The Importance Of Sensationalism In Journalism

The phenomena of social responsibility by media sector is to protect and preserve the journalistic and democratic ideals such as conducting truthful, trustworthy, comprehensive, safeguarding individual privacy and distinguishing between ideals and commercial objectives (Commission on Freedom of the Press, 1947;Peterson, 1956). Nowadays the public is more aware and monitors the transparency and criticizes the journalistic content when requires or even sometimes participates in the process as well (Deuze, 2005; Hayes, Singer, & Ceppos, 2007; Karlsson, 2011). There should be a continuous balance between the economic necessities and editorial independence is of vital importance, the rift between the economic and ethical concerns in a new and content …show more content…
Sensationalism is categorized as that content that gratify, provokes and entertains to increase the social and political knowledge of the audience by appealing to reason over emotion (Adam, 1978; Carroll, 1989; Davie & Lee, 1995; Scott & Gobetz, 1992; Slattery & Hakanen, 1994). The gap between editors’ news judgment and receiver’s interest has been noticeable in the history of news production. The news editors least cared or understood their audiences’ demand for various kinds of news content Lowrey (2009). The news editors focus on what interests them would interest their audience instead of paying attention to what their audiences may be concerned with (Gans 2004, 229). It is found that television news is dull, not entertaining, and repetitive and news has been criticized for its growing trifle and sensationalism in the face of commercialization (Poindexter 2012). Over the past decade, sensationalism in journalism has been discussed with much eagerness. Sensationalism has been referred as public discourse turned into a kind of new sink which is preserving an idiot culture (Bernstein, 1992, pp. 22, …show more content…
Firstly, it has been said that a significant part is played by sensationalism in upholding a society’s commonly shared ideas of morality and decency by openly showcasing what is offensive (Erikson, 1966; Francke, 1985; Stevens, 1985b). Secondly, it has been questioned about what is defined as socially significant news. Stories that have more news value for the ordinary people than the traditional economic and political issues that journalists recommend as vital information for the masses are the news about family conflicts, violence, substance abuse, disaster and other disruptions of everyday life (Bird, 1992; Grabe, 1997; Stevens, 1985a). Today’s tabloid news shows have made news popular and are serving a democratizing function among the non-elite audiences. Finally, the weird and the senseless are becoming our cultural norm for the first time in our history even the cultural ideal lacks historical insight Bernstein's (1 992, p. 25). Sensational news stories antecede to news ballads and news books (Bird, 1992; Shaw & Slater, 1985; Stevens,