The Media s Role Of A Democratic Nation - 1496 Words

The news media is an important aspect of a democratic nation, as one of their roles is to be a voice of the public — to mediate between the public and the government. Anderson (2007) asserts that the normative roles of the news media in a democratic society are to undertake the role of the fourth estate, act as a watchdog, and when necessary, as a counterbalance to those in society who abuse their power. In other words, the media’s function in society is critical to ensuring a balanced governance and providing reliable information to the public. It is the primary institution within which the public can better understand its society and the world around them. This paper synthesizes my research findings regarding the saturation of†¦show more content†¦They are also expected to report news that informs, engages and educates the public on issues that affect them, news that is independent of vested interest (Mcquail, 1994). Most of the ethical codes as stated above, concentrate on providing reliable information to the public as well as avoiding bias and sensationalism in the news. On the other hand, Atton (2003) describes alternative media as a critical means to challenge the standardised and professionalised practices of mainstream media. It is guided by a purpose other than profit, unlike mainstream media which is often structured to promote consumption of the products it advertises (Skinner, 2009). Alternative media does not claim to be objective. It does not consider itself bound by the conventions of journalism. It sees itself as providing a platform for everyone to voice their opinions (i.e. a platform for horizontal communication) (Hackett Zhao, 2002). What I found through my research is that mainstream media does not always follow its role of maintaining ‘ideal’ journalistic standards. It more often focuses on reporting sensational news for entertainment commercial purposes, rather than news that intellectually informs, engages and educates the public. Mehrotra (2011) defines media sensationalism as â€Å"the style of reporting news to the public which involves use of fear, anger, excitement and crude thrill undertaken by the media to increase the