FUNCTIONS OF MEDIA
1. “Media act as
channels of information and knowledge through which citizens communicate with
each other and make informed decisions.”
This means that media play a vital role in the public’s knowledge
formation and decision-making. Because we interact with our surroundings and
with the world around us through the information provided by media, they
inevitably shape our perception and our opinions. This is why it is important
for media not only to provide information, but also to provide information that
is comprehensive, multi-faceted, and diverse.
A perfect example
would be the weather report and the way it helps the audience decide whether to
bring an umbrella or not, or what to wear on a particular day. A more nuanced
example of this function would be the way media were used in the recent Presidential
Elections to help the public communicate their opinions about each candidate
and choose which candidate to support.
This means that media play a vital role in the public’s knowledge
formation and decision-making. Because we interact with our surroundings and
with the world around us through the information provided by media, they
inevitably shape our perception and our opinions. This is why it is important
for media not only to provide information, but also to provide information that
is comprehensive, multi-faceted, and diverse.
A perfect example
would be the weather report and the way it helps the audience decide whether to
bring an umbrella or not, or what to wear on a particular day. A more nuanced
example of this function would be the way media were used in the recent Presidential
Elections to help the public communicate their opinions about each candidate
and choose which candidate to support.
2. “Media
facilitate informed debates between diverse social actors.”
In relation to
providing diverse and multi-faceted information, the media also function as
avenues through which different sides of debates can be expressed. Unlike the
traditional form of debate where only two sides get to express their opinion,
the media must provide their audience with multiple perspectives, for by
hearing out all perspectives, it will be possible for us to form sound opinions
about matter of personal or public concern.
Consider how the
media inform us about matters related to corruption or governance. Do you think
that only one perspective is shown, or are you often given the chance to
consider the various sides of the story?
3. “Media provide us
with much of what we learn about the world beyond our intermediate experience.”
As human beings, our
sensory perception is often limited to our immediate surroundings. It is then
the function of media to provide us with information that go beyond this, so
that we can be more conscious of our own actions and aware of how the world
around us is evolving. This is extremely important in our current society, as
we can now rarely find interactions that are isolated or do not tie people,
communities, or countries together. Since countries all over the world are now
interconnected socially, politically, and economically, issues that used to be
only of national concern now have a more global impact.
One example of this
is why media report on increase in oil prices in the Middle East because of the
wat it influences the fare hike in the Philippines. Changes in immigration laws
in a foreign country are often relayed by media because Overseas Filipino
Workers (OFWs)-and hence the Philippines economy-could be affected.
4. “Media are means
by which a society learns about itself and builds a sense of community.
In addressing us as
the “public” or the “audience” media aid us in imagining that we are part of a
community and are part of a nation. Without media, it would be difficult for us
to understand that we are part of something bigger than our immediate
surroundings and personal experience. In a way, then, without media, we would
not have a nation.
Think about how you
formed your identity as a Filipino. In what ways do you think media contributed
to this?
5. “Media function as
a watch dog of government in all its forms, promoting transparency in public
life and public scrutiny of those with power through exposing corruption,
maladministration, and corporate wrong-doing.”
Media are widely
known as the fourth estate, which means that they are the watchdogs of the
people, constantly vigilant towards the government and informing its people
about issues of national concern. It is a watchdog in the sense that it upholds
democracy and protects journalistic arm of the media. A perfect example of
media as the fourth estate is investigate journalism, which often tackles
issues that expose the wrongdoings of government officials.
6. “Media are
essential facilitators of democratic processes and one of the guarantors of
free and fair elections.”
As media play a vital
role in upholding democracy, they also function as watchdogs during elections,
making sure that no anomaly occurs, and that the election process goes
smoothly. The most relevant example is the media coverage during the 2016
Presidential Elections. Various news stations and websites monitored the
election results and constantly updated the public about the number of votes
for each candidate. They also reported on issues related to voting precincts,
voter registration, and vote buying, and facilitated debates that would help
the public decide who and what cause to vote for. However, it is also worth
noticing that political candidates also make use of the media for publicity and
promotion, and that the issue of biased reporting has been brought to attention
because of this.
7. “Media are vehicle
for cultural expression and cultural cohesion within and between nations.”
Media form a huge
part of our identity and culture formation. They create narratives that help us
perceive who we are as a nation and as a community by providing a sense of
commonality. By exposing us to other culture, however, media help us realize
how we are different from or similar to other communities. Ideally, this allows
for a better understanding of our unique characteristics and the unique
characteristics of others. The simplest manifestation of this media function is
the film industry: how do you think local films help us form an identity as a
Filipino people? How do they help us differentiate our culture from the culture
of other countries?
8. “Media function as
an advocate and social actor in its own right while respecting pluralistic
values.”
When it comes to
media, objectivity is a myth. You must keep in mind that any type of media has
its own purpose and its own message. In the act of filtering and choosing which
type of information to relay, media choose their advocacy. Hence, nothing is
entirely objective. However, an important factor of this is the existence of
pluralistic values. Media can choose a message or an advocacy, but it must not fail
to show the multiple perspectives involved. In short, media can uphold certain
values or beliefs. They may do so as long as they respect all sides and not
filter or distort information in order to reinforce their own ideas.
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