Media as a Watchdog
- Public guardian
- Exposes corrupt leaders
- Analyzes policies
- Influences collective actions (Chan, 2017)
- Unethical activities
The media exposes corrupt leaders, and it protects people by exposing unethical practices and illegal activities, which are detrimental to the wellbeing of the citizens. The media acts as a public guardian since it enables the citizens to make correct decisions regarding officials’ ouster and changing of inept practices.
Media cover protests and collective actions undertaken by people, which influence political direction and bill formulation. For instance, riots against George Floyd’s murder case have led to law enforcement against racism.
It Is an Informant
- Campaigns
- Manifestos that shape the government
- Dissemination of information and announcement of voting results
- All citizens obtain information and news through media
- Decision making
The news coverage watched about candidates enables citizens to make informed decisions on the right people to lead them.
During presidential elections, people get to choose their leaders based on information found on social media. The journalists cover candidates and the elections, and they give both negative and positive glimpses into an aspirant life (Zeitzoff, 2017). It also plays an important role in elections and campaigns.
All citizens obtain information and bulletin through media. The news coverage watched about candidates enables citizens to make informed decisions on the right people to lead them. The media also projects the reaction of the mass to introduced rules by the government.
Accountability
- Political values
- Openness
- Responsibility
- Increases transparency
Public participatory in government policies. Constantly suggested objects and views by the media exert pressure on what the members of the society should know and feel about.
Democracy
- Government policies
- Citizens participation
- Convincing
- Citizens’ interests
- Programs
Sensible governments with citizen’s interests in mind ought to collaborate with media in the formation of policies aimed at bettering the community. Since a democratic government enforces policies according to the impacts it has on the people’s goals, it mobilizes and disseminates information through the media.
Platform
- Platform for candidates and politicians to communicate their messages to the public
- Debates
- Promote agendas
- Improves understanding
- Addresses society needs
The media orchestrate the government and enhance its understanding of the desires and needs of the society. In a democratic society, the government does not utilize media as chattered boxes, rather its accorded responsibilities freely. Before policy implementation, the media analyzes its effects and benefits to the masses.
Failure Indicators
- Indicate government failures
- Government institutions
- Facilitate aid
- Attacks
- Disease and pandemics
The media discloses when a department of the government is not functioning, and in times of crisis such hail storms, it appeals for help from other citizens.
The media also warns citizens of possible risks that may harm individuals such as an impending disease, pandemic, or terrorist attack.
Channel of Communication
- Shapes politics
- Citizens
- Government interaction
- Facebook and Twitter
- Communicates success
Media shapes American politics; for instance, the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton, was unable to implement large-scale reforms with recalcitrant congress, and he utilized small-scale initiatives more, which were announced as a series by media to make his term appear robust, active, and engaged about popular concerns and sentiments. Facebook and Twitter are used by government to communicate with citizens (Dwivedi et al., 2018).
Educational Role
- It educates the young citizens to be responsible
- Understanding rights
- Promotes peace
- Substance abuse
- Racism
The media has been used to educate young citizens to be responsible for their actions and about pertinent issues affecting society such as the effects of drug abuse. It also educates them to avoid violations of their rights and to promote peace among different races.
References
Chan, M. (2017). Media use and the social identity model of collective action: Examining the roles of online alternative news and social media news. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 94(3), 663–681.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Kelly, G., Janssen, M., Rana, N. P., Slade, E. L., & Clement, M. (2018). Social Media: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Information Systems Frontiers, 20(3), 419–423.
Zeitzoff, T. (2017). How social media is changing conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 61(9), 1970–1991.