Summary:
The major roles in which media plays in times of disaster and if the media is responsible for transmitting only what is honest and respectable.
During times of disasters, the media often play a major role in informing the public. They are often the first to know the details of a crisis and have the power to choose the information they communicate to the public. However, there is no direct control over the content and form of information transmitted, so does the media have a sense of responsibility and transmit only what is honest and respectable"
The media have certain characteristics that make them advantageous for disaster communication. They are able to provide easy access to large publics through newspapers, the television and the radio. When disasters strike, the media's duty is to inform the public, in doing so they have to adjust to the information needs of the audience. The media are often selective about the information they communicate to the public because their style of reporting has to reflect the audience's preference which often lead to an entertaining and sensational tone of coverage, but can sometimes lead to the distortion of messages.
Viewers are often made to feel empathy and want to make donations to the victims. The media also try to generate support for the ones involved in the tragedy. For instance, after the 9/11 incident and the recent tsunami, horrifying images of dead and decomposing bodies were shown everyday on both the television and newspapers. This is also a good example of how the media use the fact that there is no control over the news content delivered to the public to their advantage. Although generating support for victims of tragedies is a good thing, the media are often accused of doing this insensitively and intrusively. This is because horrifying images of death can be very disturbing for some, especially those who have lost relatives or friends in the disaster.
The media are expected to behave like powerful speaker systems for their coverage which should accurately reflect reality. But the media are often found constructing an own 'media reality', which also leads to them being accused of irresponsibility. The media create these 'media realities' because they usually result in highly emotive stories which generate support for those who are victims. However, when the media do put forward the truth, they are still sometimes said to be too direct and uncaring because the truth itself can sometimes put forward a good story for the media, but which is not necessarily supported by the public. Other times, information is left out because what is important from the perspective of the sources may not be newsworthy from the perspective of the media.
Not only do the media keep the public informed, evoke sympathy and generate support, the media also play a role in catalysing the government. The media have the power to show the public alarming images and upsetting stories. For example, after the tsunami disaster, news coverage made the public very worried and concerned; the government therefore acted quickly by deploying rescue teams at every area possible. This comforted the people and as a result the government gained support from the people of its country; consequently the government would be more successful in its next election.
Overall the media have a variety of roles during times of crisis, but the media do sometimes abuse their authority and use it to get their way; which often results in the media crossing the line and upsetting the public.
This is the complete article, containing 562 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
