverage has its merits and demerits and therefore the industry ought to work towards reducing the adverse effects it impacts on the public and upholds the benefits. This is possible through government policing and regulation of content that is appropriate for public consumption.

References

1. Fleras, Augie. The media gaze: Representations of diversities in Canada. UBC Press, 2011.
2. Hickey, Eric W. Serial murderers and their victims. Cengage Learning, 2013.
3. Gebotys, Robert J., Julian V. Roberts, and Bikram Dasgupta. ‘News media use and public perceptions of crime seriousness.’ Canadian J. Criminology 30 (1988): 3.
4. Gerbner, George, and Larry Gross. ‘Living with television: The violence profile.’ Journal of Communication 26.2 (1976): 172-199.
5. Landau, Tammy C. Challenging notions: Critical victimology in Canada. Canadian Scholars’ Press, 2014.
6. McBride, Jessica. ‘Covering Crime: How the Media Covers Violence.’ Wisconsin Interest 14.1 (2005): 31-37. Retrieved from http://www.wpri.org/WIInterest/McB14.1.pdf

Propaganda is a form of persuasion that is aimed at influencing, manipulating and controlling the behaviors of people; usually towards a cause or position. Many trends of propaganda can be detected throughout world history. In 1939, Hitler used anti-semitism propaganda to help unite the country against the Jewish. In 1861, Americans used propaganda against African-Americans during the civil war. Even dating back to 1622, the Roman Catholic Church used propaganda against the Protestants. Propaganda has made it possible for humans to act in such ways, we never thought possible.

During World War II, some believe the goal for Hitler was to spread the Aryan race, invoke German culture and in the end, take over the world. With Hitler being a man of authority, he was able to impose his views on the German people. Although his views may be seen as erroneous, his way of words were convincing. Hitler used the Jewish as a scapegoat; the reason for Germany losing World War I. Hitler preyed on the weaknesses of his country’s people; how broken they were after losing the war. Germans were angry, hurt and felt betrayed by their prior leaders; He was going to change it all. Hitler promised the German’s a life of freedom, a life without poverty, and a life where their culture would become dominant. Propaganda was the easiest way to gain everyone’s attention, from one side of the country to the other. Hitler stated, “Controlling information was just as important as controlling the military and the economy.”

The slander against the Jewish culture was so extensive, German’s actually believed the Jewish to be of lesser value, subhuman and dangerous. All of the films, newspapers, posters and even comics were so convincing, it brainwashed the Nazi’s into believing their mass genocide was for a good cause.

Another so called ‘good cause’ people fell trap to, was in our own country. During the Civil War, American press from both the North and the South, published propaganda. The South used propaganda to help convince the American people slavery was acceptable. The North used propaganda to attempt to unify the people. Southern states used propaganda to place fear into the American people; stating that ‘mixing races would be the end of mankind’. The South also targeted American’s patriotism, stating African-Americans were incapable of being good soldiers. The South claimed, if an African-American were to fight against another black individual; they would side together instead of fighting for the cause. The North also played on American’s patriotism, but in the sense that unity of all mankind would be most beneficial. The North demonized the South, making them all appear immoral and evil. One way the North used propaganda was on envelopes; stamping pictures of either enslaved black men or naming the South’s best soldier, a ‘thief’. The South created propaganda drawings of black men becoming friends on the battlefield. Furthermore, both sides depicted one another as a truth, which was incorrect.

Truth is seen either one way or another, in religion. In 1622, during the Reformation, the term propaganda, was actually coined by the Catholic church, in efforts to discredit the Protestants. The Catholic’s started by responding to the first strike of propaganda; from the works of Martin Luther. Martin Luther, a priest, broke off from the Catholic religion to change the way the church was ran. He started creating pamphlets against the Catholic church, picturing people ‘showing their rears’ to the Priest, stating they didn’t need another man to interpret the Bible for them. The Catholics were outraged; they responded with another form of propaganda.

The Catholic Church blamed the Peasant War (a war in which 100,000 to 300,000 peasants and farmers were killed), and all the turmoil caused by it, on Martin Luther. The Catholic Church was less successful in spreading their propaganda, than the Protestants. Catholic’s tried to spread their views by using word of mouth; influential people preaching at congregations. The Protestants had more gain with their use of propaganda; printing pamphlets that could not be easily made extinct. Both religions had views they tried to impose on individuals; it depended on their execution with how far it spread.

Propaganda is a very powerful tool that has been used throughout centuries. It is a technique of fear; gaining the trust of individuals based on lies or exaggerations. Propaganda encourages a particular response, usually presented in facts that are selective; lying through omission. Commanders have influenced their troops in wars; creating more destruction if there were never to have been propaganda slander. Religious leaders, convincing their clergy on the ways the Bible is viewed. Stereotyping and bias can create the widespread of hate; manipulating the minds of people to despise one race, or religion. “By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even Heaven as Hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.” -Adolf Hitler. With every propaganda trend, there is more hate and disgust to follow.