Today’s lecture was very interesting to me, especially the last part when Jenny asked us our opinion regarding the topic of “democracy” in the media.
She showed us a video clip featuring a “rapper” called TIMZ who is an American – Irakee person. The clip was broadcasted via “youtube” and it has a strong political content.
The interesting aspect of this is how this guy (or maybe organisation who knows) used this medium to share a different point of view. Point of view that wouldn’t be broadcasted by a traditional mass medium of course.
When she asked us what do you think? one of my classmates said that this guy was using the medium in order to get comercial advantages and further that it was very irresponsible because it was influencing kids in a very negative way. I have to say that I wouldnt be surprised if that happen, because that is almost part of our “global culture”. However, I think that the interesting aspect of this is to know more about thye media which broadcasts the messages that we are consuming everyday.
In this logic I would like to ask to my classmate if she casn mention one single media which does not do this? I’m a journalist and I really have to say that when you are working over ther and you open your eyes in order to see what’s REALLY going on in the halls of the newspaper or the tv channel you realise that there is a lot of good and bad things out there in the media.
So if you asked me, if I would approve a practice like this, (sharing others points of view via alternative media) I would say yes, because every day you read, listen, watch or interact with a new, you are doing so with a whole spectrum of different ideologies (sadly I have to say that actually the spectrum is very narrow and the majority of times sinester). Therefore, when you whatch a tv report on “CNN” for instance, you are also watching only what others think that it is apropiate to you to see.
Ok, ok, someone might say “the message is built by the receiver” and I agree, however we can influence a lot how the audience get our message, via multiple elements. Thus, if I show yoiu the information undr a particular point of view, probably you will talk about it from that same point of view. And, even though you go further and try to see it and analyse it critically, the way that that new was tailored also affects your logical argumentation. So you can’t escape easily from the game.
Yes, I am one of those children of information who has experienced how news are cut off before they see the public light and at the end you see how at the end the so called “social role” of the journalist finishes in the rubbish bin. Also many times I saw how making a report regarding how a company is damaging the environment, finished in nothing when the editor saw that the company was one important sponsor of the newspaper…
So my friends, at the end of the day, what can we say? who is free of sins to through the first stone? hahaha, difficult isn’t it? yes my friends, welcome to the dark realm of disinformation, it is everywhere and used by everyone. Therefore, who can say this one has more merit broadcasting this kind of contents rather than others?
I let you to answer if you can… I am a journalist and I have to say, that even though this is my job I still cannot answer to that question!!!!!
cheers
