Proposal: Media
Introduction/ Purpose/ Aims:
Today, the media plays an integral part in society as it enables people to be updated with the current events and trends around the globe. It serves as the neutral ground for two camps involved in an issue to have a place to defend itself to the people. Since it is a neutral territory, the media is not biased to anyone and would only report both positions for the people to understand the issue in both ends. Lately, however, the neutrality of the media is questioned because there are instances wherein the media shows bias to one position. Many factors may be attributed to this “media bias”: the government, the current stereotypes regarding issues, and even the personal bias of reporters. In this regard, the question now remains on whether or not the media, in print and online, still reports fairly or is it now moving away from its creed to be a neutral party.
Despite the nature of media bias happening around the globe, the media still reports fairly and can be taken into consideration, provided that the public readily opens itself to both sides of the issue without succumbing to stereotypes. Today, people often take the media for granted and would only pay heed to one side of the conflict and develop a prejudice to prevent themselves from understanding the entire conflict. This developed prejudice often entails further conflict since people would judge others based on what the media illustrates these groups. While people are aware to give the benefit of the doubt to others, the growing rift caused by media is often seen unnoticed by many. The media also does not readily report only one position, given that there is a chance that media outfits only lean towards a position if something had forced it to become bias. These facts are the reason why it is crucial to understand as to why the media is still a credible source for data. The paper would also serve as a primer on why the public should see nature of media and how credible it still is despite the media bias happening in the current context. Nowadays, discussions about media’s credibility is often buried beneath other issues because the media wants the public’s unyielding support.
For this paper, the discussion would be divided into three parts. The first part would discuss in brief, the nature of media bias and why it happens. The media often shows a front that it is a neutral party, which is why there are influential factors why media may find itself siding one party. The second part would discuss why the media still remains to be a key actor to society and why it still reports fairly in both print and digital mediums. Finally, the conclusion would summarize the entire paper, providing a rephrasing of the paper’s thesis statement. Possible Conclusions:
Given the very nature of the topic, it is likely that the paper may come to the conclusion that the media is a credible source still despite the bias seen in other media outfits around the globe. It is also likely that the paper may come to the conclusion that the media is no longer a credible source for the people to update themselves with issues around the globe. However, it is also possible that the paper will indeed show that while media can be bias and fair, it would be the people’s job to dissect both sides and select with side they wish to support.
Works Cited
Cook, Timothy. Governing with the News: The News Media as a Political Institution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Print.
Kieran, Matthew. Media Ethics: A Philosophical Approach. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1997. Print.
Ruschmann, Paul. Media Bias. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 2009. Print.
