Introduction
The media is the most common tool for news and information dissemination to the public. Almost every person in the world relies on a certain form of media to be informed about what is going on the world. The freedom of expression and information have for long be heralded as two of the most fundamental rights, and the media is one of the forms through which these rights are manifested. However, the government regulates the content that the media sends out to the public and by doing this, it partly infringes on freedom to information, as well as the freedom of expression (Pearson, 2012).
Question 1
The government regulates the media by dictating the content that should or should not be aired. This applies to both electronic and print media. In electronic media, for instance, radio and television, the government through relevant bodies dictates the programs to be aired and lays down rules on the content of these programs (Creech, 2013). Government regulations occur in many forms. The most dominant form of regulation occurs before the airing of content. There are three major types of content that is regulated by the media. The first is content that the government deems to be obscene. For example, national television stations are not allowed programs that have scenes of indecency or that use oppressive and profane languages (Creech, 2013). The second type of content is then that the government deems to be threatening to the national security. The other content that the government strictly regulates is the one that is deemed to contain information that is misleading to the general public (Creech, 2013).
Government regulation of the media utilizes different tools with the prominent one being rules and policies as well as federal regulatory bodies such as the Federal Communications Commission. While the rules dictate the types of content to be aired, the FCC ensures that the rules are followed and also regulates the overall number of media outlets by giving media licenses and cancelling others.
The goals of the different forms of regulation is to ensure that the media does not abuse the freedom of expression and information and also to ensure that the government retains its authority over the people (Pearson, 2012). Government regulatory techniques have been effective to a huge margin. This is because these regulatory techniques are accompanied by intense punitive measures for any media outlet that fails to comply with them. Failure to comply with the established government guidelines can land a media outlet into trouble and therefore it has no choice but to follow the stipulations laid out by the government (Pearson, 2012). There are however some content that receives less regulation than others, for instance, when it comes to news, it is very rare to find sports news being regulated.
The government has also attempted to regulate the internet but this is a fairly hard task because unlike the other forms of media, many distributors of information in the internet can chose to remain anonymous and it would therefore be impossible to enforce any regulation on them. However, the government has tried to regulate the internet, for instance, by cracking down on websites and IP addresses that are found to be disseminating illegal or inappropriate content (Street, 2011).
Question 2
There is usually a very great variation in what the different media outlets report and how they report. In simple terms, there are various factors that shape how a report is shaped. The first factor is the target audience. A media report is often tailored for a particular audience and for it to reach this audience effectively; its structure and shape must be compatible with this audience.
The other factor that influence how a story is shaped is the political situation under which it is produced. A report produced under sensitive political situation must be analyzed carefully to ensure that once disseminated, it does not result, for instance in a violent political climate (Street, 2011). The sources used to gather or to inform a particular report also significantly determine its shape and structure. For instance, when informal sources are used, the report is usually shaped in any that does not fully make any conclusive or suggestive statements that might result in negative outcomes once it has reached the public (Street, 2011). Government control also determines what gets reported and how it is reported. The government might forbid the reporting of certain events or aspects, or it might give guidelines on how such events or aspects are to be reported (Pearson, 2012).
The media normally shape political agenda by incorporating thematic evidence and opinions on various news reports (Street, 2011). This is while at the same time trying to stay neutral. For instance, the media report might be centered on particular politician making some political statement and the news report might for instance incorporate a previous statement by the same political that is contradictory to the current one being made. The media also shapes political agenda by conclusively examining the objectivity of these agendas albeit indirectly, through various reports that are designed to leave a particular impression on the members of the society therefore influencing their endorsement or dismissal of a particular political agenda.
References
Creech, K. C. (2013). Electronic media law and regulation. Routledge.
Pearson, M. (2012). The media regulation debate in a democracy lacking a free expression guarantee. Pacific Journalism Review, 18(2), 89.
Street, J. (2011). Mass media, politics and democracy. New York.
