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The influence of the Mass Media - Referat
The influence of the Mass Media
The issue today is mass media.
Article 5 of the German basic law guarantees freedom of opinion and freedom of the press and also the right to obtain information from generally accessible sources. There is no censorship.
That is the reason why media could be considered as fourth power of the state.
First it is my intention to show you the diversity of media. A human being has a choice of many different and competing media like daily newspapers, radio programmes, television-channels or the World Wide Web. Only one percent of the population are not reached by the media at all. The great majority regularly use at least two or more media.
The general problems of the press and the broadcast media which obtain their material from news agencies at home and abroad, from their own correspondents and from direct research, are basic similar. Whether working for a newspaper, a radio station or a television network, each reporter, editor or producer has to find his or her own answers to important questions such as these: What matters more, high journalistic standards, or the largest possible audience? How much intrusion into people´ s privacy can be justified “in the public interest”? Which stories should be reported on, and what should receive most prominence? Are other factors sometimes important enough to justify holding back the truth, e.g. the national interest in times of war; the threat of local action; the risk that an editor might be dismissed by the owner?
The importance and the influence of the mass media are seen in different ways, all of the world.
One the one hand media offers a 24-hour access to topical information, so people are informed round the clock including a variety of opinion: people can choose their provider; coverage of news is not one-sided or biased as in communist countries. Further the consumer profit from fierce competition (special offers/ sport events) and media even have a control function as so called “fourth power” considering politicians.
On the other hand consumers are often confused, the offer is too large! Another problem is the creation of monopolies by press moguls which can manipulate people. One big disadvantage is the omnipresence of media. It is everywhere available and has negative influence on every day life or day routine, when the day is organized according to television-programmes, e.g.
The most important problem of mass media is the struggle for circulation (newspapers) and ratings (television, radio) that provokes bad quality and concentration on special topics like glorification of crime and violence. Another result is the predominance of sex and sensationalism combined with a violation of privacy (yellow press, gutter press).
As you can see the media has a huge influence to different aspects of every day life, saved by law.
Finally I have to say that in my opinion, everyone should decide for himself what kind of mass media offers him information he is interested in, but considering the children, using mass media in the same ways and intensity as adults, the parents and the government must find better and more efficient ways to protect them related to their age.
Dieses Referat wurde eingesandt vom User: Yshuserle
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