Rather Than Reporting on Political Events, the Media Shapes Public Political Opinion--For Good or for Ill

The contemporary media exerts a massive impact on society and on public political opinion. The power of media is so much that it may mold public political opinion according to its will and may sway it to a desired direction as per the need of the time. In other words, at present time the media rather than reporting political events, shapes public political opinion and, as per my view, for ill.

Each and every media house runs on the currency earned by advertisement. Advertisements are sometimes misguiding. Just like multinational companies, most of today's political leaders invest money in the media to speak for him/her and through the process initiate a positive publicity which may help securing his/her candidature or seat in ministry. The 'war on terrorism' as propagated and enhanced by media, is an example of how media can shape a generation to support the brutality of war. Though counter terrorism is praiseworthy in some aspect, but the example has been cited to reveal the truth that if media can sway citizens of the world to support war against evil spontaneously then it can also swing the mode to the wrong direction comfortably. And there lies the obscurity of the functioning of media. So, it is better for us to depend upon our own instinct rather than going for a media version. Media is good to listen, read or watch, but in modern context, it's never an object to depend on entirely while implementing a point of view. Today's media is misguiding and is mostly for ill.