Media influence

[lugh]

Just like in Britain, State papers were declassified early this year hear in Ireland and one in particular caught my eye. Basically back in '75 editors of the largest media group in Ireland at the time, were ordered to give not support or voice to a particular politician. Now as it happens, the chap in question (Charles Haughey) was a crooked bastard and the fact that the British Embassy felt the need to express it's tacit approval is a bit worrying but that's not what I'm interested in.

Now I'm not naive, I know media groups, most famously in the States I'd guess, have agendas and push them, I think in Europe they tend to be a little more subtle, using ommission rather than open attack to influence people. One good example would be this same media groups lack of reporting on Loyalist intimidation of Nationalists etc etc.

What I'm curious in hearing is, how extensive and how effective do you all think media influence is on people? Specifically private media, though here that's a little skewed since the national broadcaster pushes an agenda all of its own as well.

How dangerous do you think it is? After all, these groups are unelected, largely less accountable to consequences than politicians that may try to influence us etc.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Lentonius]

to be honest the media can influence people, politicians, wars.

It can make people look like heroes if the media allow it, or can make them hated by all..


to put it into context i think the media influence the world, for good or evil, more than any president..

[Geoffrey S]

If you don't vary your sources it can be very influential. If something strikes you as interesting, don't stick to the one article but look at what other sources have to say on the matter; it might lead to confirmation of your earlier opinion, it might cause a new train of thought. By not comparing sources it's almost impossible to get a good picture of things, and seems like laziness to me, particularly now so many papers have information on the internet.

I think it's a mistake to think in terms of 'the media', though, due to the varying nature of newspapers and the like; some lean in one political direction, some in others. If only for that reason, varied sources are a must.

[Tribesman]

Just like in Britain, State papers were declassified early this year hear in Ireland and one in particular caught my eye.
Some interesting stuff again this year from both sides of the water .
Charlie was worried about too many refugees coming from the six counties , Dev wasn't the only gobshite to send condolances over Hitlers death .
Oh and some of the British government were very happy with the bombing of Dublin airport .

[master of the puppets]

a man who reads nothing but newspapers knows less than a man who reads nothing at all-Benjamin Franklin

truly media is a strong force in the world, most people are sheep who do not like to think for themselves or persue anything involving great personal work. it is those people who accept news as absolute truths, those people are in someplaces the majority (disturbing), so in these places any news that can evoke emotion will use it to tilt to there views. its all in the writing, as was stated unless your a really free thinker it is easy to accept the news and thiose news depending on who tells it can ,make anyone a villian or a hero.

personally i think the free media hurts the world, especially the privately owned who seem to not need to get the full story or check sorces, not that public media does not do the same one sided thing but i would have to trust at the most only people who were present.

[JimBob]

Moving on: free media is a blessing on the world. Free media took Nixon down, free media has unseated crooked politicians and dictatorships. What is dangerous to the world is a media like most 'civilized' nations have. A media which is not free, but instead slave to corporate interests and profit is what destroys accountability.

[AntiochusIII]

a man who reads nothing but newspapers knows less than a man who reads nothing at all-Benjamin Franklin

I thought that was Jefferson, no?

[Redleg]

a man who reads nothing but newspapers knows less than a man who reads nothing at all-Benjamin Franklin

I use this quote in my sig - its from Thomas Jefferson however.

[Xiahou]

to be honest the media can influence people, politicians, wars.

It can make people look like heroes if the media allow it, or can make them hated by all..


to put it into context i think the media influence the world, for good or evil, more than any president..

I think we're far better off now with the Internet, ect. than we have ever been previously. Before, the media seemed monolithic- now many varied perspectives are available to those willing to take time to look for them.

[Adrian II]

After all, these groups are unelected, largely less accountable to consequences than politicians that may try to influence us etc.

Not so. People 'elect' to read their papers, watch their channels, visit their websites and buy the products of their advertisers. Mankind wants to be cheated, so cheated it is. By the way I don't think readers and spectators take media or ads half as seriously as they take themselves. The solution to skewed information is to look into as many different sources as possible. As a journalist I am professionally obliged to do so; every morning for instance I dutifully read a cr@pheap by the name of De Telegraaf. I watch news and entertainment channels that would make hardened firemen or Marines cry within minutes.