The Media: Is it the correct way to interact with the people?

The media plays a great role in our country’s survival; it is also our greatest down fall. Miscommunication is generally the source of many altercations small and/or large. Through the media higher parties have the advantage of screening what they want the public to see. This is called the gatekeepers theory which was created in 1947 by social psychologist Kurt Lewin. This is defined as the process through which ideas and information are filtered for publication. The theory represents the idea that the media sets the agenda for what is expressed to the public such as what issues are discussed and how these issues are discussed. This becomes difficult because now mass media has a negative effect on the public because of it misrepresentation of information.

The agenda-setting theory for Mass Media has been discussed for many years. The Agenda-setting theory is the theory that the mass-news media has a large influence on audiences by their choice of what stories to consider newsworthy and how much prominence and space to give them. Arguing the topic of whether we are being conditioned through the media in order to remain oblivious and taciturn to the matters of concern within the U.S. This then becomes a concern of public welfare, if something were to happen, such as nine-eleven, would the public be properly prepared? Are we being represented and protected to the fullest or are we being undermined by our own country? What should be presented to through media? Agenda-setting theory was introduced in 1972 by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in their ground breaking study of the role of the media in 1968 presidential campaign in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The theory explains the correlation between the rate at which media cover a story and the extent that people think that this story is important. This correlation has repeatedly been shown to occur.

The United States has a long history of a free press that facilitates public participation. This right was fought for during the revolution because of the prosecutions that were being held against journalist who spoke the truth about the current events and their views on the matter. So laws were passed and free press was included in the constitution of the United States of America, and so positive energy of freedom began to emerge and information transpired from upcoming media sources. However in present day information is not spreading as truthfully or correctly as the media should be used.

Matter such as presidential elections are extremely important as part of our nation’s ability to vote. However when these candidates are being exploited through the media, you are limited to the amount of information you have about this “possible future president”. Such things cannot be withheld because the right to vote is putting our Nation’s future in our hands and without proper preparation and considerations, as to who will hold the U.S. within the highest regards, there is no way we would could continue on the path of remaining a great and proud country. Politics are our nation. Politics represent the freedom and rights that are reserved to the citizens of this nation. But with the ongoing amount of liabilities and faults in regards to the news coverage without castigation, you come to wonder, who is misinforming us, the media, our politicians, or our Nation? These exploitations are on a very slippery slope, if tipped it could bring down our whole society.

The media is creating ongoing chains of cause and effect, changing the lives of others so that it fits their view. Playing and toying with information, until only fragments of stories are presented, leaving the people at a serious impasse. The social stability of the U.S. is extremely fragile between the war in Iraq and the declining social standings with other countries. Us citizen need a president that can lead them out of these problems. However without proper information how can we choose the correct candidate? Drawling out of a hat is not the answer, we need information and comparisons, and we need to be prepared. The media is not allowing this by slicing down our informational resources.

-Venessa Maldonado