The Hidden Face of Power
Describe and evaluate how certain major concepts/ theories or theorists considered in this course help to identify and explain both 1. Key aspects of the ‘hidden face of power’ and 2. how the news media relate to such forms or sources of power.
Throughout history it is evident that the media is necessary and at the core of liberal governance, it changed and improved the way ideas and information were addressed and communicated in society, therefore giving rise to public opinions and improving the level of debate. The association between a free press and a liberal democracy was ultimately necessary to keep absolutist governments in check. The media have acquired a set of responsibilities over time to ensure that society are aware of essential information and current news, resulting in having an informed citizenry. This essay will highlight key ideas and theories, exploring the diverse realm and space which the media control. Combined with technical innovations and news convergences it is clear that the media have the power to shape a society and can alter the way people view specific concerns and how they may view the world.
Based on my research I believe there are two primary functions of the mass media that need to be addressed. The first is the responsibility to ensure the society consists of informed citizens and the other is the ability to generation hype according to the Mill’s ideal and the Northcliffe Pulitzer press model. In todays society, it is thought that the media are now a ‘mixed system’, that there are different roles within the large terrain. There is a requirement to generate news and information, essentially creating the informed citizen and there is also the need to satisfy the role of the journalists acting as watchdogs. The mass media are known for and are used to influence and change public opinion and over time we have seen this. I will examine this in greater detail later in my essay but I feel it is important to note when
Throughout history it is evident that the media is necessary and at the core of liberal governance, it changed and improved the way ideas and information were addressed and communicated in society, therefore giving rise to public opinions and improving the level of debate. The association between a free press and a liberal democracy was ultimately necessary to keep absolutist governments in check. The media have acquired a set of responsibilities over time to ensure that society are aware of essential information and current news, resulting in having an informed citizenry. This essay will highlight key ideas and theories, exploring the diverse realm and space which the media control. Combined with technical innovations and news convergences it is clear that the media have the power to shape a society and can alter the way people view specific concerns and how they may view the world.
Based on my research I believe there are two primary functions of the mass media that need to be addressed. The first is the responsibility to ensure the society consists of informed citizens and the other is the ability to generation hype according to the Mill’s ideal and the Northcliffe Pulitzer press model. In todays society, it is thought that the media are now a ‘mixed system’, that there are different roles within the large terrain. There is a requirement to generate news and information, essentially creating the informed citizen and there is also the need to satisfy the role of the journalists acting as watchdogs. The mass media are known for and are used to influence and change public opinion and over time we have seen this. I will examine this in greater detail later in my essay but I feel it is important to note when
Bibliography: Castells Manuel, Communication Power; Mass communication, mass self communication and power relationships in the network society Johnstone W.C John, Review: Who Controls the News?, The American Journal Of Psychology; Halberstam David,The Powers that be; Gans Herbert, Deciding What’s News; Tucheman Gaye, Making News; A Study in the Construction of Reality. Klinenberg Eric, Convergence: News Production in a Digital Age, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2005;597. Louw. E, Western Political Developments: An evolving Symbiosis of Media and Politics.