Free Paper Sample on The Power and Perils of Media in Democracy: Strengthening Values and Confronting Fake News

Democracy is a critical tool for running a government where all citizens' rights are guaranteed and protected. Democracy involves the creation of a government by the people and for the people of a specific nation. The majority of countries in the world practice this kind of democracy where people vote in the governments of their choice. In a democratic government, the freedoms and rights of citizens are protected and practiced. Democracy provides for the right to information regarding various issues, whether government or other organizations (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). As a result, media has taken this opportunity to submit information to the citizens of multiple countries in the form of new. In most developing nations, news from the press is instrumental in society as it can air news to the citizens conveniently and as soon as possible. With the rise in media platforms, fake and genuine news have gotten their way into the citizens' years, affecting democracy differently. Overall, the media news is a vital pillar of democracy as they can take part in destroying or enhancing democracy.

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News plays significant roles in democratic societies through a variety of means. Communities that have access to media news have better democracies as they have access to issues that affect their day-to-day lives. It is appropriate to consider that citizens have a democratic right to access information about their government and other matters. Thus, allowing people to access news through media platforms is instrumental in strengthening democracy and enhancing human rights protection (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). Additionally, the people access a platform to air their issues to the relevant authorities about different topics, which enhances their freedom of speech and expression. A nation or societies that have stable democracies always incorporate media in their activities to ensure and to improve transparency on how issues are run.

The news media in every society influences democracy positively or negatively. Good news may lead to accountability of various organs, companies, governments as well as individuals. The news media acts as the watchdog in most nations, especially those developing where many issues of impunity are recorded from time to time (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). With the presence of media houses that air news, most people who tend to engage in wrongdoings tend to do the right things as they are aware that the media could be watching on them hence being careful not to be exposed by the news broadcasted by the media. Several instances of media exposing shady deals have been aired. As a result, the government authorities responsible for dealing with such activities are activated to respond and as such, accountability is maintained as other people learn from such exposures and are afraid of committing such mistakes as they do not want to get into disputes with organs that are responsible for dealing with the issues.

Through the news, society can raise issues affecting them in terms of democracy and the sharing of public resources, among other issues affecting them. Additionally, the community can air their problems to the relevant government organs to help solve them. Such a process is critical in strengthening democracy as the people are served their freedom of expression (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). Besides, the government is responsible for serving its citizens for their satisfaction. As a result, the government is kept on toes by the citizens through the media to allow it to serve the citizens in a better way. In many instances, the media news has offered citizens a voice and platform to reach their leaders and relevant authorities who can provide solutions to their problems. In the past few days, the media news aired the demonstrations that were taking place in the US, where a corp killed a black American. Such news gets to all parts of the world and sensitizes people on the importance of respecting life guaranteed by democracy.

Media news also plays a critical role in forming responsible governments and leadership. Many governments in different countries have used the media houses through their news broadcast to educate the citizens about the need to establish a responsible government to serve the interests of the citizens. As a result, the people become sensitized, a move that allows them to make informed decisions while voting to get responsible leaders who serve their interests. Voting is a democratic right in democratic nations and societies. Through civic education, some of which takes place through media news, this democratic right is enhanced. Moreover, having a responsible government that serves the citizens' interests is a democratic right of the citizens. Thus, by educating people through the media, democracy is enhanced as the citizens will know that they have a right to be served by their government. As a result, they will always ask to get answers whenever the government fails to meet the expectations of the citizens of specific countries.

However, with the rise in various media platforms where people can even craft their news with unreliable sources, much fake news has found their way to the citizens' ears. Fake news can affect the democracy of society negatively by influencing the moral values of the society wrongly. In such cases, fake news has made people in a community to rise against each other, a move that may lead to bloodshed, loss of life, and destruction of property, among other effects. Democratically, such issues are not allowed. Through the fake media news, such results can be obtained, which tend to paralyze democracy within a country or a smaller society. Such issues have been experienced in several communities and, in other cases, the more massive nation. An example is xenophobia in South Africa, where fake news gets circulated to the society against various people, and the aftermath of such results is paralyzing the democracy (Gordon 2015).

It is integral to note that media is among the most trusted platforms where people receive news. Most media news is reliable, and people tend to believe in the story. Thus, due to the belief that the people have that media airs news trustworthy, they tend to follow what the media says. Thus, the press becomes an influential platform where it can positively or negatively influence the public. Many are the times when the audience is impacted positively by the media, where it can make various people, leaders, and others accountable, a move that affects the public well (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). Media news can also play a role in enhancing public relations, ethics, and values by airing different content and new.

Additionally, issues from the public can get to the relevant authorities for solutions through the media news. However, media news can negatively affect the public by airing fake news and inviting people into harming others where all these cases have been experienced in different nations and societies. The media news can also influence policymaking processes as citizens' views are obtained through the story and reach the policymakers (Toril Aalberg & Curran, 2013). Thus, the politicians may resolve to make individual policies in favor of the citizens, drop others, or modify others depending on the wishes of the public.

Overall, media news plays a critical role in enhancing democracy in countries or societies. Most developing nations have had their media houses play vital roles in addressing various issues hence bettering their freedoms. However, with its ability to strengthen democracy, media news can also destroy democracy by airing fake news to the people where some incite people into offenses. The media news also affects the public differently as well as policymakers to facilitate the development of democracy and the benefits of the citizens of various nations and societies in the world.

References

Gordon, S. (2015). Xenophobia across the class divide: South African attitudes towards foreigners 2003–2012. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 33(4), 494–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2015.1122870

Toril Aalberg, & Curran, J. (2013). How Media Inform Democracy : a Comparative Approach. Routledge.