For many people, news is a regular part o f life. All issue in dispute is whether the massive
influence o f ihe news media on people' s daily lives denotes a negative development. It is n> y view that
news media does more good than harm to the society.
The news media provides people with much o f the information they need on a timely basis,
although there are claims that it reports on issues and events purposely ( only selecting those events that
interest the audience). Anecdotal evidence shows that people from all walks o f life have the habit of
collecting information regularly from the news media, including print, broadcast and Internet-based
media. Information assists people in decision making. For example, the Free Trade Agreement reached
by the Chinese government and its New Zealand counterpart might open up many opportunities to both
counừies. For any business person, either in New Zealand or ill China, failing to recognise and
capitalise on this impending change would cause a costly loss.
Meanwhile it should be rccognised that the news media can sometimes save lives and reduce
casualties. There is a lot o f uncertainty about the surroundings, and people are susceptible to the
damage caused by accidents, crimes and natural calamity. The news media conveys the firsthand
information to concerned audiences and enable them to take corresponding actions right away. The
authority can declare a state o f emergency when it is necessary, organise evacuation and distribute aid
to the needy areas. A ll these efforts count on the news media as the messenger.
Despite their significant and ongoing contribution to the society, the news media might sometimes
be harmixil to society. It is a convention that the news media exaggerates the magnitude of the real
threat (for example, the potential o f a terrorism attack), in order to draw the attention o f the desired
audiences and in pursuit o f high audience ratings. It ends up with causing panic among the population.
Meanwhile, the news media tends to emphasise some issues or events, which virtually have little
relevance to people’s daily lives, such as an occasional multiple vehicle accident, an affair that a
celebrity is involved with, and the like. It distracts the audience from something that is much more
noteworthy, for instance,poverty, environmental problems, to name but a few.
In summary, the role o f news media as an information provider should be acknowledged. In case
o f emcrgcncy, it acts as a lifcsaver. However, it is not to say that the news media can give people an
overall view o f the problems in society all the time.
For
many
people
,
news
is a regular part o f life. All issue in dispute is whether the
massive
influence
o f
ihe
news
media
on
people&
#039; s daily
lives
denotes a
negative
development. It is
n>
; y view
that
news
media
does more
good
than harm to the society.
The
news
media
provides
people
with much o f the
information
they need on a timely basis,
although there are claims that it reports on issues and
events
purposely
(
only
selecting those
events
that
interest
the
audience)
. Anecdotal evidence
shows
that
people
from all walks o f life have the habit
of
collecting
information
regularly
from the
news
media
, including print, broadcast and Internet-based
media
.
Information
assists
people
in
decision making
.
For example
, the Free Trade Agreement
reached
by the Chinese
government
and its
New
Zealand counterpart might open up
many
opportunities to both
counừies
. For any business person, either in
New
Zealand or ill China, failing to
recognise
and
capitalise
on this impending
change
would cause a costly loss.
Meanwhile
it should be
rccognised
that the
news
media
can
sometimes
save
lives
and
reduce
casualties
. There is a lot o f uncertainty about the surroundings, and
people
are susceptible to
the
damage
caused by accidents, crimes and natural calamity. The
news
media
conveys the
firsthand
information
to concerned
audiences
and enable them to take corresponding actions right away. The
authority can declare a state o f emergency when it is necessary,
organise
evacuation and distribute aid
to
the needy areas. A ll these efforts count on the
news
media
as the messenger.
Despite their significant and ongoing contribution to the society, the
news
media
might
sometimes
be
harmixil
to society. It is a convention that the
news
media
exaggerates the magnitude of the
real
threat (
for example
, the potential o f a terrorism attack), in order to draw the attention o f the desired
audiences
and in pursuit o f high
audience
ratings. It ends up with causing panic among the population.
Meanwhile, the
news
media
tends to
emphasise
some
issues or
events
, which
virtually
have
little
relevance to
people’s
daily
lives
, such as an occasional multiple vehicle accident, an affair that a
celebrity
is involved
with, and the like. It distracts the
audience
from something
that is
much
more
noteworthy
, for
instance,poverty
, environmental problems, to name
but
a few.
In summary, the role o f
news
media
as an
information
provider should
be acknowledged
. In
case
o
f
emcrgcncy
, it acts as a
lifcsaver
.
However
, it is not to say that the
news
media
can give
people
an
overall
view o f the problems in society all the time.