Sullivan (2007) defines mediums of mass communications as channels of communication in modern societies that can reach large numbers of people sometimes instantaneously. The powerful elites are the small group of people with the most political power, such as politicians, hired political managers and military leaders. According to Freire (1971) manipulation is one of the needs by which the dominant elites try to conform the masses to their objectives by using myths which explain and justify the prevailing conditions of existence. Manipulators secure popular support for a social order that is not in the majority’s long term real interest. This paper seeks to examine how mediums of mass communication are used by the powerful elite to manipulate
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Miliband (1973) argued that the role of media is to shape how we think about the world we live in. He further went on to suggest that audiences are rarely informed about issues such as inequalities in wealth or why poverty persists. A Statement by Cohen (1963) stated that the press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about. In this case the owners of the media tell the media which issues to concentrate on and how to present them. The media then redirects itself on how to present the owners’ views as if they are coming from the people. The media can also create an issue and give it prominence by giving it extreme publicity thereby making the consumers to see such an issue as being the most topical issue of the day. This is despite that there could be more news worthy stories or events that could be happening but because they are not publicised, they cease to be news.” For example in the Zimbabwe Radio and television the broadcasting of campaign jingles, like “Rambai makashinga and huya uone kutapira kunoita kurima”. This was the production by the government to the advantage of the ruling Zanu PF party as a form of advertising for its policies. This suppressed opposition political parties who were not able to do the same considering that the state controlled the electronic …show more content…
Marxists suggests that media owners, wealth holders and the political elite are united in some sort of ideological conspiracy to brainwash the general population. For example the sourcing of news and information in the Nigerian media has its peculiarities. These peculiarities render it incorrect to argue that issues canvassed in the Nigerian media and discussed in the Nigerian public sphere is the agenda of the media. Much of the local news and information disseminated in the Nigerian media originate from the ruling class who are referred to in the Nigerian media parlance as news sources. News sources in Nigeria are dominated by the ruling class. This class of individuals includes politicians, business executives’ captains of industry top civil servants and other influential members of the ruling elite whose views and opinions dominate daily news and public information in Nigeria. As such much of the news content and other media information in Nigeria are mostly populated with the views and opinions of these powerful people. Consequently, the level of media control by the powerful elite, the emergence of news commercialisation and the concept of news making in Nigeria raises the questions meant to manipulate the
Miliband (1973) argued that the role of media is to shape how we think about the world we live in. He further went on to suggest that audiences are rarely informed about issues such as inequalities in wealth or why poverty persists. A Statement by Cohen (1963) stated that the press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about. In this case the owners of the media tell the media which issues to concentrate on and how to present them. The media then redirects itself on how to present the owners’ views as if they are coming from the people. The media can also create an issue and give it prominence by giving it extreme publicity thereby making the consumers to see such an issue as being the most topical issue of the day. This is despite that there could be more news worthy stories or events that could be happening but because they are not publicised, they cease to be news.” For example in the Zimbabwe Radio and television the broadcasting of campaign jingles, like “Rambai makashinga and huya uone kutapira kunoita kurima”. This was the production by the government to the advantage of the ruling Zanu PF party as a form of advertising for its policies. This suppressed opposition political parties who were not able to do the same considering that the state controlled the electronic …show more content…
Marxists suggests that media owners, wealth holders and the political elite are united in some sort of ideological conspiracy to brainwash the general population. For example the sourcing of news and information in the Nigerian media has its peculiarities. These peculiarities render it incorrect to argue that issues canvassed in the Nigerian media and discussed in the Nigerian public sphere is the agenda of the media. Much of the local news and information disseminated in the Nigerian media originate from the ruling class who are referred to in the Nigerian media parlance as news sources. News sources in Nigeria are dominated by the ruling class. This class of individuals includes politicians, business executives’ captains of industry top civil servants and other influential members of the ruling elite whose views and opinions dominate daily news and public information in Nigeria. As such much of the news content and other media information in Nigeria are mostly populated with the views and opinions of these powerful people. Consequently, the level of media control by the powerful elite, the emergence of news commercialisation and the concept of news making in Nigeria raises the questions meant to manipulate the