The Influence of Media on International Relations Essay

The Influence of Media on International Relations

Today, mass media play an extremely important role in the life of the modern society. As the matter of fact, the role of the mass media in the life of people has increased consistently because they have become available to people en masse and people are constantly vulnerable to the impact of mass media. In such a situation, mass media have become a powerful tool with the help of which the public opinion can be shaped and conditioned. Therefore, the impact of mass media on people occurs at the level of consciousness because they perceive information from mass media and shape their views and opinions on the ground of the information they receive from mass media and how this information is presented in mass media defines the perception of certain events and issues by the public. In actuality, the impact of mass media on individuals and society at large is so significant that it is possible to speak about the impact of mass media on international politics through the impact on the public opinion.

In such a context, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that today the spread of mass media and their permanent impact on the public has reached an unparalleled level. Actually, mass media keep progressing and they influence people consistently because people are always vulnerable to the impact of mass media. Today, print and visual media can be spread internationally that increases their influence on the international politics because due to the international expansion of mass media they can shape the public opinion internationally. At the same time, the role of visual media tends to increase because they become truly global media. The broadcasting of visual media may involve the entire world that naturally increases their role and affects consistently the target audience of such media.
In addition, the emergence of new media that overcome national boundaries increases the role of mass media and their impact on international politics even more. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the emergence of internet as probably one of the most influential mass media of the modern world. Today, internet is available to a large number of people. In fact, internet is one of the mainstream media in the modern world that is available to people worldwide.

Moreover, they can share information via internet easily, regardless of their physical location. In such a way, internet has become the mass medium which has eliminated physical boundaries and national boundaries between people.

As a result, they can communicate with each other and share information online practically without any consistent limitations because the control from the part of regulatory state bodies and other agencies is not always effective.

Even though some countries attempt to control internet, they have reached little success in this regard and people often use internet to share information online. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that some specialists (Schenker, 2000) believe that internet is the unique medium because it allows people to share their ideas and shape their own opinion on the ground of the communication and analysis of issues that are important for them and which they can share with others online. For instance, numerous social networks are perfect means with the help of which people can share their views and ideas but, on the other hand, social networks are perfect means to shape the public opinion. At any rate, some specialists (Bagdikian, 2000) warn against the possibility of manipulating with the public opinion through social networks.

At this point, it is possible to dwell upon the possibility of shaping the public opinion by mass media. In fact, mass media have a permanent influence on people because they are available to people 24 hours a day. People cannot escape this influence because mass media are everywhere. Willingly or not people expose themselves to the impact of mass media and the modern pop culture makes mass media the integral part of the life of the modern society because mass media, such as movies, for instance, comprise an integral part of the cultural life of the moderns society, whereas they can shape the opinion of people in regard to international politics. In addition, other mass media also convey certain messages to the audience that shape their views on different issues, including international politics and relations.

Moreover, many specialists (Chomsky, 1997) warn against the formation of the public image of countries and their policies by mass media. At this point, it is possible to refer to the War in Iraq and the formation of public images of country-outcasts, like Iran, North Korea. Obviously, mass media have a played an important in the formation of the public image of the aforementioned events and countries in global terms that means that mass media have shaped the public opinion in regard to international politics. To put it more precisely, the mass media have become the tool with the help of which the US have managed to wreak panic among the world community that Iraq has the weapon of mass destruction that provoked the war in Iraq and justified the military expansion of the US. Similarly, mass media shape the negative public image of North Korea, Iran and other outcasts of international politics. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that Iran and North Korea, for instance, do not have mass media that can present their viewpoint on international relations. As a result, the public opinion of the world community is shaped by the mainstream mass media, which are based in western countries mainly.

In such a context, it is possible to speak about the use of mass media as the means of propaganda. However, specialists (Bagdikian, 2000) argue that mass media is a tool of the public control over policy makers. Hence, mass media are the means of the public control over international relations. However, it is obvious that today the public cannot always control the mass media. Instead, the public is vulnerable to the impact of mass media and views and beliefs of people are shaped, to a significant extent, by mass media. In such a context, internet can become the mass medium that can offer people an opportunity to shape their own view on certain issues or events concerning international politics. In fact, internet has already become the tool with the help of which many movements, which have a negative public image shaped by other mass media, attempt to reach the world community through internet.

However, internet is not a panacea because, besides internet, people are still vulnerable to other mass media and, what is more, internet can also be used as the means of shaping the public opinion and conditioning of the consciousness of people as well as other mass media. Some specialists (Moy, 1999) believe that internet can be used to shape views of people on international relations and, what is more, it can become a tool with the help of which people can get involved in international relations because they can share important information, like secret reports of CIA or other services of different countries. When such information is spread in internet, it can provoke international scandals and people, having access to such information, can use it to either manipulate with the public opinion or simply to uncover the truth to the public that also affects international politics and relations.

Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the development of mass media affects consistently the public opinion. Today, mass media influence the public opinion not only at the local or regional level but at the international level as well. In other words, today, mass media have become a tool of international politics and relations because policy makers can use mass media to shape the public opinion and to draw the public attention to certain issues of international relations. On the other hand, modern mass media, such as internet, still allow people to share information and to shape their own views and opinions in regard to international relations.

References:
Bagdikian, B. H. (2000). The Media Monopoly, Sixth Edition, Beacon Press.
Chomsky, N. (June, 1997). “What makes mainstream media mainstream”, Z Magazine, 33(4), 91-97)
Moy, P. et al. (1999). “Media use and public confidence in democratic institutions.” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 43(2), 137-142.
Robbins, R. (1999). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. New York: Allyson and Bacon.
Schenker, H. (2000). The Art of Performance. New York: Random House.

The Influence of Media on International Relations

Today, mass media play an extremely important role in the life of the modern society. As the matter of fact, the role of the mass media in the life of people has increased consistently because they have become available to people en masse and people are constantly vulnerable to the impact of mass media. In such a situation, mass media have become a powerful tool with the help of which the public opinion can be shaped and conditioned. Therefore, the impact of mass media on people occurs at the level of consciousness because they perceive information from mass media and shape their views and opinions on the ground of the information they receive from mass media and how this information is presented in mass media defines the perception of certain events and issues by the public. In actuality, the impact of mass media on individuals and society at large is so significant that it is possible to speak about the impact of mass media on international politics through the impact on the public opinion.

In such a context, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that today the spread of mass media and their permanent impact on the public has reached an unparalleled level. Actually, mass media keep progressing and they influence people consistently because people are always vulnerable to the impact of mass media. Today, print and visual media can be spread internationally that increases their influence on the international politics because due to the international expansion of mass media they can shape the public opinion internationally. At the same time, the role of visual media tends to increase because they become truly global media. The broadcasting of visual media may involve the entire world that naturally increases their role and affects consistently the target audience of such media.

In addition, the emergence of new media that overcome national boundaries increases the role of mass media and their impact on international politics even more. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the emergence of internet as probably one of the most influential mass media of the modern world. Today, internet is available to a large number of people. In fact, internet is one of the mainstream media in the modern world that is available to people worldwide.

Moreover, they can share information via internet easily, regardless of their physical location. In such a way, internet has become the mass medium which has eliminated physical boundaries and national boundaries between people.

As a result, they can communicate with each other and share information online practically without any consistent limitations because the control from the part of regulatory state bodies and other agencies is not always effective.

Even though some countries attempt to control internet, they have reached little success in this regard and people often use internet to share information online. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that some specialists (Schenker, 2000) believe that internet is the unique medium because it allows people to share their ideas and shape their own opinion on the ground of the communication and analysis of issues that are important for them and which they can share with others online. For instance, numerous social networks are perfect means with the help of which people can share their views and ideas but, on the other hand, social networks are perfect means to shape the public opinion. At any rate, some specialists (Bagdikian, 2000) warn against the possibility of manipulating with the public opinion through social networks.

At this point, it is possible to dwell upon the possibility of shaping the public opinion by mass media. In fact, mass media have a permanent influence on people because they are available to people 24 hours a day. People cannot escape this influence because mass media are everywhere. Willingly or not people expose themselves to the impact of mass media and the modern pop culture makes mass media the integral part of the life of the modern society because mass media, such as movies, for instance, comprise an integral part of the cultural life of the moderns society, whereas they can shape the opinion of people in regard to international politics. In addition, other mass media also convey certain messages to the audience that shape their views on different issues, including international politics and relations.

Moreover, many specialists (Chomsky, 1997) warn against the formation of the public image of countries and their policies by mass media. At this point, it is possible to refer to the War in Iraq and the formation of public images of country-outcasts, like Iran, North Korea. Obviously, mass media have a played an important in the formation of the public image of the aforementioned events and countries in global terms that means that mass media have shaped the public opinion in regard to international politics. To put it more precisely, the mass media have become the tool with the help of which the US have managed to wreak panic among the world community that Iraq has the weapon of mass destruction that provoked the war in Iraq and justified the military expansion of the US. Similarly, mass media shape the negative public image of North Korea, Iran and other outcasts of international politics. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that Iran and North Korea, for instance, do not have mass media that can present their viewpoint on international relations. As a result, the public opinion of the world community is shaped by the mainstream mass media, which are based in western countries mainly.

In such a context, it is possible to speak about the use of mass media as the means of propaganda. However, specialists (Bagdikian, 2000) argue that mass media is a tool of the public control over policy makers. Hence, mass media are the means of the public control over international relations. However, it is obvious that today the public cannot always control the mass media. Instead, the public is vulnerable to the impact of mass media and views and beliefs of people are shaped, to a significant extent, by mass media. In such a context, internet can become the mass medium that can offer people an opportunity to shape their own view on certain issues or events concerning international politics. In fact, internet has already become the tool with the help of which many movements, which have a negative public image shaped by other mass media, attempt to reach the world community through internet. However, internet is not a panacea because, besides internet, people are still vulnerable to other mass media and, what is more, internet can also be used as the means of shaping the public opinion and conditioning of the consciousness of people as well as other mass media. Some specialists (Moy, 1999) believe that internet can be used to shape views of people on international relations and, what is more, it can become a tool with the help of which people can get involved in international relations because they can share important information, like secret reports of CIA or other services of different countries. When such information is spread in internet, it can provoke international scandals and people, having access to such information, can use it to either manipulate with the public opinion or simply to uncover the truth to the public that also affects international politics and relations.

Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the development of mass media affects consistently the public opinion. Today, mass media influence the public opinion not only at the local or regional level but at the international level as well. In other words, today, mass media have become a tool of international politics and relations because policy makers can use mass media to shape the public opinion and to draw the public attention to certain issues of international relations. On the other hand, modern mass media, such as internet, still allow people to share information and to shape their own views and opinions in regard to international relations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Bagdikian, B. H. (2000). The Media Monopoly, Sixth Edition, Beacon Press.

Chomsky, N. (June, 1997). “What makes mainstream media mainstream”, Z Magazine, 33(4), 91-97)

Moy, P. et al. (1999). “Media use and public confidence in democratic institutions.” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 43(2), 137-142.

Robbins, R. (1999). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. New York: Allyson and Bacon.

Schenker, H. (2000). The Art of Performance. New York: Random House.