The Media's Role in the Framing of Social Problems
There exists a symbiotic relationship between corporate America and the United States government. This relationship influences the organizational structure of the mass media and thereby greatly impacts the framing of social problems in our society. The mass media serves the interests of the corporate and political elite by presenting only those issues favorable to their objectives and "filtering" out those that are not. To understand how this "filtering" process works, it is necessary to recognize who actually has control of what issues are presented in the mass media and what issues are omitted. Our media is an oligopoly that poses a threat to the very idea of democracy. The general assumption of most people, that the journalists themselves control what we see and hear, is false. Rather, it is the owners of the media, who consist of the corporate and government elite that are in control These two groups are so intertwined, having such a mutual reliance on one another; it is difficult to view them as separate entities. A clear example of this is how William J. Casey, Reagan's CIA director, gained both personally and politically from the Capital Cities/ABC takeover. Casey was both a founder of Capital Cities as well as
The viewpoint of the conservative capitalist is that social problems are the result of human failure and those who fail need to be placed under strict social control because they are unfit to live in society. It is because of this perspective that "victim blaming" takes place. Those viewed by the criminal justice system as inutile are less apt to have the crimes committed against them addressed by the system. Americans have been conditioned to recognize only those situations that are well beyond the principled ideal as "social problems." To be perceived by the public as a "social problem", a condition must be seen as insufferable and extreme. It is this and other themes in American culture that decide which problems are worthy of public sympathy and support. Situations that are not exigent in nature, while they may well be sociological problems are often not considered social problems in the mind of the public. a major political player in the Reagan administration. As a major stockholder of the corporation it is easy to see how he could possibly have used his influence to assure what was broadcast by ABC was favorable to the Reagan administration's political agenda. This example is not unique, rather, it is representative of the normal workings of big business and politics in our country. As fast as problems are brought to light, the concern they generate seems to be able to fade just as quickly. This happens for a variety of reasons. Government may believe that the problem is solved and sometimes this may actually be the case (at least to some extent). Another reason a problem may fade is the dwindling of public support and interest when the amount of time, cost and effort necessary to rectify the situation becomes evident. To protect the interest of these powers, the media systematically "filters" what it presents to the American public. Issues that pose a threat to the interests of those in control are either not presented or presented in such a way that their threat is neutralized. Conservatives have gone as far as to establish "think
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1402
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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