1) How does media influence people’s mind?

By Muhammad Mubashir Farooq

Media plays a key role in the formation of a nation’s ideology.

The ideology, which not only refers to the norms, values, and culture of a nation but also
determines that nation’s destiny, A lot of factors contribute to the revolutionizing of a
nation’s approach. One of them is media, which itself is a broad term. This article will
explain this aspect of media and how media technology has played its part in transforming
any nation’s ideology. A lot of examples and views from different authors have been
discussed to prove this menace.
Humans naturally want to predict the behaviours of others (US Diversity in mass media,
2012). It is inherited that human nature intrigues us to predict and judge others. Normally,
people perceive others on the basis of the information they already have about that group of
people, or they are influenced by external factors. The information they already have, or so-
called internal information, is usually transformed from generation to generation. The stories
(Lok Kahani) that we heard as children from our parents and that our children hear from their
parents form our identity, form our values, and, when combined, form the norms of society.
For example, Aesop's fables, which promote the trait values of honesty, truth, and justice, are
taught by parents everywhere from childhood. Another source of this internal information is
an individual’s own experiences; for instance, if a person is born and raised in a Western
civilised culture, he will most likely consider the cultures of underdeveloped countries
uncivilized and unethical and will insinuate that nation is unethical. There is a lot to talk
about when it comes to the sources of information—specifically, how an individual’s
prediction towards certain aspects of a society affects a nation’s ideology. External stimuli,
which act as catalysts for changing the nation’s mindset, have a more rapid effect than
internal ones. The media is a major player in this regard. The bombardment of knowledge on
a particular section of society in light of their needs changes the mindset of that community.
Media is a powerful tool in manipulating the mindsets of society by imposing its thoughts. In
democratic countries, besides the legislative and judiciary branches, the media is regarded as
a "fourth estate". More than a source of entertainment, mainstream media is a representative
of cultural norms and values in society. Norman Fairclough stated in Media Discourse that
various institutions in power are controlling the media through ideological apparatus. So, the
information a common person in society receives through the mainstream media has already
been selected for a specific path by the capitalists of society. The point here is that
mainstream media lacks objectivity and is totally subjective. For example, the controversial
opinion on the Aurat March in Pakistan could be relevant at this moment. Aurat March refers
to a series of campaigns for the rights of women against sexual violence and their equal
rights. Women stood up all over the world for their rights under the same agenda that is going
on in Pakistan. But the question is: what distinguishes the women's rights movement in
Pakistan from other parts of the world, and who is to blame? The role of the media has been
clearly exposed here. I want to mention two pints here. Firstly, the media plays a role in
changing the mindsets of women who are marching for their rights. As before 2018, no one
seems interested in standing up for their rights. After being inspired by the ideologies of
western culture, Pakistanis willingness to implement those views and norms in their society
made this topic controversial and a social issue in that country. Secondly, for the sake of
ratings, how the media represents the image of this march to make it controversial is totally
abandoned. It's one of the qualities of media that whatever he wants to portray it can.
We are fortunate enough to live in a global village. Let's explore global concerns with this
"freedom of speech" capacity in order to make the world a better place.
Different tools of media were invented for different purposes; for example, social media,
which has been developed for various purposes. Undoubtedly, social media has both positive
and negative effects. But my concern here is what kind of role social media can play from an
ideological perspective. Park (Citation, 2015) argued that young people are more receptive
and react more emotionally to negative political news on Twitter. This is the power of media,
which boosts emotions and targets young people. As an example, in the politically instable
situation in Pakistan, a lot of exaggeration can be seen through social media messages. The
most important thing is that they have the authority to portray whatever image they want
towards their audience.
Another term that has a great influence on the perspective of "changing the ideology" is
'hegemony'. The hegemonic view is a theoretical perspective that argues that media
institutions play a crucial role in shaping and maintaining dominant ideologies and power
relations in society. According to this view, media organisations are not neutral entities but
are instead part of a broader system of power and control.
The concept of hegemony was first developed by Italian Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci,
who argued that the ruling class in capitalist societies maintains its dominance not only
through force but also through the production and dissemination of dominant ideologies that
are accepted by the masses as common sense. In this way, the ruling class is able to maintain
its power without resorting to violence.
According to this perspective, media institutions are not simply neutral conveyors of
information but are instead active agents in shaping the way that people think about the world
around them. It also included the way of framing a particular issue. The new topics, stories,
and vomit of knowledge have already been selected and produced under the capitalist’s
agenda. Authorities gain superpowers and can change people's worldviews through this
mechanism. Unfortunately, misusing the power of the media has badly affected responsible
journalism, which later on forced the analysts to be biased and often tortured by the
capitalists when they failed to produce their desired content. When media outlets published
under a particular agenda, it became the cause of violence in the society.
Even though the media has the power to influence the mindset of people, a nation, or any
particular section of society, when this organization falls into evil hands, it makes the
situation worse than it already is. In order to prevent media institutes and platforms from
spreading selected knowledge that may harm the sovereignty and ideology of any nation, this
menace needs concerned attention. Media is present around us everywhere; every single
individual is not only the audience but also the producer of media messages through
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and whatever platform that person is using. So as a producer, it
is the responsibility of every individual not to pay attention to a particular agenda that is
being spread by the superpowers. And also, not to be one of those people who are eager to
critique the ideology of a nation or state.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-does-media-influence-peoples-mind-muhammad-
mubashir-farooq
Summarize: The media plays a crucial role in influencing national ideologies. It acts as an
external catalyst, rapidly shaping mindsets by bombarding specific sections of society with
knowledge aligned with their needs. In democratic countries, mainstream media represents
cultural norms and values but lacks objectivity. The controversial example of the Aurat
March in Pakistan highlights how media can both transform mindsets and create controversy
for ratings. We live in a global village where media transcends borders, impacting ideologies
across nations. The historical context often overlooked media’s role in nationalism studies,
but recent insights emphasize understanding media’s influence on national identity. Humans
predict and judge others based on internal information (stories passed down through
generations) and external factors (experiences, cultural exposure). Norman Fairclough’s
concept of media discourse reveals how powerful institutions control media content, shaping
public discourse and influencing attitudes.
Vocabulary list:
No Word Pronunciation Category Meaning
1 Destiny /ˈdestəni/ Noun what happens to somebody or what
will happen to them in the future,
especially things that they cannot
change or avoid
2 Menace /ˈmenəs/ Noun a person or thing that causes, or may
cause, serious damage, harm or
danger
3 Inherit /ɪnˈherɪt/ Verb to receive money, property, etc. from
somebody when they die
4 Intrigue /ɪnˈtriːɡ/ Verb to make somebody very interested
and want to know more about
something
5 Fable /ˈfeɪbl/ Noun a traditional short story that teaches a
moral lesson, especially one with
animals as characters; these stories
 considered as a group
6 Justice /ˈdʒʌstɪs/ Noun the quality of being fair or
reasonable
7 Insinuate /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ Verb to succeed in gaining somebody’s
respect, trust, etc. so that you can use
the situation to your own advantage
8 manipulate /məˈnɪpjuleɪt/ Verb to control or influence
somebody/something, often in a
dishonest way so that they do not
realize it
9 Legislative /ˈledʒɪslətɪv/ Adj connected with the act of making and
passing laws
10 judiciary /dʒuˈdɪʃəri/ Noun the judges of a country or a state,
when they are considered as a group
11 Apparatus /ˌæpəˈreɪtəs/ Noun the structure of a system or an
organization, particularly that of a
political party or a government
12 Capitalist /ˈkæpɪtəlɪst/ Noun based on the principles of capitalism
13 portray /pɔːˈtreɪ/ verb to show somebody/something in a
picture; to describe
somebody/something in a piece of
writing
14 Capacity /kəˈpæsəti/ noun the ability to understand or to do
something
15 Receptive /rɪˈseptɪv/ Adj willing to listen to or to accept new
ideas or suggestions
16 Exaggeration /ɪɡˌzædʒəˈreɪʃn/ Noun a statement or description that makes
something seem larger, better, worse
or more important than it really is;
the act of making a statement like
this
17 Hegemony /hɪˈdʒeməni/ noun control by one country, organization,
etc. over other countries, etc. within
a particular group
18 Ruling /ˈruːlɪŋ/ noun an official decision made by
somebody in a position of authority,
especially a judge
19 Dissemination /dɪˌsemɪˈneɪʃn/ noun the act of spreading information or
knowledge so that it reaches many
people
20 Agenda /əˈdʒendə/ noun a plan of things to be done, or
problems to be addressed
2) TV News can’t sidestep turbulence as election approaches
By John Koblin
ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN all face questions about their future, just as one of the toughest
journalistic assignments looms.
Television news may have never been this unsettled six months before a presidential election.
ABC News is in the throes of change, after its president announced on Sunday night that she
was leaving. The parent company of CBS is in the midst of a sale process, which could leave
the news staff with a new owner. NBC is just weeks removed from an on-air revolt in which
prominent anchors questioned leadership. CNN employees are still settling in with a new
chief executive, who is promising a different direction.
Much of the challenge for television news divisions is, at its core, how to navigate a fast-
evolving business. Evening newscasts, prime-time cable shows and morning programs
continue to draw large audiences, but their viewership is growing older and steadily
declining.
Instead, viewers are flocking to less lucrative streaming services, leaving the parent
companies of the networks less sure-footed. The networks are trying to invest in that future
— building out streaming hubs and hiring on-air talent and producers for their digital
channels — all while keeping a close eye on traditional television, still a profitable business
that helps fund those investments.
And all of this is happening as news organizations face one of the trickiest journalistic
assignments: an especially divisive presidential race.
“At a time when television news organizations face one of their most important challenges
and responsibilities in covering a national election, they’re also facing significant internal
challenges,” said Andrew Heyward, a former president of CBS News who now works with a
group of M.I.T. researchers studying the future of news. “The last thing they need is internal
disarray.”
Many people in the industry say the news organizations still have plenty of resources and
experience to ably cover major news events in the coming months and years. Mr. Heyward
likened the teams at TV news stations that cover presidential elections to “a well-oiled
machine.”
Yet in recent months, there have been numerous distress signals.
Layoffs have been rampant at print, radio and television news organizations throughout the
country for over a year. A Gallup poll found that the level of trust in the news media tied a
record low last year, over the half-century that the question has been asked.
CNN has gone through several leadership changes since 2021, and its viewership is down
considerably from just a few years ago. CNN’s current chief executive, Mark Thompson, has
acknowledged that the network is confronting an “existential question,” and that the company
is exploring a new digital strategy.
The president of ABC News, Kim Godwin, the first Black woman to run a broadcast news
division, had a difficult run in the position from nearly the get-go. ABC’s parent, the Walt
Disney Company, tapped her from CBS in 2021 to help smooth over a culture that was
rocked by some internal strife, including an episode in which an executive was let go after
being accused of making racist remarks.
The headaches piled up fast for Ms. Godwin. Employees questioned her leadership style after
a few high-profile departures and the ouster of several senior executives, including those
involved with news gathering and talent relations. Her hands-off approach also rankled many.
In 2022, after it was publicly revealed that the “GMA3” anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy
Robach were romantically involved, Ms. Godwin initially kept the two on the air. It took her
several days to reverse course, after the relationship had set off a wild tabloid spectacle. The
pair left the network nearly two months later.
The network’s “Good Morning America” has had ratings trouble. Its top rival, NBC’s
“Today,” has notched ratings wins in a key metric — adults under the age of 54 — for many
months, and even “CBS Mornings” has bested “G.M.A.” several times over the last five
months, a highly unusual development.
The corporate calculus also shifted for Ms. Godwin — and is reflective of the increasing
pressure on traditional media companies. The Disney executive who hired her, Peter Rice,
was fired a year after her arrival. Months later, the person who pushed out Mr. Rice, the
Disney chief executive Bob Chapek, was let go by the company’s board.
Little more than a year after she was hired, Ms. Godwin had two new bosses: Robert A. Iger,
Disney’s current chief executive, and Dana Walden, a co-chairman of Disney Entertainment,
who succeeded Mr. Rice.
With growing concerns over Ms. Godwin’s performance, she would soon have a third new
boss: Debra OConnell, a nearly three-decade Disney veteran who effectively took over
responsibility for ABC News in February.
Ms. Godwin signed a contract extension and retained her title, but the arrangement lasted
only a few months. In a note to employees on Sunday night, she said she was leaving
broadcast journalism altogether and departing the network “and this profession with the
sincerest sense of pride, accomplishment and gratitude.”
Ms. OConnell said she would oversee the news division “for the time being,” a suggestion
that someone will eventually be tapped to run ABC News day to day.
Ms. OConnell has plenty of experience in sales, marketing and distribution, but little
experience as a journalist. Her appointment was in keeping with how media executives seem
to be handling leadership positions at their news divisions, which in recent decades normal
Wendy McMahon, the chief executive of CBS News, has a background in local television.
Cesar Conde, the chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, has limited journalism
experience and was tapped after a successful run at Telemundo. ly went to people who had
spent years working as news producers.
In March, Mr. Conde and several of his top lieutenants in the news division confronted a
withering internal backlash after they hired Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the
Republican National Committee, as an on-air contributor. She was let go within days, and
Mr. Conde took responsibility for the hiring.
But Mr. Conde had been hired for his acumen as a businessman, like many others as all these
companies navigate a rapidly changing business model.
“Your core product, on which you’ve built your business, the linear newscast, has little or no
relevance to the next generation of news consumer,” Mr. Heyward, the former CBS News
president, said. “All of these companies have to reinvent themselves on the fly, which is a
difficult thing to do.”
TV News Can’t Sidestep Turbulence as Election Approaches - The New York Times
(nytimes.com)
Summarize: Television news organizations are navigating a turbulent landscape six months
before the presidential election. ABC News is undergoing significant changes, with its
president leaving. CBS’s parent company is in the midst of a sale process, potentially
impacting the news staff. NBC recently faced an on-air revolt, and CNN is adjusting to a new
chief executive. The core challenge lies in adapting to a fast-evolving business model. While
traditional evening newscasts and cable shows still draw audiences, viewership is aging, and
people are turning to streaming services. Networks must invest in digital platforms while
maintaining traditional TV profitability. All this occurs as news organizations tackle the
tricky task of covering an especially divisive presidential race.
Vocabulary list:
No Word Pronunciation Category Meaning
1 sidestep /ˈsaɪdstep/ Verb to avoid answering a question or
dealing with a problem
2 turbulence /ˈtɜːbjələns/ Noun a situation in which there is a lot of
sudden change, trouble, argument and
sometimes violence
3 loom /luːm/ noun a machine for making cloth by crossing
threads over and under other threads
that go in a different direction
4 throes /θrəʊz/ Noun violent pains, especially at the moment
of death
5 midst /mɪdst/ noun the middle part of something
6 Prime time /ˈpraɪm taɪm/ noun the time when the greatest number of
people are watching television or
listening to the radio
7 flock /flɒk/ Verb to go or gather together somewhere in
large numbers
8 Lucrative /ˈluːkrətɪv/ Adj producing a large amount of money;
making a large profit
9 hub /hʌb/ noun the central and most important part of a
particular place or activity
10 disarray /ˌdɪsəˈreɪ/ noun a lack of order or organization in a
situation or a place
11 ably /ˈeɪbli/ Adv well and with skill
12 Distress /dɪˈstres/ noun a feeling of great worry or
unhappiness; great mental pain
13 Layoff /ˈleɪ ɒf/ noun a period of time when somebody is not
working or not doing something that
they normally do regularly
14 Rampant /ˈræmpənt/ Adj existing or spreading everywhere in a
way that cannot be controlled
15 Confront /kənˈfrʌnt/ verb to appear and need to be dealt with by
somebody
16 Strife /straɪf/ noun anger or violence between two people
 or groups of people who disagree
17 Racist /ˈreɪsɪst/ noun having the belief that some races of
people are better than others or having
general beliefs about other people
based only on their race; showing this
through violent or unfair treatment of
people of other races
18 Hands-off /ˌhændz ˈɒf/ Adj dealing with people or a situation by
not becoming involved and by allowing
people to do what they want to
19 Tabloid /ˈtæblɔɪd/ Adj newspapers have small pages and short
articles with a lot of pictures and
stories about famous people, and are
often thought of as less serious than
other newspapers
20 Notch /nɒtʃ/ Noun a level on a scale, often marking
quality or achievement