role of the media in law reform Flashcards
why is media important?
it allows individuals, pressure groups, businesses and organisations to generate massive interest in, and awareness of, legal and politcal issues.
the perceived bias of popular australian news publications
news limited - the australian, herald sun: supprts the liberal-national coalition
fairfax media - the age, sydney morning herald: left wing, pro-labor
ABC - abc news, insiders: pro-labor, australian greens
why is informing/raising awareness a role of the media? with an example.
informing/raising awareness: inform people about social, political and legal issues and the need for reform, it can also generate interest in, awareness of, those issues or need
examples: in 2019 australian newspapers redacted the front page to protest called “right to know” agaisnt the legislation to restrict media freedom. this ws done to protect the publics right to know about matters or issues that concerned them.
why is assessing levels of community support a role of the media? with an example.
it can assist the parliament, government, political parties to determine the level of support for law reform. it can be done through media polls, which are then published in the media.
other ways are monitoring online behaviour, measuring number of social media interactions
example: ipsos issues is a survey that determines the issue that most concern Australians. and in 2022 it showed that cost of living is a key concern for people which may influence the government to introduce legislations to help this concern.
why is influencing community opinion a role of the media? with example.
media can at times influence the way people think on a certain issue, or area of law, particularly if these people do not obtain information elsewhere.
example: documentary australia is a non profit who assisted in the film Blue, as it shows the need to strengthen laws to protect the environment and more carefully manage marine resources.
why is the risk of spreading misinformation an issue with the role of the media?
information is often shared and spread online meaning that social and online media often reproduce content so it spreads everywhere, however there is a concern that misinformation is being spread as the online environment is not regulated in the same way as traditional media.
example: covid19, climate change (the science behind climate change)
why is the use of algorithm an issue of the role of the media?
social media platforms deliver news to people using an algorithm to show them content tht the site predicts they will enjoy or read, this can influence the information they get about a particular issue, which means that the news they receive might not push them to consider alternative views and is possible that they will not be aware of an issue because they are only presented with other types of news and information.
