For Better or for Worse: Media’s Hold over the American’s Mind

Drawn by Teresita Blanco

The media has helped shape the American lives in many diverse fashions. Ideally the news media must remain bipartisan in their transmission of the news.  Yet, this is not always the case. It is important to remember that reporters must make a living with their stories. At times the bare truth does not sell properly. Thus, depending on what news sells best to the public is the attention that such an incident receives. In doing so, the media helps shape the American’s public opinion by highlighting what it believes to be of importance. All other events that the media considers insignificant must fall into oblivion.




The media’s influence can be observed in the coverage of the swine flu. During this period, the media made emphasis that the first bearer of the virus had been a pig. Due to the unfortunate name, the selling of pigs seriously plummeted. It got to such extremes that these industries begged the media to rename the virus. Thus, the swine flu was dubbed H1N1. In another instance, the media’s arrogance influenced the public’s opinion regarding foreign powers.  During World War II, the media depicted the foreign Japanese as uncivilized savages. This helped to lower the guards of the Americans and thus the United States was unprepared for the audacious attack at Pearl Harvard.

A similar case can be observed during the McCarthy Period.  During, this period the news media focused on the treats of the communist Soviet Union. The fear of communism in America reached its peak during Cold War. Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy led a nationwide campaign against those whom he believed where communist spies and sympathizers with the Russians. The media’s coverage of his anti-communist crusade served only to put fuel into the American’s hatred toward communism. Thus, the media served only to increment the paranoia toward communism. The media at times serves as a beacon of truth. During the Civil Rights Movement, the media helped raise public awareness of the injustices carried out by the racist South. The cruelty displayed in the images recoded by the media helped the Civil Rights Movement to obtain many followers and sympathizers. Thus, the media served as a tool for carrying out social justice in America.

For better or for worse, the media has shaped American history in numerous ways. Its power to drive the masses into action has triggered both miracles and catastrophes. Despite its many flaws, the media serves an important role in informing the public of the events occurring within and outside the country. The reporter is faced with the harsh decision to either uphold the truth or bend it for his own monetary gains. In doing so the reporter, as the agent of the media, helps shape America’s future.