the role of media in society

the Defamation Act 2009

"defamation statement" means a statement that tends to injure a person's reputation in the eyes of reasonable members of society Section 36of the Defamation Act 2009 deals with crime and blasphemy, however after the referendum we have decided to remove it

what is the Marxist perspective of media

- believe that media is part of what Marx termed the 'superstructure'. It is used to represent a picture of society that supports the existing social order and makes equality and injustice seem natural - believe the media promotes two main messages: 1. life is about working hard for a wage. 2. people should consume capitalist products - they point out that there is an under-representation of working-class stories or voices in the media

what is the Functionalist perspective of media (John Locke)

- believe that media plays many roles in society. It entertains, educates and informs - points out that like education, the media plays a role in the socialisation process. It enforces social norms and values and provides a 'collective' experience for individuals to create necessary bonds in society. e.g a sporting event - through the socialisation process, media teaches us about what type of actions and behaviours receive reward or punishment, e.g.media coverage of crime and justice issues teaches us about what is 'right' and 'wrong' - digital media, acts to build and reinforce mini-communities in society, e.g. it is used to develop communities around certain groups - LGBTQ+, environment

what must the media do if they are to show social responsibility and accountability

- it must act in a responsible manner - the media is responsible for ensuring that it functions to serve 'the public good' - the media must ensure that its reporting is accurate, objective and balanced, allowing citizens to develop well-informed opinions and decisions. Journalists need to maintain a clear distinction between facts and opinion, reporting and analysis and properly check sources for news items - the media should present political issues in an unbiased manner, explaining the issues without oversimplifying or sensationalising - it must provide a variety of perspectives that represent the diversity of society - the media must balance its responsibility to provide information to the public with its other responsibilities of ensuring security and stability in society. i.e. should not report on the state secrets, use information that could be harmful to national security, or report any details that could put people in danger

what does media do

- provides news and information - educates the public - supports democracy: informs the public about government policies; explains how these policies can be useful to citizens; acts as a channel for ordinary people to voice their concerns and opinions - acts as a watchdog - entertains people - connects people: locally, nationally and worldwide - promotes trade, commerce and industry through advertisements - promotes social and political change

what is the roles of media in democracy (8)

- to prove a factual and objective view on events and issues - to inform the public about important social issues so that citizens can make better political, social and economic choices - provide a channel for government to explain its policies and decisions - support greater public participation in decision-making by provoking public debates and providing a channel between citizen and government - investigate and report on abuses of power in society - promote positive social and political change - raise public awareness and mobilise support for humanitarian causes or social injustices - promote political pluralism by providing a platform for different and alternative views, ideas and perspectives on issues

what is the feminist perspective of media

- views media as a tool that reinforces patriarchy in society. have noted how women are under-represented in media content and how they are portrayed - theorists describe the ways in which women are ignored or condemned as a 'symbolic annihilation' e.g. the poor media coverage of women's GAA or rugby games in Ireland - point out to the role media plays in the gender socialisation process in terms of teaching us our 'appropriate' gender roles - argue that women are sexually objectified in the media

what is the BAI and what do they do

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) - awarding licences to broadcasting to television and ratio stations - develops broadcasting rules and codes - monitors the annual performance of RTÉ and TG4 - monitors and enforces compliance of all broadcasters (public and private) - receives and decides on complaints from viewers and listeners on content

what is the difference between agenda-setting and framing

agenda setting is about what issues get media coverage, whereas framing is about how issues are presented

the European Convention on Human Rights (1950)

article 10 - everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by the public authority and regardless of frontiers

universal declaration of human rights (1948)

article 19 - everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers

international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)

article 19 - everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference... Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice

Bunreacht na hEireann (1937)

article 40.6(1) - the State guarantees liberty for the exercise of the following rights, subject to public order and morality: -the right of the citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions - the education of public opinion

blasphemy

disrespecting a religions beliefs

framing

how issues are presented - it refers to the particular angle or perspective from which a story is presented. It can be intentional or unintentional: it is underpinned by unconscious or conscious ideologies and interests. The media transmits a certain ideology e.g. 'war on terror' or 'immigration and security'. framing can also be used to ensure support of government policies

propaganda

information that is biased and is used to promote a political cause or point of view

what are the models of media ownership in Ireland

public media ownership e.g. Radio Teilifís Eireann (RTÉ) is Ireland's national public broadcaster; and private media ownership

gatekeepers

refers to the process of filtering information before it is spread by mass media

agenda-setting theory

states that the media has power and influence in establishing the public agenda. The more coverage an issue or topic receives in the media, the more it is considered a public priority. e.g. in the US the media coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial and Clinton-Lewinsky scandal

defamation

the act of damaging someone's reputation through a false accusation or communication that is usually of a public nature

citizen journalism

the collection, dissemination, and analysis of news and information by the general public, especially by means of the internet

what is the PCI and what do they do

the press in Ireland is regulated by the Press Council of Ireland (PCI) - to ensure that it acts ethically - promotes journalistic standards such as accuracy, privacy and fairness - handles complaints made against the press

freedom of the press

the right of media professionals to report the news and circulate opinions without censorships by the government