Journalism and Social Media, Essay Sample for Your High Grades

Recent years have seen social media become a significant force that shapes the way human beings view the world. Hard-hitting journalism such as entertainment and networking has become a part of normal life within the digital sphere. It has revolutionized the way people interact, view news, learn, engage in politics, and even run businesses. Leaders of thought now use the web as a platform for creating a splash, airing their thoughts n certain aspects, and influencing other people. Moreover, the power of social media has provided both individuals and organizations the ability and the power to reach perplexing numbers of individuals, an opportunity that was not available with previous traditional channels. As such, failure to leverage social media has its implications on both social, cultural, and political aspects of society.

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In the modern times, over 50% of people receive breaking news from the internet rather than watching, reading, or listening to it on traditional platforms. Even traditional media reporters themselves use sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to research stories. Regular readers of newspapers normally use a mobile phone or a computer to access the digital version of the paper.

Politicians engage in certain type of journalism where they use social media to inspire multitudes to vote for a specific party or individual during campaigns, by increasing the audiences' political awareness. Young people aged between 18 and 35 have the highest probability of engaging in political activity on social networking sites. Such individuals are well informed and are more likely to attend political rallies or contact political representatives than people who are not engaged in social media platforms.

The cultural aspect of journalism occurs in its ability to bring people close through friendships and other relationships. More than 90% of users of social media use the platform to keep in touch with their friends and families whom they do not interact with often. This trend is quite efficient when students in a school intend to mingle more and know one another better.

4- Demonstrate understanding of freedom of press and censorship.

Censorship of the press refers to the act of controlling existing communications through interventions in dissemination of information. It either distorts or deprives people of information, creating a darkness that engenders corruption, confusion, and a platform for abuse of power. The twentieth and twenty first centuries witnessed the emergence of new forms of media such as film, television, radio, and social media. These became subject to suppression of the free will to express opinions and report vents as they occurred. The cause of censorship in media is mainly to control cultural, political, and intellectual control in countries as well as prohibit the cross-border transfer of ideas and information. On the contrary, freedom of the press opens borders for exchange of information between countries and sometimes politicians use these media platforms' reports on foreign culture and occurrences to distract citizens from focusing on domestic political issues. Journalism is a pillar of nations, with newspapers and digital platforms being the parliament of the people as they give free and flowing information that is essential to growing and sustaining a civilized economy. The freedom of the press can be sustained by a pro-people government that ensures true information reaches the citizens. A monitoring body should exist to see that the press does not misuse this freedom by publishing distorted and fictive information that can harm people and institutions, thereby distorting the freedom of the press.