The role of the media in a Democracy



The role of the media in a Democracy

1. Do you agree with Lincoln when he said, “Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe”? Is this assessment naïve with respect to the contemporary world?

2. The media is a link between the government and the citizens, therefore a free press, acting without fear of government reprisal, is vital to insuring transparency.

Do you agree?

3. The media is called the 4th branch of government, providing a check and balance function. Do you agree that is the proper function of the media?

4. Most citizens get their government information in 30 – 60 – 90 second bursts of information. What are your thoughts about this? What is the impact of this type of drive by information gathering?

5. Objectivity is often questioned in reporting. Considering the necessity of the media to get advertising revenue and viewers/readers, do you think objectivity is a casualty in the media wars?

6. Should the media always report the truth verified by multiple sources and not worry about the outcome? Or should they recognize some “truths” need to be controlled and act accordingly? Consider your answer in recognition of the current US involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terror.

7. Are the media as much a hostage to advertisers as they are to fear of government control?

8. Is the public ultimately responsible for how the media acts?

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