Media Sensationalism
Sensationalism and the Media
"Give the people what they want." is the motto used by almost every medium to not only justify sensationalist content in the media but a statement to hide behind in order to gain popularity and wealth. As long as ratings are up and papers are selling, the media has no intention of sacrificing their populist material for the elite or greater good for society. According to Howard Kurtz, a reporter from the Washington Post, "Journalism and sensationalism have sadly become merged in the public mind during the media frenzies of the last decade." During the 1990's, scandals of all sorts have become part of the American culture without an end in site.
Why are news events over-sensationalized? The answer to this question is not very simple. Some would attribute sensationalism to the news media, others would attribute it to the public, but the only plausible answer would have to be a combination of both. Corporations own the news media, where the only motivation is to make money. The particular news medium that has the best picture and the best story will in turn get a larger audience which will lead to more money for the owner.
It is believed that the corruption of journalism began in the mid 1960's when corporations began realizing that the news industry was a profitable business opportunity. Large companies began buying newspapers, radio stations, and other media outlets from very private family-owned companies whose news and journalism was strong and truthfully told. Today, almost every medium is owned by a large enterprise that feels secure and upbeat when their stocks prospering and advertisers are content. Due to money-making motivations, almost all celebrity news is a form of advertising that promotes a performer's latest release. News has decreased, responsible and thorough coverage has almost become obsolete, and politics have been avoided. Employees of these media corporations hold the values of...
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