24. The Power of Mass Media

The power of mass media is undeniable. You may know what you are looking for, but those in the media have the power to turn your head with a simple word. As long as it is a word that has meaning to you, that practitioner may have you hooked. How do they use this power though? Are they creating nations of media zombies that only act on what is said in the media?

So what I guess I am trying to say is that if the media doesn't want it covered, you will be hard-pressed to locate the information you are searching for. The media sets the agenda.

It is present in society's today as Egypt tried to pull the plug on the internet because of the power found therein. It is seen in Ghadafi's efforts attempt to squish the voice of the common man. It was present in the propaganda/ media blackouts from war times. You can see the wash of media affect cultures such as those in the Middle East (we have discussed this, don't worry)!

But what about those places that do not fall under tyranny and autocrats? What about in our own dear United States of America where the eagle flies and the flag waves and the sun always shines? The media still sets the agenda. Is it newsworthy? Is it presented fairly? These are questions that should be asked, but let us be honest, how many times do we not see something because it is unpopular or does not have the same impact that might be had.

For a (very) brief case study, I would like to introduce fall of 2005. August of 2005, Louisianna was hit by Hurricane Katrina, resulting in the loss of about 3,000 lives. President George Bush was criticized for his tardy reaction. In a blow that nearly completely wiped out New Orleans, the USA was devastated. A mere two months after this tragedy, an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude brought Pakistan to its knees. With over 900 aftershocks in the next three weeks that often reached over 5.8 on the Richter scale and nearly 75,000 lives lost, Pakistan suffered horrendously. Where were the stories though? How many heard about this devastation? The press knew that the citizens wanted to know more about Katrina effects. So they fed the desire.

Who makes the news?

While disintermediation is allowing more people to have an effect on what is covered, the people who make news are the people who care.

“The media chooses the underdog and wants people to connect” Mosharraf Zaidi