Sunday, June 15, 2008

The role of the media

The media plans an important role in people’s lives, either by providing actual news, or by portraying realities and even fantasies in movies, dramas, sitcoms and others. Although many reports and news are delivered in a seemingly plain and effective manner many appear to be embellished or built-up to cause a greater impact on the public.
I notice this especially when there is a report on someone who became successful. It is always portrayed as a bigger accomplishment if the person came from an unfavorable background and even more if that person came from a known urban area in great need of improvement. Although it is important to note that there are many success stories from all over the globe, I think that the main point should not be and the person came from an urban area, as if he or she is the only one that could overcome obstacles. I think that in order to diminish and hopefully end assumptions and negative receptiveness to urban areas, the pieces should say another person who succeeded among many doing great things in urban areas. I think that singling out is exactly what the media does best, selling the news and furthering the misconceptions about urban areas. The media is not showing the potential of the areas, rather it is distancing them even more, making them seem worst so that the individual’s accomplishments will appear greater.

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