Over the years, the way we communicate with the media has changed a lot. The word “media” was not widely used until the 1950s, when people were mostly associated with the media through newspapers and radio. Since then, the media has expanded through television and the Internet. In the U.S., we have free and open media with very little restrictions. Although members of the media are free to express their opinions, it is constantly being analysed. There are many rating agencies and smart think tanks that analyze and then evaluate members and factions of the media. Media analysis is often fragmented and confrontational, conservatives and liberals analyze each other, blacks and whites analyze each other, and even different religious factions analyze each other.
Although media analysis is often biased to prove a point of view, it is necessary because of the influence of the media. The media can change the way we dress, how we vote, and even change the way many people think. Although the media are not limited to news and media (there are advertising media, entertainment media, social networks, etc.), this is the most frequently analyzed part of the media.
Types of media analysis:
Media objectivity
When analyzing the media, it is important to check objectivity. Objectivity is one of the most important principles of journalism. A good news reporter is expected to present an honest, fact-based and unbiased story. Every school of journalism teaches this principle. People who need clear information have the right to expect a journalist to tell a story without trying to instil their personal biases or biased views. As individuals, we can check the objectivity of the media. Here are some questions to ask yourself during objectivity tests
Do you understand the whole story or have the facts been lost?
Was more information needed?
Were words inserted to convey a positive or negative impression?
Media accuracy
When a news agency reports information whose accuracy and impartiality it advertises, it is given more attention than those with common opinions or biases. That is why independent fact-checking organizations have sprung up. These organizations view the news for completely false statements and stories. One such organization is Accuracy in Media (AIM), which describes itself as “a civil non-profit organization that controls the media, which criticizes bad and disorderly news and corrects facts on important issues that have arisen.
Media effect
The media has been accused of everything from advocating discrimination against minorities and women to changing stock prices and trying to overthrow presidents. The power of the media in the movement of the masses is rarely challenged. It is clear that the media have a profound impact on the social, political, cultural and economic fabric of our society. Some media sectors create unbiased and serious content, and these media should be respected. However, there are other media outlets that accept their social and political biases in the news and then put them up for the truth. For this reason, it is essential that our society continue to analyze the media and the content they broadcast.
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