It is not a secret that the media possesses a great power to influence any event around the world. Whether it is a presidential election, a war or even a natural disaster, the media can either “make or break” a deal among nations or within nations. Todd Gitlin, in “The Media in the Unmaking of the New Left,” explains the great power that the media possesses. Gitlin focuses on the social movement of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the affect that the media had on it.
During the War in Vietnam, members of the SDS were involved in constant demonstrations of anti-war. Through out the war, SDS was always in the spotlight as one of the most eminent social movements. Therefore SDS became of great importance for media coverage. Things got much worse when the spokesperson of SDS, Jerry Rubin, filled with celebrity-like feelings, became a “performer” rather than a representative of the movement’s cause. The media made sure to enlarge such behavior in order to harm the reputation and credibility of SDS.
Today, the media’s role in society is greater and more influential than ever. If societies are aware of the power that media has, how come we still fall in the trap of a manipulated media? Is 24 hours news coverage to blame? Do we really need to listen to this news over and over again (usually from the same point of view) for 24 hours? This is similar to when you listen to the same song many times, until it gets stuck in your head. To me, it is the best “brain-wash” strategy.
M.A.
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