Censorship is a suppression of the speech or a given public communication which can be considered harmful, objective, inconvenient, or sensitive to the people as it is determined by the media outlet, government or other controlling body. In the Twentieth century, censorship was seen through examinations of plays, books, radios and television programmes, and news reports for purposes of suppressing or altering ideas that were found to be offensive or objective. Not all censorship is equal and they do not arise from external forces or government. There are different forms of censorship which are not obtrusive and they have to be well examined correctly. This paper analyses explores and explains the censorship in media and its effects to the people.
Types of Censorship
Military censorship- is a process of maintaining military intelligence tactics and intelligence confidential away from the enemies. It’s used to counter the espionage or in other words process of gleaning the military information.
Moral Censorship- This is the removal of some materials that are found to be obscene or considered morally questionable. An example is pornography, especially that of child pornography. It is illegal and also censored in many jurisdictions in the whole world.
Political Censorship- It occurs when the government holds back the information from the public. This is usually done in order to exert population control and prevent free expressions which may lead to the formation of rebellion.
Corporate Censorship- This is a processes by which the editors in media outlets intervene in disrupting publishing of the information which portrays their business partners or business in a negative way. The corporate media may also intervene to prevent alternating offers from being exposed to the public.
Religious Censorship- This is a process whereby materials are considered to be objectionable. This usually involves a prevailing religion forcing some limitations to be of less prevalent ones. In other way, a given religion may ignore the works of the other religion if they believe that the content is different from that of their faith.
A policy of banning works and literature outweighs positive effects. When restricting the abilities of a child to reach full intellectual potential isn’t worth a small chance that media, music industry and books can have the effect on the personality, behavior or attitude of a child. It’s evident that churches, schools, parents, the media and the music industry have power to control what American’s youths are exposed to. Censorship has always been of effect to the society. Therefore it has provoked between whether or not some of the things are right or wrong.
Censorship in Media
The government in some parts of the globe controls the media. One can’t publish or broadcast anything that the government may consider to be harmful or immoral, or that may threaten the stability of the country. On the other hand, some democratic countries are the ones that enjoy the freedom of speech. Citizens are free to write and say anything they wish to but by following some carefully exceptions. There is a controlling power that is at work in the market economy called the power of money. In some parts of Northern America, almost all the mainstream publications rely on two income sources: advertisers and subscriptions. Both influence decisions about the content. The readers must or should find these contents to be interesting, relevant, entertaining and tasteful. If it does not have these qualities then subscriptions may fall and also the advertisers may fear this censorship and cancel their accounts if the contents challenges or undermines their messages about selling of their products.
There are various pros and cons of censorship in media. Where freedom of expressions is stressed enough, the pro media censorship agreement may be implied as a sacrilege. People don’t realize that censorship doesn’t imply curbing freedom of expression but it only draws the line between unrestrained deviltry and freedom. It only reminds those people who cross the lines of humanity and morality in the freedom of expression and makes them to fear not to write or publish the things that violets the rights of people. Mass media are of several types which are means of people’s expression around the world. Media censorship must be applied to prevent unrestrained topics which are inappropriate for some age groups or those topics concerning racism. Discretion or censorship in viewers is necessary.
Those children of impressionable ages are exposed to sexually explicit content as well as excessive violence. All these are caused by media exposure which is an instrumental factor for shaping values and opinions in these children. An example which is common is the violence video games that most of them are addicted to. This increases aggressive tendencies in most children. Across the world, various researchers are studying the impacts of media on the developments of children. Use of abusive language and abusive actions can make lasting effects and also result in children’s aggressive tendencies.
According to buzzle.com, censorship in media is necessary for checking three main setback areas. These areas are racism, violence and vulgarity or sexuality explicit content. Also media censorship is necessary in seeing that the media isn’t being used as a toll in attacking the character of someone or humiliating or discriminating people. News channels in India are experiencing censorship regulations because of the body of Indian media industries.
Censorship of Violence in Media
According to most people all media texts are not suitable for many audiences. Therefore, there is need to place some limitations on the content and type of texts which children are exposed to in order for them to fear not to watch and those programmes that are for adults. It’s also agreed that texts that are accessible to a largely and wide non-selecting or involuntary audience like television commercials, terrestrial television before the watershed, music broadcast on radio and billboards should not contain offensive elements. Rules and regulations therefore, have been set to prevent contents of media texts in some situations (Kerina W. 1-3)
Many people would agree that freedom of speech is the basic human right and it should not be compromised or eroded through fear censorship in those nations that call themselves free. Poets, Film-makers, graffiti artists, journalists, musicians and internet site creators should have the rights that expresses what they think is the best without fear of official authorities or from elsewhere. Recently, there is a debate going on about those people who believe the need for censorship such as politicians, governments and parents and also there are those who believe in complete freedom of speech such as teenage audience, media corporations and artists. People should familiarize with different methods of censorship that is used by various media and in particular the issues surrounding texts.
The American Media in recent times has been plagued with many problems like propaganda, sliding profits, plagiarism and scandals about manipulation falling readership in press. Media distortion, omission, bias and inaccuracy in the United States are acknowledged by many people outside the United States of America and it’s slowly being realized inside the United States. However, due to distortion, omission, bias and inaccuracy in the United States mainstream media, it’s difficult for the American citizens to obtain an objective; open view of issues that are involved in the US since US is one of the largest military and economic powers in the whole world. That is why they are usually and naturally involved in different issues.
Censorship is the remarks and cuts of media mainly movies. Media censorship has been used for a long time and it’s supposed to protect people from the happenings in the media like movies which contain sex, horror or violence. According to the government, censorship helps people because it removes scenes that may affect people mentally such as a film that talks about poverty and working class which may trigger the revolution because people’s minds aren’t mentally strong and able to take that it was just a film. People should need fear of censorship in movies in order to protect young children not to watch adult movies which might change them for a long or short period.
Radio was one of the first mean which broadcast news and also entertainment to the audience. It seems now that the Americans are allowing many things to be said via the radio. Inappropriate words are spoken without bleeped out. The Americans enjoys the rights of free speech because their constitution allows it and also they are being protected by the government. Federal Communication Commission is the one that is responsible for maintaining and protecting the integrity of broadcasts by not allowing the obscene contents to be hard publicly (Media-awareness.com, 1-2). Many Americans feels that censorship violets their rights as citizens but it doesn’t violet their rights. The 1st amendment clearly gives the American citizens right of free speech. This means that they are able to say anything their heart desires.
Television censorship in the US has been the issue since its invention. The public holds varieties of stances pertaining censorship. Even if the law is passed regarding censorship, it may not suit every individuals their needs. According to some people, they believe that these censorship violets the rights of individuals in the law and also others believe that it should be available to the family members and not the government. Some people on the other hand strive to maintain the government regulation of censorship. TV censorship is important because it seize the future of the country. The rights of people can be violated if channels are being censored. But if it does not then the generations’ future may change because people will be influenced by explicit behavior which they view on television.
Magoon asserts that those people who are in favor of censorship believe that banning some books is necessary because it protects people. Some of those books could influence negatively or corrupt readers. Thos who oppose censorship believes that banning of books may violate the rights of Americans to free expression which is the U.S. Constitution. Individuals oppose censorship by just asking for materials that people want to have been censored. Students and parents write letters to the school boards and libraries asking for those books banned to be put on shelves. This makes them to buy copies of those banned and share them. Also the newspapers publish some controversial articles that the private companies or government asked them not to print. This may make people to hire lawyers and take them to court. The opposing censorship doesn’t mean that one has to watch or read something that he does not want to watch. It only means that people should choose what they wish for themselves. Librarians and teachers buy books for the school classroom and libraries reading lists. These lists generally, must go through a process of screening before being made available to young people. Those parents who screen the books may recommend not purchasing a given book if it’s found to be of morally objectionable. Though the American Library Association recognizes the rights of parents to control the things that their children read, it also strives in making materials available to all library patrons (60-120)
Media censorship opponents feel that censorship is a great hindrance as the society progresses without boundaries. Thus this makes them to fear that media censorship may led to some secrets of the government and high profile people not to published in the media. In most countries there is freedom of expression and speech to the citizens but there are also other countries that counter the abuse of rights by some people in a way of restricting freedom of this expression and speech. While each country censors media in some ways, the amount of censorship differs. Media censorship is done in different ways. The main criterion in media censorship is age limits of viewing different media. Media censorship sometimes may be a blanket ban on some taboo topics and their definitions can be defined in the country according to the governing authority. While the levels of this media censorship exist, citizens are calling for removal of all kinds of censorship but there are also other people who are looking for bringing in more restrictions to the media (Herbert H. 60-134)
Ncacblog.wordpress.com, real threats of media censorship are successful increasing in suppressing freedom of speech and expression to the media. Violence possibility has entered imagination of the publishers, media and the public at large in generating more and more blocking self censorship. Threats of violence have ensured that such actual violence and threats will be seen to be effective and also used. Those materials that are being disliked will end up to published regardless of fear and threats. The government of some states repeatedly bashes anybody who dares to be against the wisdom of its policies. The government has threatens jail-term for those business leaders and media houses who challenges its work. This has led to figurative wall of self-imprisonment and fear of censorship (1-6)
Conclusion
The media is the people’s mirror and it should be respected. The media plays a very imperative role since it informs members of the public the happenings. Educative programmes, entertainment and religious programmes are among the important contents that the media portray. Governments and their relevant communications departments must champion the rights and protection of the media. It is of paramount importance for the media itself to be responsible in whatever it gives the people. If it is books, only the right content should be published. To some extent, the government should control publishing firms and ensure that they publish materials that are of importance to the people.
References
Buzzle.com. “Media Censorship: Why is Censorship Good” (2000). 21 April 2011: 1-5.print.
Foerstel Herbert. “Banned in the media: a reference guide to censorship in the press, motion” NY: British Library Pub. (1998). 21 April 2011: 60-134. Print.
Kekla Magoon. “Media Censorship” US: ABDO Pub. (2010). 21 April 2011: 67-120. Print.
Kerina Wilson. “Censorship of Violence in the Media”. (2010). 21 April 2011: 1-3. Print.
Media-awareness.com. “Censorship in the Media” Media Awareness Network (2010). 21 April 2011: 1-2. Print.
Ncacblog.wordpress.com. “Fear and censorship: Or, how strong is our commitment to free speech?” (2011). 22 April 2011: 1-6. Print.
