Many people around the world watch news stations and listen to the daily stories and events. As they tune in every day to hear the newscasters, they are being subjected to different biases. One story could be that a neighborhood boy rescued a cat from a tree, but it can be spun many different ways. One news station could focus on how it was irresponsible of the cats’ owners to even let it out in the first place. Another station could center on the young boy and his bravery in rescuing the cat. When listening to the news, viewers must remember that the truths of the event are most likely hidden behind political opinions and disguised media messages.
The newscasters are also dressed up in fashionable clothes and covered in make up in order to look ‘presentable’ to the public. They must hide their natural look and change their physique to appeal to society’s shallow needs. Croteau and Hoynes express that “the media give us pictures of [society]…and by their sheer repetition on a daily basis, can play important roles in shaping broad social definitions” (163). Media expresses that newscasters are people we should look up to and desire to look like. They are loaded with makeup and their every word is structured by a teleprompter. Newscasters have little freedom with what they look like and what they say, yet they deliver a strong media message encumbered with political views and hidden meanings.
Below is the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 shown on CNN News.
I agree with this post. It is important for the audience to separate the facts of the story from the opinion of the newscaster. Often times, as you said, the opinions are not neccessarily that of the newscaster since everything they say is determined by a teleprompter. The audience must listen to the facts and then formulate their own opinions.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying. The news can be so biased that you can almost predict how they will cover a story. At times it can be frustrating. As an alternative, I suggest watching ESPN news. As far as I can tell they are hardly biased. Interetingly enough, they often times cover more relevant material..
I agree with you. Newscasters seem to be an object after all. As you have said, they have no freedom on how they look or what they say, they are basically an object to the news media company. Newscaster is like a medium between the audience and what the news media want to deliver.
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