Have you ever wondered how powerful the Media is? Its power to influence, its power to create and destroy, a never ending power that even emerged as the "Fourth Estate"?
Has it ever occurred to you an instant that while you are watching a TV program, say a news program, you feel that you are incredibly affected by the issue? The infamous Katrina-Hayden Scandal, The unethical treatment of a guy to a cat, or Tita Cory's death?
Every one of us connected with each of the stories. Every one had an idea of what happened. We thought of it, we talked about it with friends, we sometimes even argued of what we thought of it. It's undeniable how strong the Media, a.k.a Press, is. It's power to set agendas. It's power to affect the most important thing in a country : it's Public Opinion.
I was watching the TV one night. The news was on... it was the heat of the Hayden - Katrina scandal... It immediately caught my attention because, with all honesty, I had a huge crush with Katrina Halili. I pitied her because of what Hayden did... It was disgusting and very unmanly. As the story progresses, I watched every angle, every story, every news that talked about it... I even watched the senate hearing of Hayden's case... the legendary spilling of water to sheep-faced Hayden. Weeks passed, the story became a little flimsy... It eventually got washed out... along with my huge admiration for Katrina.(*sigh)
I was hooked with the story because I was interested with it. My admiration to Katrina served as a bait for me to follow her story. Those that are likely are probably involved in one of the two concepts in the agenda-setting theory. What one may call as Issue Salience. Like me, It is when a person cares about an issue or a story when he/she has a strong interest with it.
The second concept is called Cognitive Priming. It's when you take interest with an issue if you have somewhat a connection with it, an experience with it. A person would take interest with the Team Powerade Philippines standing in the FIBA Asia if he/she plays basketball.
There was this time when few of my friends were talking about this episode of Boys Over Flowers, how "pogi" Jun Pyo is, How cute Jan Di is... and all that cheesy stuff. They asked me about it and I frankly said, "Bakla naman yun si Jun Pyo.." they immediately attacked me like an angry mob. I was like, "what did I say?!", I ran as fast as I could for I know I won't see the next sunrise again if I get caught. For me, I won't have interest with any of those BOF stuffs because I myself do not watch it. That's why I don't like it. I don't have any connection with it. Unlike those ladies who squeal when they see Jun Pyo and his gang (no offense).
It is an unshakable testimony to say that Media has a power that is nearly boundless. Many people try to use this power to inform, but some use them to deceive. This is the hard truth that bad PR does, what we call publicity. As Press has the power to instigate an idea to the large public, bad PR can relay wrong information to as many people as it can get. So everyone must take heed with the information they accept, because every one has a responsibility to inform and be informed. As future Mass Media practitioners, we must always remember what Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker :
"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility".
It Started with a Message, How will you get it? : (Diffusing Information and Innovation)
Gossip : Idle talk about someone’s Private or personal matters, especially someone not present.
How we hated it... How it annoyed us... Yes... Gossiping pissed us all off. It ruined many relationships, no person can be saved from it... Rich or poor, men or women, at any age at all.. we are all susceptible to its destructive force.
An information comes from a reliable friend... She tells her amiga not to tell anyone about this young girl's pregnancy... now this "tsismosa" rallies to her friends and shares the information to all whom she "trusted". Consequently, all those she "trusted" has also friends that they "trusted"... (Well, let's just say that their neighborhood is a place where trust is almost in anyone, but not confidentiality)... after a few days, BOOM.. everyone knew the young girl's mischief... putting her into a lot of shame than she deserved. What's worst is, the story had been twisted and turned a couple of times and people are believing it. Poor girl, and it all started with just a single whistle blower. A single source.
The above story perfectly illustrates how media relays information to the masses. Media serves as the source of the information relayed to the people. Once the information is received by an individual or a set of individuals they, in turn, relay information to other individuals. Like what we do when we talk about the latest episode of a telenovela, the latest news in the country, etc. This then is like a continuous process that makes the information diffused in almost all directions.
Though information is passed on to others, sometimes the information is changed. This is called Innovation. As messages are relayed, each receiver has his/her own understanding of the message's context, so when they pass the message, it has been innovated by their own idea.
This just proves how massive media can go. From a simple message presented, it can go to millions of people. As the technology advances, so as the power of media to influence people, anywhere... anytime.
How would you Respond? : (Social Support)
"Silence means Yes"
You are part of a group that condemns men(male gender), the ones frequently called "man hater". You yourself doesn't completely agree with that idea, but because you are included in a circle of friends that supports that idea, you cannot turn away from them, because you are afraid that they might despise you for disagreeing to their cause, you keep your mouth shut.
It has been a common saying for us that if someone would not react to a situation, he/she automatically agrees with what the majority says. But sometimes, we may be wrong. The Spiral of Silence theory suggests that if someone thinks that her ideas are against those of the majority, she refrains from conveying what she truly feels because of the fear of rejection. Thus, the majority thinks that no one disagrees with them because the minority refuses to open their mouths and talk.
But if people see that their ideas are spreading through the whole group, there is a huge chance that people will take a stand and rally to their cause. They want to express their views because they know that there are people who support them and that they are part of the majority.
Knowing the prowess of media and how it can affect public opinion, when a TV program reports that a large percentage of men are now honest and sincere when it comes to relationships, they may influence the majority to change their ideals and force those who are silent to stand up and speak.
Media can encourage those who are silent and at the same time, challenge the majority's ideals. What's great about media is that people readily believes what is seen, heard or read. That is why it is hard to stop the Press in influencing public opinion. Media has been an efficient tool in shaping what is already believed in or can be an altering tool to change what one believes in. It then depends upon the receiver to do what he think is right, leaving a question to himself, "How do you respond?"
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