the mass media

the way the media presents what is perceived over what is real?


After reading the article, it can be seen that the media can be used to change the perception of things. Adding different views to what is actually real.

With reference to the Iraq war, it is seen that the mass media was used as a tool. It was use as a tool to change the thinking of the people. A tool used to cover up hidden real reasons and cover up mistakes. The media was used when they wanted to give different impressions on the people, making them seem right no matter the real reason, and allowing the people to accept their reason for what they did.

This shows the power of the media. The power to affect the thinking of people, throwing to them different views that can shake their stand. The power of the media to inform the people would mean that the media have a choice on how much to inform the people, and how correct the information is. The media can choose a certain set of information and withheld the rest, or report half truths. In both cases the media can choose to create a certain view that they want to give the people, which largely depend on the purpose of the source. when the purpose is no longer to just simply inform people and combine with a hidden agenda, it would be misleading. But the real power is not in creating this misleading sources, it is in making the people believe in these misleading source or rather leading the masses into believing in this certain view. it is the power to reach out and change the people without them knowing that they are being change. without them knowing that what they are reading has this hidden agenda to change them.

But, how is this possible, it is possible because of the level of trust the people put into the media. Because the media is a unique source available, it is generally trusted by most of the public. To most people, if different mediums and different sources say the same thing, it is generally trusted. Most people do not question the reports of the media even though they don't actually see the happenings. There is this unspoken level of trust between the media and the masses and this is what is played on.

Another possible reason is the availability of the media. The media is widely available and a large part of our lives. This wide coverage makes it able to reach masses and thus wield so much power, power in the form of being able to affect masses. Another effect of availability is that repeatedly telling people things affect them. For example, a man reads about a certain piece of news in the newspaper, and does not believe. But, the news is reported the everyday for 2 weeks. By then, he might have started to believe or at least believe it is possible. It is this repeated effect that the media can use, knowing that the media is available to the people everyday.

The power the media holds is real. But, knowing this, can we really protect ourselves from it? Are we going to question the credibility of every source, or if there more to it? how do we find out if there is? It would be difficult and there is no way that we can be totally unaffected, but we have to be more careful and more aware of what we are getting out of the media.