In our homes lie an insidious thing; a thing that can wreak havoc to the conscience and critical thinking of oblivious preys. Most of us may not be aware how powerful it can be that in fact it can dictate trends, generate stereotypes, showcase extreme and bizarre existences in our world, lie, damage, corrupt young minds, be a trigger to a posing war, titillate actions and serve as a raw sign of advancements. The very thing is none other than our television sets, radio, magazines, newspapers and everything that connects, twists and intercepts our connections to the “real outside world” - the media
We’ve never seen a media before that is so powerful like what we are having. Who dictates what issues citizens never have to condone? None other than the media. Prior to everything, if the media screams out a tumultuous event, the people can’t help but abide to the expected actions and reactions by the many. If the media thinks it’s loathsome, cruel and deploys a ridiculous behavior, we cannot expect the majority to be deviant from the expected reactions on it. And if someone is ballsy enough to be defiant from the expected reactions and participations of society triggered by media, what do we call him; an idiot, psychotic and activist? Does everyone have to be under the spell of media that we gullibly swallow everything they are trying to feed us? And if there are some who think what we see in media is wrong, outdated, uncouth and immoral, we call them names like so out of trend, out of his wits, mad, deviant, flaw of a society and a lot more.
Since the rise of technological advancements, media has been the land-post of History. How will we know if an occurring event is historical and so vital if the media is not covering it? No matter how life-altering and momentous an event is, if the media is no longer considering it fresh and worthy for the consumption of minds of people and somehow pocket-bulging, everything tends to become just a history and nothing but a record. For example, does the majority still mulls over the memorable Edsa rallies unless the media will replenish our memory and relive it again? Even if there are minorities who are actually remembering and reliving it without any reminder or coverage from media, still, the majority is just there sitting pretty on their couches waiting to absorb the extracts of such very powerful state.
Granted, the media can dictate to us what we have to think, drive our knowledge of current events, records and history, can they remain objective? Sure thing they can make fallacies that they are but, other than their rivals, who can be courageous enough to question if the majority is clinging to it? Let me cite an example. If the media endorses a politician whom some know from the start has dirty misdeeds, what can we do to stop the public from assuming that what the media implies to everyone about that politician is true? Though there are some who fortunately knew the real deal under that particular politician’s lair, what about those not-so knowledgeable about it? Sure, they can resort to other sources for unpolluted knowledge but other than media, where can they get it? And what about those citizens who have no access to the happenings in our government and society unless the media will plug it to their faces, can they receive nothing but polluted news and ho-hums pre-digested with political and self-interests?
So, the real and important question is, is the media fairly objective? Can they thrive to be objective even if it means going against their untouchables and kings – the big names that created and own them? Let’s ponder on this: If Mr. Eugenio Lopez and his clan created a factual outrage and scandal, will the ABS-CBN broadcast it? What about the station owned by the government, will they broadcast the transgressions lurking under their names? Some might say there is no necessity for them to relay those to the public but come to think of it, why do they always show to the public the wrongdoings, lapse and misdemeanor of others? Why not show those of themselves? Ofcourse it can affect their credibility but what about the credibility of those they are targeting? Wouldn’t it be nice if apart from the kind that we have, we’ll have a developmental media? A media that will not mock other’s behavior, a media that is not too profit oriented, will serve without hidden purpose, doesn’t set too many standards, a media that has no selfish intention to dictate our cultures, fads, trends, morals and mores and most of all, a media that will not make our blood pressures boil.
I just can’t stand hearing news everyday about humans being slaughtered, peso sinking down, leaders butchering each other and a lot more economic tortures to our country. I hope that what we have is a constructive and not a criticizing media that mocks the president; a supposed to be respected persona. If the media is the only medium which some think they can use in getting even with president and reviving our country, can’t “they” atleast show some dignity?
If the media is the only thing that connects us to the highly craved truth, what can we do if the media itself is a big lie and if it easily gives in to the bluffing of greedy, powerful and selfish people? Let’s not allow the media be in control of everything. The divine providence gave us the ability to do a rational and critical thinking so let’s put it to good use.
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