Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research Proposal Example In democratic countries, the media is allowed the freedom to propagate news without undue influence from the government and the political class. In such nations, the media are free to air and communicate any information to the general public, although they have to follow regulatory rules set by the communications commission’s in their respective jurisdictions. In dictatorial societies, the freedom of mass media is limited, and the political class manipulates what is selected and produced by the media. Such nations are viewed as politically and democratically immature. Citizens who are subjects to repressive governments receive partial information as the government determines the content of every news release. It is widely acknowledged that the news has a momentous impact on the lives of citizens. The numerous parties involved in the news making should be viewed as stakeholders, who have every sort of interests in dynamically determining what the media’s impact on people ’s lives will be. ... This means, there is no clear distinction on who is responsible and who dominates who since the media is so influential that it set a whole nation’s agenda. The media are also powerful in centering masses’ attention on principal issues and assuming others, as well as influencing personal behavior. The cultural selection theory on media holds that any choice of the message has a profound effect on societal members (Fog, 199). In the contemporary world, the media is operating in a free and a competitive market, and are said to have no power whatsoever. Instead, it is the consumers of news, news managers, sponsors and sources who are now setting the newsmakers’ agenda. 1.3 Rationale and purpose of the study Who should select news? When limited resources have to be allocated; and fair and realistic procedures are not readily available, who should apportion such resources becomes a pertinent concern. As a result, it is right to ask who ought to be accountable for the selection and production of news. The news may be too pertinent to leave to journalists alone. Gans (2004) asserts that journalists have always insisted on retaining the sole obligation over a nation’s selection and production news. Gans notes that journalists hold that the audience rights to know is preserved if journalists are allowed to decide on what news are worthy, and when they are detached from the political process. Nevertheless, journalists are not detached for their enduring values are also political values, which imply the backing of one type of social order. Additionally, since news have political implications, and given that journalists select the news in response to source power, they are inadvertently part of the political course. These considerations