Censorship

A detailed Summary of Censorship

Throughout the history of the United States of America, the Constitution has been repeatedly tested. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the press. The founders of the country originally created the first amendment, in part, to enable colonists to speak out against the British. The press in the eighteenth century was accurate and informative with little competition among journalists. But today in the 21st Century, the circumstances are different and the stakes are higher. As a result of incredibly high competition among journalists today, the information is usually exaggerated and slanderous in order to capture an audience. The media is everywhere you turn. The media can be found in various forms such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio. In the process of capturing ratings, whom is the media hurting more? Is it people who are accused of a crime, such as O.J. Simpson, or is it the American public's stupidity for believing everything they hear. The job of the media should be to find the truth and tell it to the people. The reporters' work ought to be like a pane of glass, flawlessly clear and unspotted, through which the reader might view the important events of the day. T

he media has the power to inform the public, but often the information it receives is distorted. The media has the power, although indirect, to influence people's opinions; it has shaped our view of society and the process by which we choose our leaders, make our rules, and construct our values. The media promotes what it believes is easiest for the public to accept, but in the process it fails to cover the issues appropriately. The media can make us wiser, fuller, and more aware. Unfortunately, the media's tendencies veer more towards clouding the public's judgments, and causing confusion and disillusionment. Therefore, limitations greatly need to be placed upon the United States Constitution in regard to freedom speech and of the press because presently the media is doing more harm than good.

The popularity of Howard Stern has also grown over the years. He constantly speaks out against people who he feels stray from the norm, such as gays and lesbians. In the past, political candidates that Stern endorsed, such as Rudolph Guiliani, has been elected. Despite all this, it is the manner in which Stern presents his views that concerns the FCC. When Stern says something that is totally outrageous, the FCC fines the Infinity Broadcasting Company, which is Stern's employer. In December of 1992, the FCC fined the Infinity Broadcasting Company $600,000 for comments made by Stern. But, in late 1994, the FCC failed to recognize Stern when he talked a man out of suicide.

One attempt to regulate the media came when the Fairness Doctrine was established in 1934. This doctrine was instituted to ensure that publicly owned television and radio stations would not be biased and would not promote their own views. The Federal Communications Council (FCC) was created to enforce this doctrine. In 1987, under the Reagan Administration, the Fairness Doctrine was revoked. The role of the FCC changed, therefore evolving to monitor the decency of materials presented on the radio and television. With the abolishment of the Fairness Doctrine, the window for controversial journalists was opened. Thus, America saw the emergence of two strong willed personalities - Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern.

The power that the media has is derived from its ability to mold the public opinion by presenting exaggerated and biased coverage of events. The media functions as a national judge and jury. It tarnishes the reputations of many people like the McCarthy trials. We live in a capitalist society in which money is our main motive. A journalist today is not concerned with telling the truth on an issue, but what they can say that will sell and make the most money. Nicholas Von Hoffman, a journalist, wrote, "Butchers make sausage. Newspapers make public affairs. Has the hunger driven the media out of control?" George Stephanopoulous says, "It is our job, as the media, to report about what the public wants. If they want to hear about the Menendez brothers, the Bobbits, Tonya and Nancy, Whitewater, or O.J. Simpson, then we'll report about it.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2060
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics