This week, we will consider if the fourth estate, “media,” still
exists; and if so, what is its role?
What is the “Fourth Estate?”
First, we must understand what is meant by referring to media as the “fourth estate.” As Blackwell references, it “denote(s) the role of the public media as a pillar on which the smooth functioning of a democratic society rests, together with the other three estates- legislative, executive, and judiciary. A free press is also a counterbalance to these powers, a watchdog guarding the public interest, and providing a forum for debate” (Blackwell, n.d.).
Should today’s Media still be considered as the “Fourth Estate?”
In this context, today’s media rarely acts in this capacity. Instead, media merely serves as a means for spotlight entertainment. Ask yourself how many times the media effects your cognitive thinking. Do you question the truth of what you hear (or read), or do you simply accept that what is being fed to you is the truth? As more eloquently observed by Neil Postman, “How often does it occur that information provide you on morning radio or television… …cause you to alter your plans for the day, or to take some action you would not otherwise have taken, or provides insight into some problem you are required to solve?” (Postman, 2005, p. 68).
Furthermore, Postman recognized that it is difficult to draw meaning from “news” that is presented in a rapid, disconnected manner (Postman, 2005).
Today’s Media
To illustrate how media does hold an entertainment value and is presented in fragments, let us review how the media “enlightened” us regarding the recent massacre at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
I tuned in for the New for Jax 5:00 p.m. broadcast, which in all fairness, did devote more than 45 seconds to this story. The anchor’s segments, however, were broken into bursts of information, which first covered a recap of the events, then jumped to mini exposés, such as where the shooter purchased the gun and remembering a local victim of the shooting.
This information could have potentially been valuable information for the public to know. For example, if the shooter had gone to a gun show and purchased the weapons without any screening, this could shed light on the fact that the gun-purchasing system is flawed. However, that’s not what happened. The shooter went to a gun store, completed the proper paperwork and background screenings, and went home with his guns. How was it valuable to us (the public) to watch an interview with the gun store owner, while he explained that he had never seen the customer/shooter before, and that he voluntarily closed his doors for the day, as opposed to being forced to close? What does that change for us? How does this influence our lives or call us to any sort of action?
Furthermore, the anchor demonstrated that our level of thinking is (apparently) very basic, because he consistently reminded us of what just we heard. He made statements like, “we told you exactly how many victims there were,” and (to paraphrase another statement) “we showed you how these police cars have been parked here since yesterday, because the investigators are working around the clock.” At first, I thought this was meant to prove how diligent the station had been in their coverage, but then I realized that this step was necessary to clarify and recap (for us) what we had just heard, as if we are no longer capable of such a logical summary independent of guidance.
So, what is the role of today’s Media?
Sadly, today’s media has moved from the role of the “fourth estate” to the role of “tastemaker.” As The Free Dictionary explains, a tastemaker is a group that strongly influences or sets current trends, styles, or fashion (The Free Dictionary, n.d.). This means that what the media presents as content becomes that which is important, noteworthy, or trendy in our society. I believe the media could tell us the importance of making sure the paperclips we use are clean, and we would see a surge in the sale of alcohol wipes, or whatever other cleaning agent the newsperson might suggest. For the most-part, Americans have been the puppets of media, blinding accepting whatever content is fed to us, as long as it’s done in a low-brainwave, highly entertaining manner.
There are a few media experts that adhere to more traditional media values- who are truthful, thorough, and unbiased, but I fear they are fighting a losing battle in the three-ring circus. That is, unless we decide to cut our strings and demand higher quality content and presentation, so that we can elevate our media back to its status as our fourth estate…….
References
Fourth Estate.
(n.d.). In Blackwell Reference Online. Retrieved from
Postman, N. (2005). Amusing ourselves to death. New York:
Penguin Group.
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