Why does the broadcast media misinform us?

Answer 1

People believe that everything that the media reports is the truth because they have seen it. People will tend to believe if they have seen it. Thus, the media shows what they have reported. Some of it were exaggerated. But, people will believe in it because they have seen it.

In the distant past, when an event was reported, there were actual facts to back it up. Now, I believe that people are conditioned to believe, not because of fact, but because a certain person, who becomes a familiar voice, or face, has reported it. That voice, or face, we assume would not lie. So it becomes news, that we believe is the truth.

Most of the people believe media reports because people are under the impression that Media as a whole is un-biased and bring out the truth in most of the events. In this context there is a old saying that 'with out fire there will not be any smoke'.

Answer 2

Actually, the broadcast media do not always misinform, and sometimes, when they do get it wrong, it's not intentional. That said, there are certainly stations and hosts who do manipulate the truth or make outrageous statements, but they are not the majority. Most radio and TV news reporters are professionals, and they make an honest effort to get the story; they take their job very seriously and try to be both accurate and informative. As for why the media misinform, there are a number of factors.

One is ratings: radio and TV live and die by how many people are in the audience, and some stations rely on controversy, rumor, innuendo, and scandal to boost their ratings. Or they report a relatively ordinary story (like the weather) as if there is a crisis, because that makes it seem more urgent and attracts more people. Another factor is the rise of the internet-- years ago, it was just as important to get the story right as it was to get it first. But in our internet world, there is pressure to be first, and broadcast media feel they must compete. This means sometimes stations will cut corners, and stories get reported before they have been fully fact-checked. And finally, inexperience is a factor-- many media owners have cut staff to save money and boost profits, and they hired young and inexperienced people to report the news. Many of these new reporters look good, try hard and make a sincere effort, but they lack the news judgment and the experience, so sometimes, they make mistakes. (In fairness, in the heat of the moment during a major news story, even experienced journalists can sometimes get things wrong.)

But to sum up, the majority of the time, the media are doing a respectable job, despite shrinking news budgets, pressure from owners who want higher ratings no matter what, and a deeply polarized public that often wants the story told in a way that confirms their beliefs rather than in a way that is factual. My advice, as someone who teaches Media Criticism and Analysis, is use a number of stations, and read a number of publications-- don't just rely on one perspective from one network or one talk show host; visit the fact-checking websites (factcheck.org and politifact.com are two of the better ones), and learn to differentiate spin and partisan opinion from actual, verifiable facts; be skeptical but not cynical-- not every story is false, and not every newscast is filled with misinformation. In fact, many are quite reliable, and they deserve our appreciation for trying to keep us informed.

Answer 3

I'm not sure that's an accurate assertion. Years ago, when there were only a handful of choices for news, the public tended to trust news anchors like Walter Cronkite or Douglas Edwards, who were perceived as objective authorities. But these days, that is no longer the case. There are many more stations, not all of which are dedicated to being objective-- that especially includes partisan voices that give the news in a biased way (whether right-wing like certain Fox News programs or left-wing like certain programs on MSNBC). People can now choose the kind of news broadcast that fits their preconceived ideas, and they tend to distrust or ignore any other perspectives.

Many Americans believe (incorrectly) that the media are liberal, because they have heard that claim over and over. Other people believe the media focus too much on gossip and the activities of celebrities, rather than investigating what America's most powerful corporations are doing. That is why, in such a polarized time in our history, there are a lot more skeptics, people who tend to believe the media represent the sponsors and powerful elites more than they represent objectivity or truth. That is also why programs like Jon Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's, which make fun of the foibles of politicians and skewer some of the partisan myths about current events, have become so popular. So, while it is true that some people still do believe what the media tell them (especially partisans who intentionally choose the programs that tell them what they want to hear), I would say that many people no longer are as trusting as they used to be.