Greg Grimes

TCOM 4670
8 September 2014
Word Count: 841
Find Hidden Ideologies Assignment
Ideologies are present in every source of media, whether its in a magazine, on the radio, or
even in a particular film. However, the most common media outlet that you will find differing ideologies
in is on television; specifically, in the news. Journalists and news stations alike have their own set of
beliefs and ideas about society and the way things are, and sometimes, they arent afraid to twist and
present a story in such a way, that it puts a differnet meaning/focal point into the story. In doing so, it
seems to be aiming to shape the audiences views and beliefs about specific groups or on specific
events. The first instance of ideology shaping found in the newscast is in the first segment on the
Chinese man who is responsible for the deaths of multiple Americans due to mislabeling prescriptions of
steroids. On CBS broadcast of the story, the focal point seems to be more so on his ethnicity and the
fact that he is foreign, rather than on the event of the mess up. The newscaster keeps reiterating that he
was arrested while boarding a flight to Hong Kong, and has an inflection in his voice that says tp the
audience that we shouldnt believe that he was going to come back; they want us to believe he was a
foreigner who came over, killed off some of our population, and escaped, and us Americans are targets
for foreign countries. Whether this is true or not is another matter entirely, but the use of phrasing
helps to put this point across.
Another instance of shaping ideologies in this newscast Is found in the next segment reported
on: the BP decal and the words grossly negligent appear on the screen. This is the first step in the
newscast putting words and a name into our brains. The cast goes on to then explain how BP is being
considered grossly negligent for their ignorance to the oil spill in 2010. This news isnt new to the public
ear and eye; a majority of people still remember the oil spill and how much it affected. However,
whether its the government or the news stations doing, they dont want the public to forget about it.
They report of how 11 people died in the incident, and then present video clips and images of the oil rigs
leaking into the ocean, one on fire, and end the segment with a pelican coated in crude oil, trying to get
up and fly away. The goal of this newscast? Point the blame at BP and keep them on a boycott radar
frame.
The next ideology spotted points to how a majority of politicians, especially the wealthy ones,
are crooks deep down. Former governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell and his wife were convicted on
corruption charges, and the cast wasnt afraid to show you exactly what they got. Images of the home
they were allegedly given, as well as the car Mr. McDonnell received were shown, along with a slew of
other treasures. The story develops as they begin associating former presidential candidate Mitt
Romney of being linked to their case. By bringing in former elected officials and connecting other
politicians to the McDonnells, the newscast is inferring that there are politicians in our government who
are corrupt and should not be trusted.
The last two ideologies go together, but they are found in newscasts that air one right after the
other (which is also pretty significant). The first is another report on the Ferguson shooting, saying how
there have been more issues between local officials and people in the town. Images of predominantly
white policeman arresting and attacking African American people flashed upon the screen, and the news
kept calling it a civil rights issue. With these images and words in mind, it certainly puts the thought
into the audiences head; we still have a civil rights issue in our country, particularly in the South. The
news then segues into another story about a detention center in Tennessee, and how an outbreak of
boys led to the SWAT team being brought in and many new stipulations for the center would be put into
place. The news anchor then goes on to report that six boys are still at large and escaped; the photos of
six African American boys are put onto the screen. At the same time, the man who runs the facility is
quoted as saying that they grew up in single parent families, are poor, and are angry, probably because
of their upbringing. While the purpose of this cast is to present that these six men are dangerous, it
once again points toward a racial issue in the country, with the detention center owner perpetuating
stereotypes on the six men due to their race; or, rather, using these assumed facts about them to
rationalize their behavior. However, I believe the purpose of it was originally to point out that an
upbringing can shape a child for better or worse, as seen by the newscast.