A particular bias is clearly evident in a news report, which aired in February 2003 on sixty minutes. The report contained footage and biased language towards groups of teenagers who regularly congregated to consume large amounts of alcohol. The report positioned the audience to believe that all teenagers were alcoholics and regularly drank themselves into oblivion. This report is among a string of reports from various current affairs programs which contain strong underlying discourses relating to teenagers. Shown on the overhead is a transcript of this report. (Show report)
The media is the primary source for how we see the world. We receive most of our information and entertainment about the world through media sources such as the press, radio, cinema, and television. Television is the most popular media source for consumers, as majority of Australians have more than one television in their household. Nightly news programs are the most popular TV programs, as they are watched by the most viewers, which has secured news programs places in primetime TV positions. Because of this producers of news programs want to make the programs easier to watch, or more entertaining to try and keep these ratings. Producers often milk stories for all there worth, and develop their own discourses, in which they believe will be more ratings friendly. Because there is so many viewers, news and current affairs programs take on an interpretive role. This model shows this (Overhead).
The original purpose of news programs, was to inform television viewers of important and relevant events. These events may be international, national or local. Now days news programs still give us an interpretation of current news and affairs, but do not give us a straight forward, truthful account of the issue. These days viewers are feed advertising while watching the news. Companies logos or information is showed on screen while the news is being presented. A good example of this is channel 9’s Today program. (Video)
Of all the television genres, the news and current affairs appear to be the most realistic. It tells us about real people experiencing real events. Newsreaders and journalists attempt to be neutral and objective, and to present balanced and authoritative reports, but have to follow strict guidelines, put in place by the programs producers about what they can and can’t say. The news viewers finally see is not necessarily a straightforward account of the most important events that occurred in our world each day. The news has been carefully selected, highlighted and presented in a particular way to serve that stations purpose, even if the ideology being presented isn’t moral.
All news and current affairs programs position the viewer to feel as though they have to agree with the programs ideology towards the people or issue being viewed. The stations beliefs and values also distinguish how the program is going to be. They can either be supportive or biased towards the group or issue being presented.
The way people think in Australia and the world now days is in the hands of TV programs creators, producers and actors. They have the power to teach us about masculinity, feminity, blackness, whiteness, ethnicity or whatever they feel as though they need to put on television to gain ratings. The truth is if a television program does not get ratings, they don’t get advertising and therefore they don’t air. This is why current affairs and news programs take on an interpretive role… they make viewers feel as though they have to watch, so sense is made of the information and they are told how to feel.
The media are owned, controlled and created by certain groups who make sense of society on behalf of others. Theses people are the media producers. They are not a completely separate group of people, but they are a small elite group. Thi
