We Media and Democracy - Lewis Martin

I have learnt from the summer that there are a variety of ways to access news content. Examples of this include: TV, websites, newspapers, news apps and various social media. All of which are said to be bias in some way and I will try and look at different perspectives and different people’s views on accessing news content.

Examples of the TV programmes that broadcast news content are: BBC, Sky News, channel 4. However, each of these channels will broadcast the same news content but in different perspectives in order to portray their ideological views to the public. Sky news is a very right wing broadcasting channel as figures from a survey conducted by themediablog.co.uk shows that ‘nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 per cent) said Sky News displays a clear pro-Conservative bias in its reporting. In total, 34.5 per cent of respondents said Sky News displays a "strong Conservative" bias, while 29.3 said the channel shows "some Conservative" bias’. They may try and blur the lines of a news story in order for it to be viewed in one way rather than the intentional purpose. For example, during the build up to the EU referendum, Sky news constantly referred to the EU (European Union) as Europe implying that a vote to leave has damaging implications. This is just one example of how TV broadcasting channels can twist the news in order to present their ideological views and try and be unintentionally bias.

Personally I do not get my news from television as advances in technology and apps have allowed me to access news content through the BBC news app which I believe to be a reliable and trusted source to get my news. I also feel as it does not lean politically towards one side and tries to be as neutral as possible. Also, the app allows you to apply filters so it will only show you topics that you are interested in; I had chosen football, boxing and the Paralympics at that particular period of time. I was able to see news content such as Golovkin beating Brook and the build up to the Manchester derby and also that Ellie Simmonds captured Gold with a new world record. The app is very useful as now you can just view what interests you and not read pointless stories that have no appeal. However, with this filter, you will not be able to see important news stories so if there was a terrorist attack then you would be unaware and not be knowledgeable of that important/serious event.

Social media is constantly evolving and changing to a point where it is easy for regular people to become journalists, where they are able to post news that they see and it can be spread through sharing on Facebook or retweeting on twitter in order for it to go viral. However, you have to be careful with what you read on Facebook and other social media because you do not know if it is a reliable and trusted source. For example, I was scrolling down Facebook the other day and an article came up with a headline that read, ‘Jaden Smith dead after suicide’, I instantly clicked thinking that this was true and the article seemed to be serious and have a story about how it was believed to be true. Some people would use this source as a fact of information but I was not being lead along this easily, so I searched on google Jaden Smith suicide and it came up with articles about how it was a hoax. This just demonstrates on how Facebook can be a negative tool to use a source of journalism and stories like this reflect why it will never be a trusted source. However this does not damage the fact that it is still a great tool for people to voice their opinions on key issues that are ever present in today’s society. For example, if a trusted source like the BBC posted an article on a contradictory topic then people would be allowed to comment their opinions and challenge others views.

They can also create online blogs in which they can literally use this as platform to post their news and voice their own views and opinions on matters that they wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in a newspaper or on the television. Dan Gillmor suggests that media and news content is becoming more of a democracy where everyone is able to report on news and voice their opinions. This is a change from a concentrated choice of media and profits for an oligopoly of companies where they are the only people to have an opinion. Ownership and control of companies are usually in the hands of white males with a private school education. Gillmor sees the internet as a catalyst for a challenge against hegemony, as ordinary citizens can use blogs and other online communication tools to share their own views – ‘citizen journalism’.

In my opinion, I believe that the internet is a great tool for people to voice their opinion and beliefs on real life events. Also, if people are at a scene where there is news being reported then they can use camera phone to record the lie events that are happening. Citizens do not take out any footage that they record whereas broadcasters will edit their footage so it only shows footage that reflects their ideological views in a positive light. For example, on 9/11, TV broadcasters did not show a particular camera angle when the towers got attacked and there is some conspiracy as to why. Everyday people will show everything that they record as they do not have a reputation to keep up and do not have an issue with looking bad and do not have to cover their backs. This is just a few reasons why I think that some programmes hide news from us in order to not reflect them in a negative light.

Lewis Martin