MEDIA

Chapter 11- Engaging with the Media

Today's blog is all about the media and it is one of the most important functions of PR. But the again, it isn't just an important facet for PR but for the people of this earth. Media and the factors involving media is everywhere and it is difficult for a person to escape the messages that are being streamed through it. The mediums include- radio, television, internet and print, but there is also the billboards, kiosks and so on. Alternative mediums are also a rising trend under the internet. We have blogs, social websites, online newspapers and so on. The fact is, media is ever changing.

I really enjoyed the reading on media because this is the one i truly understand most. I learnt that in Public relations, the media is so important because PR associates constantly have to use the media to increase awareness, improve community relations, attract people to event, explain faults and errors and the list goes on. Thus, because PR associates are constantly using the media, it is also vital for them to be able to create and build good relationships with the people of the media.

There are many theories that are under media and communication. My favourite theory would have to be "Spiral of silence theory" by Noelle-Neumann. In my own understanding, the spiral of silence theory is describing how people express their ideas and opinions publicly only if it is an opinion or idea shared by the remaining of the people. Thus, many ideas and opinions go unshared and unknown of because people feel afraid to express their ideas because they do not want to feel like an outcast and embarrass themselves or even because they don't want to be the ones to start a disagreement. Moreover, as more people feel that their objectives are not worth hearing because they are different, there is a potential that there may be more than the minority with the same idea. The media comes in the picture because they generally give the impression that most people are in agreement with a particular issue and therefore, the public will become less willing to say what they want because they may think that they're wrong.

An example of this theory can be given with the German Nazis. Hitler advocated the idea that Jews were unacceptable in society and that inhuman things should be done to them. The media was under Hitler and thus, it also advocated the same message to the people. The public was sharing the same mind set as Hitler. What my point is, during that time, the spiral of silence theory can be applied because i am sure in the public were far more than one individual who thought that torturing and being against Jews was wrong. Yet, these individuals did not express this viewpoint because they were afraid knowing that their lives would be at risk if they did express such opinion and also, as they thought that they were the only ones thinking in such a way.

However, i do not think that the spiral of silence occurs in much of today's society. In America, there is the freedom of expression and people are willing to voice out what they think is right or wrong. The internet has also allowed such things to happen with blogs and forums. I do believe that there are still countries in the world that can be applied with this theory. Countries such as, Burma, North Korea and others which are ruled by dictatorship, still lacks freedom of expression because the citizens of the country are still afraid to speak out.

Moving on, another important aspect of the media is that there are gatekeepers who control the media in some sort of way. Gatekeepers include editors, directors of news and other members of the media who control and choose what messages and information should be placed and what not to be. There is a criteria for which a gatekeeper can choose news from such as how interesting a story is to the new's reader or whether whether if the news fits in with the editorial policy. However, i think gatekeeper's in society nowadays are exploiting their power over the news. Just take a look at Rupert Murdoch as an example. Fox news which is owned by Murdoch displays biased information all the time. Murdoch makes sure that when there is a presidential election on such as the one with Obama and McCain, the stories presented to the public are all for McCain and not for Obama. It isn't only Murdoch doing this. Just take a look at the Straits Times. Never information or news on the opposing party, unless its something negative. So the question is, "Are gatekeepers really doing their job?".

Gatekeepers should stick to picking news that have news value. According to the book some factors to see whether a news is newsworthy are: truth, timeliness, proximity, conflict, eminence and prominence and consequences and impact, human interest, the unusual or remarkable, fit the focus of each medium.

The book also mentions how bad news is more newsworthy than good. Honestly, i do not think the statement is necessarily true. Yes, bad news attracts more readers because it is human nature to find out the crisis of what is happening because everyone is afraid it might affect them. Moreover, we need to know what is happening in the world today and plenty of it is quite bad. The thing is, there is good things too and at times they can be more newsworthy. I guess the main thing is the content. News are newsworthy because it is important information people need to know of or what to know of. Newsworthy news can be both good and bad.

As for PR's, it is vital for them to be able to make something that might be not so news worthy and turn it into an article that the public is worth hearing. Thus, PR's should have the ability to write really good media releases so that they can attract the media.