Fox News in particular and mainstream American news media in general are right wing and often unapologetically biased in their news reporting. Often media commentators will espouse their own right wing views mediating the news through their own biased and often prejudiced viewpoint. Bill O Reilly is one example of what on radio could be termed 'shock jocks'; commentators who often rant about social issues and news events. The queion is how influential these media commentators are and how it affects the news we recieve. All news is mediated so how do we learn the truth when such a powerful and monopolistic media giant such as the Fox network represents events according to a right wing ideological agenda.
Watch this clip of a report linked to the Paris attacks. Hysterical reports about no-go zones in European cities. Caliphates in the UK include Birmingham which is apparently, 'totally Muslim where non-Muslims don't go in. News reporting has become ripe for parody in the last week in response to the attacks in Paris and makes interesting viewing as it tries to gauge audience responses and represent news uncertain times. News media have a responsibility in times of public concern to report the facts and avoid hyperbole and instigating moral panics which could incite extreme reactions amongst the public.
What does the popularity Fox news suggest about the American public?
As consumers do we get the media we deserve?
Russell Brand does your job for you in this clip by de-constructing a piece on immigration by Bill O'Reilly which lays bare the ideological distance between these two men.
This clip also points out how power is possibly shifting in the age of new media technologies. Bill O'Reilly repreents Fox News which has the monopoly on news reporting due to the wealth of its owner, Media magnate Rupert Murdoch and News International. By owning one of the most popular television networks Murdoch controls the means of conveying free to air messages across a television obsessed nation. A single vlogger in this case, Brand is using social media and the internet to counteract the messages given out by these powerful hegemonic voices.
The way we get our news is moving toward social media and maybe this may challenge the power of monopolistic companies to twist the news agenda and mis-inform people.
Could these examples of misrepresentation happen in the UK ?
Is the BBC a bastion against the owners of media institutions representing the news according to their own ideloical views?
Has social media undermined the power of media magnates ?
Does he who controls the spice control the Universe?
No comments:
Post a Comment