Free Essay Sample on Media and Violence

Media can be defined as an instrument or tool used to communicate or convey information. Examples of different media include electronic media, digital media, advertisement media, and multimedia. Electronic media conveys information by an electronic channel. On the other hand, digital media receives and sends the information through electronic media. Conversely, multimedia involves numerous and diverse methods of media are combined and advertisement media where different media are used to send different messages concerning the purchase, sales, and placement of goods and services. Media as a tool for communication has evolved numerously, in the beginning when we were primitive beings we used fire as a media. Smoke would be used to communicate various messages depending on the size and the shape the sender formed, we have come a long way from that. Violence is brutality or aggression against someone, in many instances it can be viewed as a sign of aggression. Media is a very effective tool for conveying information, and though this is an advantage, it can also serve as a disadvantage. Much caution and thought is needed when communicating to prevent miscommunication or sending too explicit message hence offending the receiver of the message. There are various ways that media can cause violence.

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The first factor in support of this argument is miscommunication and cyber bullying; miscommunication leads to delivery of distorted information which in return effects agitation and confusion. For instance during an election after tallying all the votes, incorrect results details may be announced on TV which in return can cause riots in the streets. On matters concerning sensitive information, it is always important to countercheck and edit the information before being delivered or sent. In some cases, such messages can amount to the lawsuit due to damages incurred. This rarely happens due to the existence of a number of editorial processes that align the information to the intended message hence preventing such misunderstanding. According to Quigg (102), in the twenty-first century cyberbullying has increased alarmingly due to the introduction of more advanced and cheap phones. This is a vice commonly applied by young people especially young people in school. Continuous bullying by peers can cause a person to snap and act violently. There have been many cases in the US where a student is constantly bullied until one day he decides to take matters into his own hands. They buy guns walk into their peer classes when they are on break and spray them up with bullets. The Federal government introduced a few laws that allow monitoring of such issues and someone can easily be jailed for such. Therapy can also be offered to reduce the trauma hence keeping them calm and mentally stable.

Conforming to Craddock (1241), through the airing of violent, uncensored and horrific movies or shows children can be pulled into violent ways. It is widely researched on whether violent movies and video games affect children personalities. In this issue, there is a split of votes on whether or not this can happen. Personally I believe violent and bloody movies reduce childrens sensitivity on violence. When people lack sensitivity they lack sympathy and empathy and in such a situation people may start psychopathic tendencies. In video games, people engage violently through shooting, bombing, and stabbing that I believe may result to curiosity by the players. Such an urge may lure someone to try these stunts physically to establish how the experience may be like. Due to lack of censorship in the internet people can now learn online how to make bombs, shoot a gun and break or open a lock. It is evident that there is no sanity on this issue because it is not logical why such information needs to be shared online. In an African country called Nigeria, the governmental board in charge decided to burn people from accessing such information or modes of entertainment. It is a wrong approach and cannot solve the issue because it is impossible to know what a person is up to in his private residence. In this case, the best approach would be sensitization of people on the negative effects of such information. Also such sights should be blocked from access, and TV channels are forced to censor information or programs aired.

According to Orimalade (110), media can be used as a tool for manipulating the audience to achieve expected or targeted results. It is achieved by sending or spreading distorted information that is tailored as per the intended purpose and audience. It is a very common tactic used in developing countries to start wars or force people to move from specific places if it is deemed important. For example in corrupted third world countries the government may change facts on a certain issue to manipulate by scaring people. It is said that at the beginning of the Syrian political instability, there were few peaceful walks. However, due to manipulation purposes false information was spread through the country by politicians. They would go to the Christians and tell them how they were being persecuted and how they needed to retaliate then later go to the other faction and do the same. This fueled the walks into riots then later into war. Sometimes people can distort information to manipulate people to a certain action peacefully and later still result to violence. This is because the human nature is very difficult to predict therefore such tactics are very volatile. Currently, there are international media laws that prohibit these methods or practices. The laws are working but not as required; they need to be revised, and strict countermeasures introduced to act as guidelines when dealing with such matters. The existing media laws are too lenient and provide the media with quite a long rope hence allowing them to undertake such vices. At the moment, it is quite difficult to take the media to court and win the case due to these existing loopholes in the law and media board regulations. Instant heavy fines equivalent to the damages caused need to be introduced to discourage this behavior.

In conclusion, it is paramount to vet and research on information received before acting on it. Failure to do so may lead to miscommunication, misunderstanding and misplaced perceptions or beliefs. Never believe what you hear on tools of media such as TV, radio and internet before confirmation of the data. It is important to review what children do on media to prevent them from being misled by violence-themed movies or games. Access of these modes of entertainment is supposed to be limited hence they need to be viewed or played in small dosages to prevent such addictions. Media can be powerful resources in the society; hence, needs to be monitored effectively. This is for the sole purpose of promoting integrity and truth. A philosopher and actor by the name Christopher Reeves once said that great power comes with great responsibilities.

Works Cited

Craddock, James M. Video Source Book. Detroit: Thompson Gale, 2006. Print.

Orimalade, Adeyinka. Mass Media & Nigerias Development. Kuru: National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, 1988. Print.

Quigg, Anne-Marie. The Handbook Of Dealing With Workplace Bullying. Print.