How the Mass Media can psycho you in no time!
Look at the movies below. What do you think of them?
Such you-are-gonna-be-dead movies are pretty much the “in-thing” in our cinemas these days isn’t it?
Look at the list of words below:
Coral Reefs
Al Nino
Natural Disasters
Rainforest
Pollution
Glacial Melting
Air Quality
These are the phrases that can be found in a typical environmental site. Alas! One glance at the list of words, and out I escape from the site. I have heard and learnt enough of these in school, to see them at home again.
I think news of how global warming is to impact our life is now cliched. I hear it so frequently that it scares me. Yes, I am concerned of its impacts and how my grandchildren and myself might face the tragic effects of global warming. But hearing the word “global warming’ resonating in my head is clearly not working. Google “global warming” and you will find yourself gaping at 30 million sites to savour. Yeah you got me right- 30 million. The media has spent so much attention on educating us on the effects of global warming throughout all these years. Such influences are called Cultivation Theory (by George Gerbner).
There are 2 outcome of people from such media cultivation.
- One is environmental activists who volunteer enthusiastically to rally the public support to be environmentally conscious
As shown on the papers today, which can be found HERE, activisits worldwide staged events to rally public support for being environmentally friendly.
Other activists’ activities includes..
An activist who wants to remind others the impact of Global Warming
2. The other outcome of people are individuals like me who feel that the news of global warming is exaggerated, and are jaded by it.
As shown from a poll earlier this year from this site, a record-high 41% of Americans today feel that the seriousness of global warming is over-exaggerated. This represents the public skepticism on the media reportings on global warming.
But despite differing outcome of attitudes towards global warming, the message is finally embedded in our heads- that we ought to be environtmentally friendly to save the earth!!
So how did the media ever allow that message to ever sink in our head?
This is done with the media communication theory known as Agenda Setting Function
The intense and massive coverage of the impact of global warming such as how our biodiversity is shrinking, the further death of endangered species, or the rapid melting of the glacials, are certainly making us feel guilty for our environmentally unfriendly behavior. Increasing our consciousness on our carbon footstep, a.k.a knowing the impact of how many penguins are to die on behalf of the tons of paper you waste daily, shows the success of the message transmission from the media.
Like any other news, such tragic impact of global warming is supported with images to haunt your memories:
Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
The 2009 Victorian Bushfire in Australia
I hope the message that I am trying to convey is sinking in deeper into you now! Will you be more environmentally friendly from this moment on?
If that’s so, my Agenda Setting Function is probably starting to work on you! 
But don’t be a victim of the media!
P.S this is my last entry in this blog!! Thanks so much for the support you gave me during my brain-blurping moments in the past few weeks! And would you do me one last favour? Do help me comment your BEST for this entry! Thanks!!
- http://kellyschoolwork.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/87 | Small Info pingbacked on 2 years, 4 months ago
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Comments
who is to say that the effects of global warming is overly exaggerated? afterall, if professionals are able to provide the images and data to support their case, there has to be a certain level of credibility in their news right? yes they may over estimate data, just think of the data which they are not able to acquire due to several reasons such as politics or geography and you get a rough explanation for the over-estimation. however, it is true that the media aims to influence the viewers through the cultivation method.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
i do agree that sometimes medias do over exaggerate the facts to make the issue more important. Even though this is lying to the audiences but it does create a sense of urgency that our world will perish if we just leave it as it is right now. but still, how much media has influenced the audiences still depends on their perception.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago-
i do agree with this point.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
it’s true sometimes the media exaggerate certain issues but whether the audience want to believe it or not depends on the invidual way of accepting the matter & how he/she analyses the matter
what matters most is the audience read up other sources & gain info. from other sources/views too.this may prevent incredibility of the issue that is brought across:))
I don’t think the reporting of how global warming will affect our lives, is clinched and overly exaggerated. Whatever that is covered in the media are true and backed by solid evidence. This is the truth and it should be shown over and over again until people finally get the message that they need to do something or there will be dire consequences.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
There is alot of emphasis on the environment. Sometimes, I do think back and feel the weather is getting worse and the heat is getting higher. Probably people do not notice the changes as they live their lives an aircon rooms and places that seemed to be environmently suited for the person to live thus, the ignorance. The end of the world images are generated by religous beliefs. The end is near. Then again, public awareness is also useful to influence the public of environmental issues. If you are exposed to something,it is more likely that you will think of it and some reflection.
Some people would like the world to burn, ignoring the signs. Living their comfortable lives.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
There are definately two camps, and both sides include scientists. One group claims that global warming will eventually destroy the planet, while the other asserts that the rise in temperatures worldwide is just a normal cycle of warming and cooling that has been occurring since the Ice Age.
Sometimes its hard to know who to believe; after all, both sides have experts presenting evidence to support their statement. If the mass media gave more exposure to scientists who believe that global warming is exaggerated, rather than interviewing someone who supports global warming every time a natural disaster occurs, would we then believe global warming to be a myth propagated by zealots?
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
Impressive post on how media can influence society’s awareness on the changing climate. Indeed it is a pity that people nowadays are forgetting that we all live in a single planet that is very fragile and vulnerable to change, though the effects are only visible in years after the cause. The mass media has a part to play, but unfortunately it has been influenced by politics and business. Which government in the past would want to switch to a cleaner solution when big corporations and multinational companies can bring in wealth, jobs and technology to the country. Business would not turn to cleaner solutions as its not cheap as the demand for such is not high.
The only solution to all these bad influences is to boy-cott the corporations and people who do not care about the environment. This will in turn allow them to re-think to switch to alternatives which are environmentally friendly.
However of all source of “change”, everything should start in the home, where the family practices good teachings on how to protect and treasure a home which is a home to all.
There is a saying “If you back a cat against a corner, it will defend itself”. As man is facing such a crisis and being more aware, many activists are taking the action and turning against people of such as mentioned above. So have you done yours? Or has the education system done its part to encourage others?
Good post, and I recommend that good feedback be sent to this person.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
i agree with your views. the media has indeed exaggerated the issue abit further but that is probably because not enough actions have been taken to address this problem. in this modern era where natural resources are depleting at an even greater pace, the negative impacts shall only be lessened if and only if everyone plays their part. global warming or environmental issue affects everyone in this universe, and yet not all regard this as one of their priorities.
man is forgetful, man is selfish. the media act as a reminder to everyone that we should protect our own world in order not to face dire consequences in the future.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
Global warming is definitely becoming an increasingly important issue. With the effects of global warming and other environmental issues becoming more and more obvious, it is important for the public to know of its consequences. Therefore using media to show tell such its effects are one of the most effective ways to get public attention, showing how effects like global warming may affect our future earth and lifestyles is a good idea. However the problem with media is that they tend to over exaggerate too much. If the media over exaggerates it, people may choose not to believe it thinking that ‘it’s only a story plot’, ‘it will never happen’, ‘it’s too farfetched’.
On the other hand, it is still important to constantly remind the public of the consequences one may face if one does not take up any action to curb such problems. As the saying goes ‘you reap what you sow’ if man chose not take care of the earth and let such problems continue, they can only face the future consequences later on.
Therefore on the overall, I feel that it is still important for media’s intervention so that one is constantly reminded of the problems earth is facing right now.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
In democratic societies, power is gained through influence and demagoguery, thus it comes to no surprise the the press is the fourth estate. And its not just the green movement doing it. You have animal rights, gay rights, women’s rights, civil rights groups all pushing their social agendas through the same platform. Because if they can enthrall the electorate, they can control the government.
Since the majority of the electorate is made up of those in the working class, who tend not to be experts or intelligentsia, less emphasis would be placed on research rigour, and more emphasis would be placed on sensationalism. Also, television and the big screen would be the preferred method of dissemination, since most in the working classes choose not to read.
The state of affairs today is such that all media outlets are somewhat partisan. I have not come across a news channel that is truely unbiased. And this will persist as long as man is unenlightened, succumbing to mob rule and emotional manipulation. The intentions of these movements/rights groups may be noble, but their methods are dubious.
I do not think that the mass media can be changed directly, because after all, what it does caters to its subcribers; it is profit seeking. The masses will have to change first, then the media will follow suit.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
nice post. Well,it’s true that environmental issues are becoming important to us,especially when we are facing the impacts of it now. So,in this case, i feel that media cultivation is necessary. At least it allows people to realise how much ‘work’ we need to do to help conserve the environment. Without the mass media publicizing all these, i doubt more people will bother to care for the world they live in. Sometimes,we just need a reminder or so,even if this means reminders coming as forms of exaggeration.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
The effects of global warming are severe and therefore harm the biological cycle as well as us. These harmful outcomes of global warming are now seen clearly by many people due to the fact that the ice caps of the North Poles and the South Poles are melting. It not only endangered the Polar Bears and the Penguins, the drastic destruction of severe flooding in certain countries is also something that we should overlook. A very good example will be the Asian Tsunami.
Even though there are many life examples that reflected the harmful causes of global warming, many people still do not learn their lessons. True enough, it is very difficult in the modern days given that as technology advances to suit the wants and needs of the people, the environment deteriorates gradually. Indeed, once the harm is done, it is difficult to reverse it.
What we can do now is to try our best to be more environmental friendly through simple tasks like cutting down the use of plastic bags and recycle our read newspaper.
| Posted 2 years, 3 months ago
The fact that our Earth can no longer be restored to its pristine condition is a sad one.
With the very fuels that fueled industrialization and modernization of our economy both financially and socially, we have harmed our environment. As such, we need to be reminded of this irony that many of us have failed to notice or chose to ignore as we get lured into the profit driven market. It is of course, tough, and expensive to cultivate environmentally friendly methods of production for corporations but one has to take note that the long term benefits would be priceless. Media bombardment of our weakening mother nature is then necessary. Images of ice caps melting, polar bears drowning, sea levels rising, ultimately destroying the very place we call home and the sole reason people are working hard for. This serves as a painful reminder that the consequences would be dire if not precautions are taken. That one’s hardwork, would ultimately go to waste in building an empire submerged in salt water.
Taking your definition of ‘media’ as the print and broadcast reporting, I personally feel that the media has not sensationalized the issue. Rather, it should be the entertainment industry which should not fall under ‘media’ but rather, ‘entertainment’.
The entertainment industry sensationalize, dramatize; we all know, bad news sells.
| Posted 2 years, 4 months ago