Op-Ed: The Power of the Media

In this time where information is very crucial, when the people need to be warned about the pandemic, human rights abuses, electoral fraud, political maneuvering, or other things that is happening in the near East or the Arab world, the power of the media has been evident, especially now that technology has allowed us to share our thoughts in more platforms to broadcast, blog, and react to certain issues.

And as we watch and listen, read and like on social media, retweet or go on live, we are exposed to content whether it was about Trump or some form of entertainment, and these content actually influence us more than we actually know. Most of the time, we have no choice which content to consume, because artificial intelligence do it for us. Media, therefore, can help influence public opinion by arousing emotions from viewers without us fully realizing it. Media's power, in fact, cannot be ignored or underestimated.

By analyzing how influence works, it is important to note that the media is a multibillion business. Social media creators do content to earn some cash, and news outlets deliver the news for the TV ratings to get money from advertisers. The media is controlled by commerce, because everything has a business side.

That said, communication plays a vital role in trying to understand how the media actually help elect corrupt politicians, promote the consumption of unhealthy products, turn a blind eye on human rights abuses, protect the media company's business, or simply believe biased opinion made in a subtle way.

As disinformation is rampant today, the coronavirus pandemic being peddled around without knowing the facts is the perfect example of how communication can defeat its own purpose. Information is sometimes consumed without critical thinking, and this what makes the media more dangerous. 

Great power comes with responsibility, as Spiderman once said. But corporate interests and the interplay of marketing make it very hard for the media to fully assert what must be said, and as viewers we have to be warned and be aware.

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The opinion is sponsored by Shakey's.