今天分享给大家的是关于媒体类是否应该报道政治的好文章，大家注意积累词汇句型观点！Can we trust media reporting on politics any more?
Victorians维多利亚州的人 go to the polls in a little under two months and between now and then media focus on political news will intensify. The spotlight will be trained on political parties, their policies and commitments and on members of parliament and candidates. The part traditional media plays in reporting political matters will also come under the microscope, along with that of social media.
Given the importance of the decision voters have to make on 29 November, now is an opportune time to reflect on the relationship between the media and MPs, the role the media plays in a democratic society and the responsibilities that are attached to its position.
Our elected representatives and traditional media have a symbiotic relationship in which the role of the “used” and “user” changes. Both sides trade and negotiate the sharing of information with the ultimate aim of controlling the political news agenda.
Because journalists’ lifeline命脉 is information, politicians can, at times, control that agenda. Tactics at their disposal include deciding when to release information. They also leak stories to favoured journalists and/or brief them about complicated or controversial policies. This is done in the hope of achieving favourable or not so critical coverage. In extreme circumstances politicians can stop the information flow. Former Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen did this to a current affairs program by not allowing any minister to be interviewed. As a result the anchor person could not continue as presenter.
It is the media that forms and poses the questions注意强调句怎么写. In terms of the electronic media, journalists foreground interviews, can choose to ignore any question a politician asks of them and is able to move the discussion to another topic at a time of their choosing. In terms of the print media and pre-recorded radio and television interviews, the media controls the all-important editing process.
Having the capacity to exercise the control levers does not mean the media is omnipotent; it is not. Also, when some sections of the media appear blatantly biased, it can reverse the intended outcome, with voters turning against the particular news outlet rather than the subject of the biased coverage. But given the privileged role the media occupies in democratic societies, should there be biased coverage in the first place?
There is more than one form of democracy but common to all is freedom of the press. It is unquestionably an essential element of any model. In a democratic context, the media is often referred to as “The Fourth Estate”.
Very loosely defined, the “modern” concept of the Fourth Estate relates to the media’s watchdog role as one of the key protectors of the public interest. The freedom it is afforded allows the media to scrutinise the actions of the powerful, thereby fostering greater levels of accountability and transparency. Theoretically at least, a free media enables members of society to make informed choices about political matters. The ability to do so assumes, of course, that the media will report all sides of an argument in a fair and balanced manner. To do otherwise is to negate its Fourth Estate role.
While a free media plays a most important role at all times, in the lead up to an election its importance escalates. This is because the voting population still receives the majority of its political information via the traditional media (including its online presence).
The media is the primary communication channel between voters and those standing for election. Its depiction of a policy, event, political party and/or politician has the potential to influence how people perceive political reality. This is not to suggest that the media determines what people think about a particular matter, other factors are at play, but the media does have significant input into determining the political issues people are debating and considering prior to casting their vote.
Given the freedom afforded the media and its capacity to set the political news agenda, to what degree is it fulfilling its Fourth Estate obligations? Critics, including former Federal Government Minister, Lindsay Tanner, echo the sentiments of many when he says that the media no longer focuses on informing, preferring instead to entertain the consumers of its product. It is, according to Tanner, transforming political news into a “carnival sideshow”.
Given the power the media wields in democracies, many are also asking if it is sufficiently accountable for its actions. The misuse of media power has led others to question if it has a “duty of care” to the community to ensure it exercises its influence fairly, wisely and in the public interest.
Lord Puttnam, a British film producer and member of the House of Lords, first raised the duty of care issue in relation to the media. He maintains that because it sets the “tone and content” for much of our democratic discourse, it needs to decide how it sees its role: is it to “inflame or to inform”.
Puttnam also suggests that the declining trust in our democratically elected representatives is linked to media coverage of politics and politicians.
Trust is the most important element in the relationship between MPs and those who elect them to govern. It also underpins the media’s role as the Fourth Estate. If the consumers of political news are to make informed decisions about political matters they must be able to trust the media. At the moment is seems that some journalists and media organisations, but certainly not all, are more interested in playing the “gotcha” game than delivering balanced and informed coverage. This is resulting in politicians playing a counter-game of “catch me out – but only if you can”.
Trust is the most important element in the relationship between MPs and those who elect them to govern. It also underpins支持加强 the media’s role as the Fourth Estate. If the consumers of political news are to make informed decisions about political matters they must be able to trust the media. At the moment is seems that some media organisations are more interested in playing the “gotcha” game than delivering balanced and informed coverage. This is resulting in politicians playing a counter-game of “catch me out – but only if you can”.
Voters are sick and tired of both games and are calling for change but is either side capable of, or interested in, changing?
