There is a need to get accurate information that is unbiased. The media needs to be held accountable and not hide behind its cries of free speech and censorship. The government is here for the protection of the people, and there are some areas that the media only endangers our safety, whether it is on health issues, privacy issues, or in international affairs.
There are some places that the media does not have a very good perspective on security or individual privacy. I feel that the government should put restrictions on the areas that the media can report.
Newspapers and magazines shape people’s views and opinions. Newspapers have diverse content, producing in detail stories and news analysis. They represent many perspectives with a wide range in subject matter. Some newspapers are gossip oriented (mainly tabloids such as The Sun/Mirror), while others are news and analysis oriented (mainly broadsheets such as The Times).
Magazines appeal mainly to the elite, well educated, and the opinion leaders.
Generally, magazines are to the point, interpretive and more comprehensive than newspapers.
Radio and television have a significant place among the media. Television produces on the spot broadcasts of major events, documentaries, political views and opinions, terrorist episodes, and international crises.
The pressure to publish new material is enormous. The media is putting a premium on being fast rather than being right.
Currently, the British press is largely free of government intrusion. The government uses contempt on court and defamation laws to keep the media in check. The press is trying to distance itself from the celebrity photographers (paparazzi), claiming they are a law unto themselves.
A rumour becomes an allegation, and then an allegation becomes facts. The media has a large influence over political candidates. With the advances in technology such as telephones, faxes, and computers and with live television coverage of candidates, the media is able to deliver a campaign message and gauge public opinion.
One of the biggest problems in the media is the proportion of importance of each story. With just the way the media asks a question, they can slant how the public will view the story or situation.
Concluding, I feel that the media is too powerful (in all areas) and should be held accountable for the information that is reported, and be held to verify information instead of going for “sensationalism”. Well-known individuals, celebrities, and ordinary individuals should not feel threatened by the media. The media is a special interest group of sorts, having their own special interest at heart, and should not be given a protection to hide behind. As rules and laws are made for the benefit of all people, media integrity should take on a new dimension. The media is caught between freedom and responsibility, with government taking a stand on issues regarding individual rights to privacy and security as a whole.