Social Movements and the News Media

After a few years of studying media and communications I have come up with the conclusion that money determines the news and stets the agenda. When it comes down to it the big conglomerates and business people who own the media outlets just want to make sure they make money. This means that all these outlets do is broadcast something that people will pay attention to. If it is not a hot button issue to the majority then they are just wasting time and money broadcasting it. 

It is important to have a media to represent all types and interest groups because people need to be heard and be in touch with their own culture and interests. Whether or not it is main stream is up to whether or not it will make money. With the capitolist economy of the United States, something that is not main stream will nto make a wide based media broadcast.  The interests of minorities are sadly not the interests of the majority and for that reason they're not broadcasted main stream.  

Initially the war was almost completely backed by the media and most of America.  As it's drug on the media has lost faith and understanding in the direction we're going with the war and with this the media has set the agenda for the people's opinions.  When the troops discovered that there were no nuclear weapons in Iraq, the media became sceptic of our operations as did the rest of the U.S.  After 9/11 being a patriot was the thing to do but ever since the economy has gone down the media has painted the image that ending the war would end all the tough times people are experiencing now.  

Initially the media mentioned nothing of the Jena conflict.  Local stations reported it but most Caucasian stations did not.  Americans heard about the injustice through the broadcasts of predominantly african american stations.  Although there a lot of protests regarding proposition 8 I feel like the coverage is minimal especially in regards to past similar protests.  It is said that during Vietnam, war protests made the news daily and proposition 8 has definitely not.  

In the case of the civil rights movement I believe that the media was in the long run beneficial.  At first the media portrayed the movement in a bad light but towards the end of the movement the media painted MLK as the face of the movement.  In retrospect the media made Caucasians look ridiculously ignorant but at the time they weren't seen that way which did not benefit minorities.  If you look at it from an outside perspective I believe that the media's broadcast benefited the movement but the media's opinions offered in regards to the movement were less than beneficial.

I think it's a shame that the media has the power to set the agenda because they are basically forming opinions based off the opinion of their organization.  On the other hand it becomes the duty of the media to display integrity and become the voice of the people in regards to certain issues.  I think that the fact that money is so involved with everything especially the media that minorities don't get enough coverage as they need and deserve.  I also think that catering the the majority often portrays minorities unjustly.  As for media's coverage on war.... this is the reason that I don't buy into everything the media puts out there.  The fact that the media is so back and forth in regards to the war hurts its credibility in my opinion.  Personally I am a strong believer in not changing stances or at least admitting to being wrong when changing.  The media on the other hand does not take on this philosophy.