Barack Obama- A 2008 presidential candidate hopeful.Looks like 3 big US newspapers support Barack Obama (you do know who he is right?) for the next President of the United States!
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post
Chicago Tribune
Other influential people such as the former Secretary of State Colin Powell has also endorsed Obama. Meanwhile, other US newspapers have also endorsed John McCain, Obama's rival in the presidential bid.
Behold the printing press-the source of power for newspapers!We are all familiar with the concept of endorsement. We have Olympics athletes endorsing certain products. Many soccer teams endorse various other companies which in turn, provide funding and other forms of financial support. Endorsement itself is similar to advertising. The difference is that in endorsement, you have an influential entity supporting the use or purchase of a product. In fact, endorsement is actually a type of advertising, if you look at it in that sense. Tiger Woods endorsing a watch is an advertisement too.
Now, we have newspapers endorsing presidential candidates. This time the subject which is being endorsed is not a product but a person. A presidential candidate to be precise. The endorser is none other than a newspaper, which is a source of media. I find this extremely odd and this brings into mind some of the media theories in communications.
John McCain, another 2008 presidential candidate, also has his share of newspaper endorsers.According to Charles Wright, the media has 4 purposes. Namely to inform (surveillance), provide analysis (correlation), educate (cultural transmission), and lastly, to provide entertainment. If this is the case, what is the media trying to do when they endorse a presidential candidate? Ideally, the media is supposed to report unbiased news and the truth. Of course, this is unlikely in reality. The act of endorsing Obama means that the newspaper is biased against McCain and in support of Obama.
In the agenda setting function of media theories of communication, we learn that media content has many influences. These include political groups. Many political groups will benefit if they have the endorsement of a prominent media source. This is because the media is a powerful tool in influencing the minds of the audience. This is emphasized especially in the powerful effects theory. In this case, the pro-Obama newspapers will tend to convince its readers that Obama is a better choice for president than McCain. Assuming all the readers follow their newspapers' line, Obama would have gained millions of supporters.
Many Muslims consider graphical depictions of Prophet Muhammad as extremely offensive.
There are many issues concerning the media in the world today. Apart from this endorsing of presedential candidates, the issue of the freedom of speech is still another major one. Remember the uproar caused when a Danish newspaper published comics depicting Prophet Muhammad? Many Muslims (including myself) find that those depictions of the Prophet as something offensive. In this case, should we support censorship or freedom of speech? What do you think the media should be like? Should the media stick to reporting unbiased truth? Or should it be free to report whatever it likes? Is there a place for the government in the media process or should censorship be a thing of the past? Your views, your world!
As this may be the last post for this blog, I bid you guys farewell from the blogging world. I sincerely thank you wonderful people for commenting on my blog. If you have anything else you would like to discuss with me, please feel free to contact me! My email is somewhere around here...look for it yourself!
5 comments:
Freedom of speech comes with responsibility. We should be allowed the liberty to say whatever we believe, but in a respectiful manner. In the case of the Prophet Muhammad cartoons, the acts portrayed were extremely disrespectful and offensive to the Muslim community. That is a case in which freedom of speech was not used properly.
It is tough to decide what amount of censorship to practise in media channels too. Too much censorship, and you become a restrictive, deceptive outlet like in China. Too little regard for censorship, and anarchy and disrespect over views will surface, like how news reporters in America regularly diss the current president George Bush, breaking down people's confidences in their own leader. This can never be a productive move. A balance should be struck as an optimal choice.
Hi Emil!
I really hate politics! But i will try to give you constructive comments=)
I agree with kristy that it is difficult to judge the amount of censorship given in media channels. With the ongoing open mindedness of countries, is it difficult to judge whether censoring something is applicable anymore. In addition, people may not like it if too much or too little censorship is given. Hence, it is important to think before you speak or think before putting any things up in media. This is avoid any unnecessary unhappiness being stirred around in the citizens.
HI2U emil, interesting thoughts you have here!
I believe that media plays a huge part in shaping our perceptions for sure. Even if a source does not seem to be outright bias towards something, the way it is presented or phrased can also be influential to the minds of its audiences. In this case, people can be convinced after reading the newspapers that obama simply 'appeals' to them more then McCain. Therefore its ever so important to check for underlying meanings, and not take stuff at face value.
Regards,
Shawn Lee Wei Bin
Not only in a respectful manner but also in a responsible way, the Danish newspaper wasnt responsible enough to check if what they are publishing is offensive or maybe it's just because they have an ulterior motive.
However, i feel that newspaper should be allowed to practice freedom of speech as its srill up to the consumers to choose what to absorb and they can choose to ignore it.
Hi emil! nice post about the hottest sensation in town! Im too really excited that Obama has become the next American president and in the future, this would definitely be a uphill battle for Obama. It is interesting that you have brought up the point on the media endorsing people instead of products and sometimes this might bring about bias-ness and prejudice as each side supports their own personal favorites. Further more 3 news papers all saying their presidential candidate is good for president? That must have been rather confusing for the people of America. So what happens when 3 authoritative media source all contradict one another? Does the powerful effects theory still applies here? Well i don't know? DO you?
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