Journalism Essay: Examining Media Effects, Moral Panic & Power

This essay explores the pervasive influence of media on society, particularly its role in shaping public perception, fostering moral panics, and reinforcing power inequalities. It examines how media, despite its entertainment value, often fails to engage in critical analysis, drawing attention without fostering genuine understanding. The essay highlights the media's potential to influence behavior, citing real-world cases where exposure to media content seemingly triggered violent acts and other destructive behaviors. Ultimately, the essay advocates for viewers to be more vigilant and aware of the media's effects, encouraging them to take control of their viewing experiences and recognize the potential for manipulation and negative consequences. The essay references thinkers like Thompson and Barker to support its claims about media's impact.

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Introduction
The politicians and the general public often express inequalities of power, moral panics,
and vulnerabilities of a particular section of viewers who are exposed to the new media forms.
However, the effects of the media are not often expressed. According to Thompson (1995), the
state interventions and public fears voiced by the public and politicians via the media are far
much greater than the objective threat. The society is subjected to fear by a group or individual
who are/is termed to bear responsibility for initiating the anxiety (Hasinoff, 2013, pp 450). The
new media forms have swept the entire globe and created a whole new phenomenon (Fox, 2013,
pp 170). Most of the sentiments expressed in the media platforms do not focus much on the press
effects. Instead, inequalities of power and moral panics are created which often lead to suicide
terrorism, and other dreadful crimes (Shelton, Poorthuis, and Zook, 2015, 203). This essay will
seek to discuss some of the well-known fears passed by the media to the audience and the
eventual repercussions.
Background
The report by Elizabeth Newton indicates that the actions of another person have
enormous effects on some people. If this were not the case, however, the industries would not
find it worth spending a fortune on advertising. This is significant proof that the media must have
tremendous effects. Then, if this is the case, it is likely that the people would also be driven on to
the street to commit real life crimes (Barker and Petley, 2002, pp 36). This is what the anti-
violence campaigners seek to prevent. In 1984, the fight against video nasties was predominant.
Research and Education, The evangelical Christian Action noted that: Industries spend fortunes
advertising each year. They believe that the media does an excellent job in persuading and

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influencing the behaviors of the consumers. Likewise, the politicians often appear on the media
platforms seeking for support from their voters. They must also hold the opinion that the press
persuades. This argument can be stretched to derive the conclusion that individuals will be
convinced to commit a crime after viewing an episode of crime and violence.
Point 1:
 The media has created a culture that entertains and fails to critique, that draws all
attention without engaging, and that provides gratification without forming the basis of such
gratification (Thompson, 1995, pp 14). In the above real cases, for instance, the media was the
prime cause of the incidents. However, nobody judges or points a finger to them.
 In his work, Thompson affirms the above sentiments and gives a clear illustration
of the negative effects created by mass communication in the current social life.
Point 2: How the media works to impact viewers’ behaviors
 The concept used by the media to impact the viewers uses an unusual approach.
 The materials tend to make the viewers as harmful as them. Aggressive materials
will make the viewers aggressive, violent materials will make the viewers violent, and so on
(Barker and Petley, 2002, pp 38).
 In other words, the aggressive materials will not impact a feeling of aggression to
a viewer, but will make a person aggressive in nature. The same applies to violent materials. This
concept so odd and it may be hard to get the appropriate remedy.
Point 3: The real cases that support the argument

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 And, there are real cases that support this argument according to Barker.
 The first case involves a man who, after watching the news, shot his entire family.
After his arrest, he stated that the happenings around the world were so horrible and there was no
point of living.
 In the second case, a paedophile is arrested on the basis of assaulting a young
boy. After conducting a thorough search in his house, the police found numerous cuttings from
newspapers regarding paedophiles who had been tried in courts.
 The third case alludes to an elderly woman who takes her life after viewing the
Schindler’s List. In her suicide note, she expressed her guilt being one of the Nazi camps
survivors.
Conclusion
The evidence from the different thinkers mentioned in this essay affirms that the
politicians and the public often expose the viewers to inequalities of power and moral panics, but
fail to address the effects of the media. Therefore, it is wise for the viewers to realize the
situation and take control of their viewing experiences. Moreover, the viewers should be vigilant
and aware of the effects of media.

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Bibliography
Barker, M. and Petley, J. eds., 2002. Ill effects: The media violence debate. Routledge.
Fox, K.J., 2013. Incurable sex offenders, lousy judges & the media: Moral panic sustenance in
the age of new media. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(1), pp.160-181.
Hasinoff, A.A., 2013. Sexting as media production: Rethinking social media and sexuality. New
Media & Society, 15(4), pp.449-465.
Lessig, L., 2009. Code: And other laws of cyberspace. ReadHowYouWant. com.
Shelton, T., Poorthuis, A. and Zook, M., 2015. Social media and the city: Rethinking urban
socio-spatial inequality using user-generated geographic information. Landscape and Urban
Planning, 142, pp.198-211.
Thompson, J.B., 1995. The media and modernity: A social theory of the media. Stanford
University Press.