Weekly Current Event

By: Fiona Cornely

You must look through legitimate online media outlets and locate a news article that
relates to the current chapter we are covering. The current event you submit must be a
250+ words summary of the article. It must also include 250+ words answering the
question you will find in the chapter current event instructions. In addition, you will need
to include a critical thinking question about the article. I do not need to see the article,
just insert the http web address that I can click on and it will bring up the article itself .
Any quoted material will not count toward the minimum word required for this
assignment.

Chapter #: 6 - The Media

1. Article Link (Paste full URL to the article):

https://blog.mobilizerecovery.org/the-power-of-social-media-in-making-change/?
gclid=CjwKCAiA7IGcBhA8EiwAFfUDsRO6B1iFfQAWRz76R_b5HtJA6TtS6FRYCee
rA_71DVT20qgTKtIG1RoCcEEQAvD_BwE

2. Current Event Summary (250 + words):

The article talks about the effectiveness and utility of social media in bringing about
social change. This article explains how quickly you can distribute information using
social media and how easy it is to use the different platforms. Social media is a great way
for people to be able to amplify their voices. In the article they view social media in a
positive light due to its ability to mobilize the community. It then continues to explain
how new social media is but how much change it has catalyzed. even though it's only 20
years old. Social media is now an important tool for elevating voices and creating
awareness. Social media is able to reach more and more people. The article talks about
the different methods on social media (like hashtags, tagging, or word usage) that is used
to speed the process of distributing information to the target audience. Following, there
are real life examples of how social media is applied to call upon social change. The
example given was the donation of blood and how tagging, sharing through a Facebook
post, and giving out benefits (tickets to an event) can lead to attraction towards donating
blood. There is a brief mention of social media's downsides but then it continues to
explain that social media can be used to organize political meetings and events. Overall
social media is an important tool that we can use to our advantage in the political space,
giving us the chance to advocate both globally and locally, linking people together all
over for great causes.

3. See related chapter current event instructions for details (250 + words):

Social media has the ability to shape and form the public's perception of events, issues,
and institutions. The media has the ability to gain support both for and against matters.
The media often gives a stance on healthcare, the economy, wars, and elected officials.
The tool of social media has allowed people to voice their opinions, set their stances and
agendas, and shape their image, this is especially applicable to politicians. Media has
played an important role in many historical events like the civil rights movement and the
end of American involvement in the Vietnam War. The media also can influence your
lean toward democratic and republican beliefs. New programs/platforms also usually give
out information through the lens of their political stances/beliefs. The media is able to
shape what Americans think about agenda setting (particular issues and problems) and
selection bias. The media is also able to use framing, priming, and gatekeeping to
influence those opinions. The media being able to use methods like framing (influence
interpretation of events/issues) and priming (making some things more important than
others) help them form opinions in the American people. This is used in politics as well
and news. The media is a tool that is used to voice your opinion, organize interest groups,
provide feedback, and distribute important information. The media is overall one of the
most important tools for influencing public opinion and politics, with its ability to reach
the masses across the world in just seconds, the media has been able to truly shape and
mold the way we see issues/events.

4. Submit a critical thinking question regarding the article (1-2 sentence):

What form/medium do you use when you want to take in political news/information? and
why do you prefer this form/medium?