Media Theory
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007As the new author of Media Criticism, I thought it would be appropriate to give a quick background on my theory of the media and why critical analysis of the media is necessary. There are three facts about the media which define the way I will analyze it:
1. The media in our country is free. This means that media is not controlled by the government, and that the government does not have the absolute power to suppress stories. This does not mean, however, that the government does not influence the media.
2. The media is biased. Regardless of where one falls on the political spectrum, it is impossible for one to ignore bias in the media. Remember that journalists are human beings, and therefore, the news reported comes through a human filter. There are conservative news sources and liberal news sources; I hope to bash both frequently.
3. The media is business. When discussing the media, many often throw around the phrase “journalistic integrity” which is defined by the so-called “duty of journalists.” This is misleading; in a perfect society, the journalist’s job would be to inform objectively. However, we must remember that a journalist’s first job (in a capitalist country with the a free press) is to sell newspapers.
With that in mind, let’s begin. Thanks for stopping by Media Criticism.
