The National Media plays a number of roles for the federal government.
Among these are Gatekeeper, Scorekeeper, and Watchdog.
Gatekeeper:
Source: Fox News Author:
Associated Press Date: March
31, 2014
As gatekeeper, the media decides what events will be highlighted as
national issues and how long these issues will stay active. In this case, the
media decided that this issue was a huge deal—so much so that it is still in
the news a year later. This article is about an exhibit to commemorate the
Boston Marathon bombings from last April and shows just how long the media can
keep a story going. The event took place on April 15, 2013 and was in the news
for weeks after. Now, as the one year anniversary approaches, the bombings are
being highlighted by the media again, this time focusing on the recovery that
the city and the country are still working to achieve. The article starts by
saying, “After the twin bombings at the Boston Marathon last April, mourners
began leaving thousands of items at a makeshift memorial near the finish line
to honor the victims of the attacks.” It goes on to say that these items are
being made into an exhibit titles “Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon
Memorial,” available for the public to view from April 7 to May 11. Since the
bombings, Kevin Brown, a Brockton resident, has made the two-hour trek every
day for a month to help maintain the memorabilia.
Scorekeeper:
Source: CBS News Author:
Jake Miller Date: March 30, 2014
As scorekeeper, it is the media’s job to keep the public informed about
current political candidates and their standings, even with the next national
election more than two years away. A few months ago, Chris Christie, Governor
of New Jersey, was under fire for his alleged involvement in a scandal
involving a shut down bridge and a lot of New Jersey traffic. Chris Christie
and Jeb Bush are both favorites for the 2016 election, though neither has
officially decided to run for the election in 2016. If they do they will be
competing for the same spot and many of the same voters. Because of the
scandal, Christie’s reputation has been “tarnished by months of critical
headlines about the George Washington Bridge traffic scandal in New Jersey,” and
Bush looks like the better candidate.
Watchdog:
Source: CNN Author: Jim
Acosta Date: March 31, 2014
As watchdog, it is the media’s job to expose scandals and problems
within our government. They have done just that as the process of enrollment in
Obamacare has taken place. The deadline is quickly approaching, and even though
“White House officials are sounding optimistic about the final day of
enrollment in Obamacare,” there have still been glitches with the system
as citizens continue to enroll. The goal for enrollment was seven million
people, and at the last count the numbers had reached six million. Even if
enrollees are not able to get through before the deadline, they encouraged to
keep trying because those who are still “in line” when the deadline approaches
will be given a few extra days.
So, is the Media’s power
equivalent to a fourth branch of government?
Yes, I believe it is. Americans today are increasingly ignorant. They
will believe most of what they hear on the news, especially if it is coming
from a source they generally agree with. This ignorance only gives the media
more power. The media is omnipresent. It invades our lives by taking over our
televisions, computers, and radio. It makes me look forward to my summers and
weekends spent camping in the woods. However, as much as I’d like to get rid of
it for good, I know that we wouldn’t be able to survive without it. We have
become so dependent on instant information that some people would go crazy
without being able to know what is going on in the world 24/7. In short, while
the media might not act the government we think of, they definitely have just
as much power as a branch of government. Maybe even more.
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