US Culture 31/01/2022

Media in the US: between the past and the present

Introduction:
Journalism history is the story of humanity’s struggle to communicate, to convey
information, ideas and thoughts, to talk and exteriorize one’s inhibited feelings, and
to exchange experiences. Hence, the ‘biological’ need to communicate involves two
sides:
- The need for some people to talk about themselves, about their concerns and
their problems {Senders}
- The need for some people to know, probably out of curiosity or some kind of
gossip, about what is happening to other people, to know about their private
lives {recipients}
Another aspect of the story is concerned with the means or channels of
communications by which essential news, opinions, and other desired information
reaches the public, from the days of handwritten ‘newsletter’ to printed page, radio,
television, telephone systems, cables, faxes, telexes, satellite systems, and internet.
Therefore, between senders and recipients, we have diverse means of
communication that may be controlled by some kind of authority likely to hinder the
free flow of information through some kind of censorship to protect its self-interests.
The authority can be:
- Religious: to prevent the dissemination of information, which might cast doubt
on its dogmas/ core teachings.
- Political: to contain outside threat and preserve the nation’s security in times
of war/ crisis, but also to censor incendiary literature which might incite
people to rebel against the established authority (Ed. Snowden-NSA-
Whistleblower-top-secret documents/US surveillance/ 2013)
- Economic: misinformation/ tips/ speculation that might hinder the economic
activity and lead to crisis/ recession
On the other hand, we have the continuing efforts of others to break down the
barriers erected to prevent the dissemination of information upon which public
opinion is so largely dependent (e.g. human rights activists, civil liberties champions,
freedom of the press militants, etc.).
In the United States, even though media studies started in the 1920s, we still do not
agree upon a common definition to the label ‘media’. In addition to the written press
(newspapers and magazines) and broadcast media (radio and television), the term
‘media’ includes book publishing firms, movies, music, advertising,
telecommunications, photography, online content and services (research engines:
Google/ Yahoo. Social networks: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)

Some key concepts:

Journalists: reporters, editors, and producers involved in the production of the news.
Reporters: field investigators researching and usually writing the news story whether
for print or broadcast media.
Editor: coordinates material for publication/ writes the editorial.
News Executives/ Managers: publishers, company chairpersons, and other top
executives who are typically removed from the production of the news on an
everyday basis, but who make the ultimate decisions about what to publish or
broadcast and whom to hire, promote, or fire.
News Organizations: organizations that effectively operate a newspaper,
newsmagazine, television network, or wire service (telephone, cable, etc.).
News Agencies: organizations of journalists established to supply news reports to
news organizations (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV). News agencies are also called
wire services, news wires or news services. They are corporations which sell news
(e.g. Reuters: GB/ Agence France Press AFP: France/ Associated Press: US/Tunis
Afrique Press TAP: Tunisia).
Media and Politics: Functions of News Media
The watchdog function is the news media’s main role in the political system.
- Some argue that the news media should be a neutral observer and should
transmit information so that voters may be informed and the government may
be held accountable.
- Others say the news media should be a participant or an advocate in politics,
especially for minority or marginal populations to counterbalance a presumed
deficit of such advocacy on the part of politicians and civic leaders (a kind of
‘fourth estate’ or fourth branch of government). They should, for instance
fight against corruption, abuse of power, and ineffective governance.
- The news media are also described as a forum of expression of diverse views
because the ‘marketplace of ideas’, available to people, needs to be enriched.
- Finally, it is seen as important that the news media be a guardian of public
and personal morals. They should influence public opinion, determine political
 agendas, provide link between government and people, affect socialization
(how to behave and acquire norms and values in relation to family/ schools/
religious organizations, etc.).

Some Famous Quotations:

“The function of the press in society is to inform, but its role is to make
money”

-A.J. Liebling, The Press (1961)-

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“The true enquiry is the developed truth, whose scattered parts are assembled
in the result”
-Karl Marx-
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“We misunderstood the limited nature of news, the illimitable complexity of
society; we overestimate our own endurance, public spirit, and all-around
competence”
-Walter Lippmann, Public Opinion (1922)-