University Assignment: Fake News, Media Influence, and Power Dynamics

This assignment presents a student's exploration of fake news, its impact, and the role of the press in a democratic society. The work begins with an introduction defining fake news and its influence, followed by a summary of media changes in the 21st century. The assignment then examines the importance of the press as a check on power, highlighting its role in shaping public opinion and ensuring government accountability. The core of the assignment is a course essay, structured around the thesis that news is based on facts but media should avoid interpretation. The essay discusses viewpoints, statistical accuracy, and the spread of misinformation, concluding that while news articles are based on facts, the truth can sometimes be skewed. The assignment also includes references to relevant academic sources.

Fake News
Contents

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1(A)..................................................................................................................................................3
Summary.................................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1(B)..................................................................................................................................................3
Does the press still play an important role as a check on power?............................................................3
TASK 2.......................................................................................................................................................4
Course essay............................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION
Fake news is defined as a news articles which are intentionally as well as verifiably untrue in
nature. These types of articles are mainly designed in order to influence people’s perceptions of all true

facts and statements (Apuke and Omar, B., 2021). They are considered as factual in nature and are
communicated on the basis of printed and digital communication. It involves many kind of
misinformation which gets spread throughout the media. The below report includes summary on the
basis of media in 21st century, whether press still plays and important role and a course essay on the
basis of that news is always based on certain facts and statistics.
TASK 1(A)
Summary
In relation with the media in 21st century there are many changes that have occurred. By looking
at the phase of 19th century cheap newsprints allowed all partisan newspapers to expand and enhance
their reach. With respect to the time period in 20th century, people used to believe that the new
technologies which were getting arise would decrease substantive policy and the power would be in the
hands of large and top corporations. By analyzing the current situation, the concept of social media got
developed through which media structure also got changed and the overall content of news article
would rely on those individuals who have editorial judgment.
(108 words)
TASK 1(B)
Does the press still play an important role as a check on power?
Press is much more than a media of information:-
Yes, press still play a very important role in context with check on power. The news involves
different viewpoints and comments due to which many challenges gets occur. In relation with the
present situation as it’s a democratic country press is very much crucial because it can even make
government but at the same point of time it can even break also ( Brashier and et.al, 2021). When any
political party stands up for the country then the press have a power to enhance their positions and deal
with the opposite party. It is not necessary that press plays their role in political contexts only but they
are also involved in terms of social as well as economic life. With the help of their check on power their
role helps in merging all audiences’ opinions towards a specific issue. While looking at the current
situation the press assures that all individuals have full information about the actions which are done by
government and at the same point of this operates as per the ethical standards only. Press plays a very
crucial role because they helps in getting people aware about what is happening in the country and also
create an effective impact on their lifestyle( Di Domenico and et.al, 2021).
(200 words)

TASK 2
Course essay
Template for course essay outline
Selected
topic:
News is always based on facts and statistics.
Thesis
statement:
(ONE sentence only)
With respect to fake news it has become a global concept in relation with
presidential election and media should not add any kind of interpretation to
all such facts.
____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___
Body
paragraph 1
Topic sentence: News is not always the truth
_There are many news articles which don’t show true information. It is often
considered as a concept of fake news. With respect to this there are many
articles which are considered that they are been statistical in nature. By
viewing all such news media it was been analyzed by me that there would be
multiple viewpoints in relation to all such aspects.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Specific
supporting
details
Three specific supporting details (complete sentences):
(1) The first one is that in news articles everyone has their own view point
but it is not necessary to agree with those opinions.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___ (2) The press presents only that data which is worth considering in
accordance with two or three viewpoints.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___ (3) By supporting such facts it was determined that all such stories are
based on different facts so in relation with this all people had multiple
perspectives.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__
Body
paragraph 2
Topic sentence:

__________News media should not add any type of interpretation to all such
facts and statistics.
______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___
Specific
supporting
details
Three specific supporting details (complete sentences):
(1) It have been determined there were certain partisan differences in terms
of journalists which used to involve interpretation in their own stories.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___ (2)There are many audiences who don’t approve to the clarity of news
media because it was analyzed that there are many fake news also.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___ (3) News articles are based on facts because it can lead to high level of
damage and may also be beneficial also.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__
Body
paragraph 3
Topic sentence:
As the news articles are based on statistics there are certain conditions on
which the level of statistics may not be true.
_____________________________________________________________
___
_____________________________________________________________
___
Specific
supporti
ng
details
Three specific supporting details (complete sentences):
(1) With respect to present situation as a democratic country there is high usage of
online mass media
_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ (2) In
terms of this there are fake news also which gets spread throughout online media and
many believe do believe that news also.
_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ (3) I
do agree with this statement that it is based on facts but sometime the facts also goes
wrong. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Conclusion Conclusion:
___________From the above report it has been concluded that fake news has got
implemented throughout online media. As in terms of democratic country there were
many people who believe in such news but it is not possible that each fact would be
true only. _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Apuke, O.D. and Omar, B., 2021. Fake news and COVID-19: modelling the predictors of fake news
sharing among social media users. Telematics and Informatics, 56, p.101475.
Brashier, N.M., and et.al, 2021. Timing matters when correcting fake news. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, 118(5).
Di Domenico, G., and et.al, 2021. Fake news, social media and marketing: A systematic review. Journal
of Business Research, 124, pp.329-341.
.