Peter Jennings once said, “Whoever controls the media controls reality.” Do you agree? Do we believe the news we read and see on television? Can the news media be used to manipulate us? Where do you get your news?
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Brennen Diaz
9/4/2012 01:57:01 pm
I do not agree with Mr. Jennings. However, Peter Jennings is right in the sense that the media can be manipulate and make people believe things from a certain point of view. For example, today the media for as long as I can remember has a biased view favoring the "left". And for those of you not up to date on politics, that means liberal or Democrat, the political party. Companies like CNN and NBC present the news toward a liberal outlook. Yet, there are news channels like FOX news that give a more nonpartisan presentation of the news, but show more of the Conservative or "right" point of view. That is why I watch both news channels to see the different points of view and decide for myself on the topic. Just watch the presidential election and see how the different news companies cover the GOP race.
Haley Krivensky
9/5/2012 06:52:20 am
I watch FOX news too when I have time. It's smart that you watch both of the news channels and then decide how you feel about certain things. That's much better than just believing anything you see or hear. I think I will try that next time to compare the two channels.
Bridget Borowy
9/6/2012 12:29:22 pm
Thats such a good idea. Watching more than just one news channel will give you a better picture and more information on an issue. Comparing what different news casters have to say could definitely alter your feelings about something.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2012 01:51:45 pm
Well done at keeping yourself informed by outlets on "both sides of the aisle.
Alex Mardis
9/6/2012 11:29:51 am
I completely agree with brennen in keeping up to date with both sides of the argument whether political or in any other sense. Even if you strongly support one side, it is always smart to listen to the opposite side as well. the media will always try to manipulate you. but by listening to both sides of the media, you can avoid this manipulation.
Nick Casablanca
9/29/2012 10:39:05 am
That's interesting. I'm not a guy that watches the news most of the time but I do sometimes tune in when my parents are watching the news. I have never really noticed that before and good point to pick at.
Haley Krivensky
9/5/2012 06:44:35 am
I agree with Peter Jennings. The media does control reality for many Americans. The news is where they receive all of their information from, and usually plays a large role in how they feel about it. It may seem like this statement is a stretch, but most people believe what they see or hear on the news. There are only a small handful of people that don't. The news and media can be very manipulating and convincing, considering they usually stretch the truth and over-exaggerate to make the story or event seem more exciting. The reporters only say what the people want to hear. They are biased towards a certain thing and will do anything to get you to follow along. Sometimes reporters will only tell one side of the story, either to make someone/thing look good or to hide what really happened. I don't trust some of the news, especially articles online. I watch a couple of news channels on television when I can, but if it seems strange I hold off on believing it.
Shayne Fitol
9/6/2012 08:17:53 am
I don’t think that statement is much of a stretch at all. It is easier for most people to go along with whatever is said on the news, and to just take on the news anchors’ opinions as their own. I know people who take the news anchors’ publicly stated opinions on a topic and then use them in a conversation as if they are the ones who thought of it first. I also agree with what you said about excitement. The news, like all other television shows, is largely driven by ratings. They mostly cover stories that will seem interesting to people so that more viewers will watch. And since the audience is caught up in an interesting news story, they will be more likely to believe whatever they hear, making them easier to manipulate.
Jessica Fedak
9/6/2012 03:15:04 pm
I completely agree with your comment Haley. The media does tend to exaggerate many storys and mislead the public. Media can be manipulating
Justin Leone
9/5/2012 07:24:51 am
I do agree with Mr. Jennings. I don't always believe 100% of what I hear on the news because some channles like FOX, CNN, etc. have given misleading information and sometimes exaggerate for effect. And yes I believe that people can be manipulated through the news because these 'news' figures can say whatever they want to sway the people in a certain direction. I'll watch FOX news channel or whatevers on when I get a chance.
andrew lynch
9/6/2012 03:17:34 pm
You have a good point Justin. The media definitely does exaggerate stories. They take simple news reports, and turn them into exciting, dramatic, or even horrifying events, just by adding a couple words, or details that may be false.
Shayne Fitol
9/5/2012 08:53:07 am
For the most part, I agree with Peter Jennings. While there will always be those who do not just go along with everything, or even most of what they see and hear on the news, those people will always be among the minority. And then there are those people who truly believe they are part of that minority because they question one little thing they hear, feel proud of themselves, and then go right back to mindlessly absorbing anything they see on whatever station they are watching, ever strenthening the majority. Sure, it is a good thing that they chose to question that one thing they heard, but the force of habit instilled by society to take the easy route and simply believe everything a smart-looking news anchor tells you is hard to break. This is especially true when the whole story is not always reported. People are easily manipulated when reporters on the news conveniently leave out something to make the story more intriguing or do not include the context with which a statement was made to make it more controversial. Now this certainly isn't true of all news reporters, stations, and stories, but it does happen. And when it happens, is that not the reality to the majority of the people watching? The truth, as they see it, is whatever was reported to them, not what actually happened, as they do not know what truly did happen. As long as people keep believing what they see and hear, whoever controls what is said on the news will control the reality to anyone listening and believing. I do my best to actually think about whatever is being said on the news station I am watching, or the article I am reading, and when a news story breaks, I try to find another source saying the same thing, whether it is FOX News, CNN, etc. (I mention those because they are typically the two channels I watch.)
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2012 11:54:46 am
Well said, Shayne. You made some excellent points there.
Danielle O'Banner
9/5/2012 01:02:45 pm
I also do not agree with Peter Jennings because no matter what, the media will always be there to manipulate the way we see and process things. With that said, it is up to us to decide whether or not we will let ourselves be manipulated. We should not be so simple minded as to allow ourselves to change our views on anything from politics, to our favorite sports team just by what you see or hear on television. I do not always believe what I see on the news because I believe that I should be generate my own opinions about what's going on rather than just pick a side. The news can't be used to manipulate us, unless you are willing to let it manipulate you. The people in front of the camera are not capable of such persuasion. Personally, I watch CNN and Fox for any updates of news.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2012 01:33:23 pm
"The news can't be used to manipulate us, unless you are willing to let it manipulate you." - Profound. :)
Kaitlyn Twombly
9/6/2012 08:20:33 am
I agree with everything you have said, Danielle. I too believe that it is up to the individual to decide whether or not they will be manipulated by the media. I also listen to the news not solely to listen to others' opinion, but to generate my own.
Dan Mott
9/6/2012 09:39:52 am
Danielle, I agree. People should generate their own idea rather than conforming to chosing a side. Also, I like the fact that you mentioned the fact that the media won't influence you, only if you allow it to! :)
Brennen Diaz
9/6/2012 02:53:48 pm
I agree with you Dan, Danielle, and Katie. People, at least in this country, have a choice to believe and formulate their own ideas. However, as we are reading the book "1984" you see how easy it is to manipulate people. People are sheep and they do not want to be the odd ones out. We always want to go with the status quot no matter where it originates from. Yet, at the end of the day, it depends on the individual; even though their own environment in which they live in may have a greater influence than others might think.
Chris Faber
9/5/2012 02:17:01 pm
I do agree with Peter Jennings to a certain degree that media controls reality. I know from personal experience that people will believe what they see, read or watch. A prime example of this is "The Oxford Patch". Of course, understand that I am not claiming the Patch to be an official news site like FOX or CNN, however it is a form of media which carries out local news. People read articles posted by the author of Oxford Patch and sometimes immediately believe it word for word because they take it to be trustworthy news not realizing that the author has total control of what is said. Furthermore, people can comment on the post and put their own opinions or facts they may know. And these opinions as well can be taken as factual information creating even more belief in possibly false information. Situations like this of course can occur in bigger news programs such as CNN, but in my eyes are much less likely to happen due to the fact that those reporters are professionals. And lastly, as Brennen said, sometimes media can come across very biased especially in politics. We see every year the war between democrats and republicans. Each side telling their side of the story, letting the viewers choose who to believe. I prefer to stay away from the more biased programs and try to rely on FOX for my news.
Nick Casablanca
9/5/2012 04:11:05 pm
I do not agree with Mr. Jennings. Although, he is right in the sense that media can manipulate people into believing or listening to certain news covered over t.v. I do not agree that all people believe what is said on the news but there are crowds that can be manipulated by their beliefs into taking sides depending on what is covered on the news each day.
Steven Mahoney
9/6/2012 11:09:20 am
I also agree that the media can manipulate people into believing certain things. As humans we are gullible and unfortunately, most of us find it easier to follow than to lead.
Trevor Haigh
9/6/2012 01:40:56 pm
That's because it is easier. It takes much less effort to blindly follow what some stranger is telling you than to formulate your own, independent opinion. It's obviously much less extreme, but even our own society has its Parsons as well as its Winstons.
Kaitlyn Twombly
9/6/2012 08:16:33 am
I partially agree with Peter Jennings. I believe that whoever controls the media, can in fact control reality only if one allows it to do so in their own mind. The people who are naive or quick to believe what is said in the news are are indeed controlled by the media. On the other hand, there is a great amount of our population that is not as easily manipulated. As other classmates have stated, it is entirely in the hands of the individual whether or not the media has the power to control reality. Personally, I do not believe or agree with every sentence said in the news. I listen, and then formulate my own opinions based upon what I think is legitimate and reliable information. The only news I watch is FOX and CNN.
Maria Castelot
9/6/2012 12:55:51 pm
Katie, i agree with you about formulating your own opinions based on what you think is legitimate and reliable information. People need to have independent thoughts and base their opinions off what they believe to be true and not what others think is true!
Lauren Barry
9/6/2012 08:44:39 am
In terms of Mr. Jennings’ statement that the media controls reality, I think that may have been true in previous years, but not so much now. Now, a lot of the times, a large percentage of people find much more ease in looking up the news online rather than taking the time to sit down and watch the broadcast on television or read an article in the printed paper. Reading news articles online allows people to post comments on the article, a lot of times which are used to either rebut whatever the reporter stated or to add any other details that may not have been included. These comments then open up the opportunity for those reading the article to sometimes read other perspectives on whatever the story or issue may be. With this new piece of insight or information, it becomes easier for readers or viewers to begin to question if what the news station has published is actually true, or the best description possible. Before online news, people never seemed to question what was published because it was believed that the news station did just what they were supposed to; inform the general public of local news. So although I, personally, do believe a majority of what I read on news websites such as WTNH or Ct Post, I do try and take the time to scroll down to the comments and inform myself of something extra that may change my opinion, or lead me to believe something else may be a part of the story. Along the lines of manipulation, again, I think technology has made that harder for the media to do, but before, sure, I do think the news would once convince us to believe what they would like us to.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/6/2012 10:51:43 am
Lauren, very insightful thoughts about getting other perspectives from other readers of the articles.
Michaela Ryan
9/6/2012 01:40:23 pm
I never thought about how seemingly biased online news could also open up other opinions and views from the readers. Definitely reading the comments more often!
Camille Glasow
9/6/2012 02:46:49 pm
I agree with lauren, that nowadays it has become easier to get many different opinions on one specific news report because of the internet and ability to post comments. This way people can read second opinions before blindly accepting a possibly biased news report.
Victoria Marino
9/6/2012 08:45:27 am
I do agree with Peter Jennings. I would say that majority of people in today’s society believe everything they hear and see on the news. People trust that what the news is advertising for the world to hear and see are true. I think that most people will let the news manipulate them into believing that what they are saying is true. For people who are more interested in the news and curious to see if what they are hearing is true, it would make more sense to watch or listen to more than one news cast daily. More accurate information will most likely be on multiple news channels. I also think that in today's world, there are a lot of people who are very busy and don't have time to sit down and watch or listen to more than one news broadcast on daily basis so if they get the chance to watch one they will mostly believe that what they are seeing or hearing is accurate. The news may over exaggerate many stories but it's just to keep viewers interested and in tune. I sometimes watch the news in the morning when I am first waking up and going to school, News Channel 8 at six in the morning sounds pretty accurate to me. But otherwise I watch CNN. I do believe most of what I hear and see on the news because I trust that the news won't give out false information.
Christina Buswell
9/6/2012 10:58:39 am
I definitely agree with you. People today trust in what the news is telling them, and are therefore more vulnerable to listening to false information.
Christina Martinelli
9/6/2012 11:40:20 am
I agree with Victoria. It is unfortunate that today's society relies too heavely on the opinions of others. Too many people believe everything that they hear or see simply because it sounds accurate. People need to learn to listen to what they hear on the news and from there create their own opinion. Watching more than one news channel would also help people decide on their one what is true and what is false.
Dan Mott
9/6/2012 09:36:38 am
I disagree with Peter Jennings. While the news can be informal sometimes, most of the time its an abundance of hyperbole and not always accurate information. We will always be influenced by some type of media source, wheter it be TV, PC, or Newspaper. The media has a play on words that at time creates panic and uprise in society. In addition, the media and news shows celeberties and figures, inwhich incoherent American minds are manipulated and conform to society's pace and public figure. I partially belive the news and media and try to always get a backup source or two before relaying any information. The media pushes the barriers sometimes, and for a majority of the time they bring drama to where its not needed. People should be able to have their own opinion, speak ther own voice, and have a say in eerything. Peter Jennings coming from the media perspective, because he worked as a news anchor, causes bias. All in all the media will manipulate people, who fall under its wrath. I primarily get my news from CNN, FOX, WTNH, and news correspondents on twitter :)
Mrs. Elbakry
9/6/2012 10:39:04 am
#1 - Way to utilize a literary term within your response (metaphorical brownie points granted); #2 - I'm intrigued by your mentioning celebrities and their impact on Americans' perspectives on issues. How do you feel about Clint Eastwood speaking at the RNC, or "Kumar" speaking at the DNC. Do they have any real place giving their two cents in an arena they do not belong?
Danielle O'Banner
9/6/2012 10:56:13 am
Clint Eastwood, along with any other celebrity do not have any place speaking in the RNC or DNC. Their political relevance is slim to none and they bring nothing to the table.
Dan Mott
9/6/2012 11:07:33 am
:) Thank You! I believe that Kumar should have not spoken at the DNC. He is a movie star, in a popular comedy film. He has no reputation for political views, nor does he appear serious in the eyes of America. On the other hand, yes, Clint Eastwood had every right to speak at the RNC. Clint Eastwood is an exceptional actor that is normally portrayed as a tough man, with good standards. America sees him as one who would stand up for them, which correlates to Romney standing strong for America. For example, in the movie Grand Torino he displayed a multitude of popular American opinions, and the movie subliminally touched upon other hot topics in America at the time. Clint has built a reputation of a man who can stand up for his beliefs and fight for what's right. That is what the Romney Admin. was looking for. You have to chose the correct person to represent, and the Democrats made a poor decision by chosing Kumar. Even though Clint Eastwood is a movie star, he influences Americans in a positive way, and gets them on their feet, and being a true American and getting them involved with politics. He influences in a positive manner. The MEDIA takes different stand points on whether or not he was right to speak; In my opinion, he was fitting and very powerful. I believe, he himself could run for President and win if he was interested in ever doing that.
Meredith Folsom
9/6/2012 11:18:22 am
I don't think it's a celebrity's place to be talking at a political campaign. Although he/she may fully support a candidate, he/she is still a celebrity. I believe only politicians should speak at such a venue.
Jackie Ortiz
9/6/2012 11:50:10 am
I agree with Danielle, I do not feel it is proper for celebrities to be speaking in any place that is out of their profession, unless it is of course for charity. They are just trying to bring their fans to go to their "side"
Kyle Blake
9/6/2012 01:14:52 pm
I totally agree with you. Most of the news we see today on TV is a stretch of the truth.
Tim Osborn
9/6/2012 10:18:21 am
In a sense Mr. Jennings is right. Think about all the troops overseas fighting for our country trying to keep us safe from another attack. The average American does not go overseas to see the troops, so we all rely on the media to portray an image for us of what is actually happening. One reporter could change a whole story simply by changing one word. The summer reading book I choose was Lone Survivor. It was about a Navy Seal who went on a very important mission to capture a Terrorist leader, however that's not what happened. Marcus ended up being the only one who survived in the rugged mountain terrain. After being missing for a few days the media reported he was missing and some even said that he was dead. With no evidence they made the choice that he was dead, but in fact he was still living. That one simple word changed the whole story. In order to make a proper opinion the public must go to different sources to make a "rounded" opinion. Different media companies definitely have different opinions and portray stories different ways. As for me I try to watch and listen to different media companies to make my own opinion. In the morning when I am getting ready I watch News Channel 8, then during the day I listen to the radio that uses Channel 3's News. When the two are compared there is a noticeable difference in the story lines. If the public only listened to one Media Company it would be very easy to manipulate peoples opinions.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/6/2012 11:15:13 am
Sadly, that last statement is much like modern-day North Korea.
Jackie Ortiz
9/6/2012 11:46:21 am
I like how you brought up your summer book and used it as an example for this response! It gave me a better image to better understand your opinion. 9/6/2012 10:22:35 am
I believe that the media has a huge influence on our lives. They can use their power to manipulate how we think and feel about certain topics. Yellow journalism has even gotten us into wars by writing biased articles to manipulate us to believe what they want us to. A great example would be the sinking of the USS Maine. Because of the media the people of America believed that we had been attacked by the Spanish and that we needed to go to war with them, forcing President McKinley to start the Spanish-American war. The media also decides what news is important and what isn't. If they don't care about a particular case they won't report it, while another will get much more air time. I feel that most people will believe what is said to them through the news because they just expect it to be true. The news has always been seen as a reliable source of information and it would take a lot to convince them otherwise. A radio station once had people believe that aliens were actually invading by reading War of the Worlds. Unless people are looking into the details themselves and finding out the facts of what happened they are more than likely to believe what is said and written in the newspapers. I get my news from the TV in the morning. I don't normally read the newspaper or anything.
Christina Buswell
9/6/2012 10:56:39 am
I agree and disagree with Peter Jennings. The media to a degree manipulates how we think and what we believe. People resort to using the news as a way to keep themselves informed on national and global news everyday. With that said, if the government was feedings us lies, we really would have no way of knowing what's true. Let's say for example the government wanted to tell the world that Osama Bin Ladin was dead, when in actuality we were keeping him alive for information. We, as average citizens, would have no way of knowing this was a lie if the only thing the news fed us was the fact that Osama was dead. Now even though this is only an example, it shows how we can be manipulated. On the other hand, it is up to us as individuals to decide whether or not we let ourselves believe everything the media tells us. The news is not always correct, and the way people interpret the news is not always correct. Soon enough the truth gets twisted and spread thin. If we believed everything everyone ever told us there would be mass chaos. The news definitely has the power to control what we think, but it is in our control to decide whether or not we let it control us.
Rob Costigan
9/29/2012 04:58:23 am
To be honest with you, Christina, I still think he is alive for questioning. It almost seems like it was too easy. It's amazing what people think without proof!
Steven Mahoney
9/6/2012 11:06:08 am
Peter Jennings is both correct and incorrect. It is indeed true that the media relays information to the public, but saying that it controls reality is absurd. That's like saying they can manipulate time and space, it's just not true. Now with that being said, whoever controls the media has a gigantic influence in our day-to-day lives. Media is everywhere; online, on TV, in the newspapers. It is everywhere. No matter where we go, there is always a breaking story or a new headline that catches our eye. Now do we believe the news? Well...yes and no. Whenever you check the news, generally you believe it. (Obviously there are extreme cases where the stories are just not even close to being true) For the most part, the news is accurate but bias. It definitely manipulates us by using our emotions to make us sympathetic, angry, etc... I get my information from Channel 3 just because that is the station my parents watch. It seems to cover all the breaking stories around the state, so I have no problem watching it.
andrew lynch
9/6/2012 02:39:47 pm
i agree that the media trys to make us upset, and angry, it is just a way for them to push us to the side that they agree with
Ally is awesome Caple
9/6/2012 11:10:18 am
I definitely agree with Jennings' statement. In this day and age, people who are most popular in the news have their stories plastered everywhere with the help of technology and the Internet. Wherever you go, you're most likely to hear the biggest news stories whether you turn on the tv, read the paper, or log online. Take Kony 2012 for example. No, it wasn't a huge news headline on CNN when the video was first released, but many news channels discussed it and it was all people saw when they were online. Personally for me, I saw it on twitter. Twitter- although it may not seem like a legit source for news- can be helpful, and that's where I usually hear about popular stories. A majority of people tend to believe everything they hear or read, but it's just a matter of whether we choose to do more research on the subject or not. With the Kony 2012 campaign, the thirty minute video had a major impact on anyone who watched it (even myself). But until people began to realize that the info relayed in the video was false, all anyone did was tweet #Kony2012 constantly, supporting the cause. I believe it's up to us to turn to more than one resource, like Brennen does, and increase our knowledge on a specific subject before choosing to be either completely against or for it.
Lauren Barry
9/6/2012 02:56:59 pm
Ally, I definitely have to admit to believing the whole Kony fiasco. I as well saw it on social media sites, and never really gave it a second thought. Because the video seemed so real and was capable of leaving such an impact, I believed it, just as the media had wanted me to. I definitely have to agree with the statement that it is important to look at articles from numerous sources.
Meredith Folsom
9/6/2012 11:10:32 am
Peter Jennings has a valid point. However, the media does not necessarily control reality, they nearly create it. We believe the stories that the media publishes, and consequently those stories become our reality. But I don’t think that lessens the validity of the media. They provide stories that will captivate an audience, some stories more bias than others, but in the end they are still true events. Then again, a false reality is created when the media does not share certain events or stories. For example, turn on the news. I can guarantee you that there will be more tragic stories than there are joyful. Unfortunately, people are more drawn to dramatic stories. And we begin to believe that maybe there are only sad events happening to our country. And that is when the media manipulates us. They only show one side of the story. It’s our responsibility to find the other side of the story. So I watch CNN and FOX. Then read the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Then I decide what the true reality may be.
Kristina Lacasse
9/6/2012 01:17:35 pm
I agree with how the media doesn't include all the details or stories of all sorts. This ways they can change the point of view on the situation.
Camille Glasow
9/6/2012 11:25:45 am
I agree with Peter Jennings statement, for the most part. The general populace would likely take whatever the media portrayed at length and believe it to be true. A person who controls the media could also control what people don't get to hear about. This is often the case even now with a lack of coverage of major events in Egypt and the like. I do believe, however, that the quote "whoever controls the media controls reality" is a bit extreme. There will always be some way to communicate information quickly and easily so long as there is the internet. The issue, however, is that many people do not go so far as to further research what they hear on the news or in papers and simply accept it to be fact. Often times stories are spun so that there is a specific bias that may benefit a person or organization. Take, for instance, the woman who sued McDonald's for her coffee being too hot. It was covered in a way that made it out to be some sort of joke, and she was ridiculed frequently. However, if one were to further do more research on the topic they would have learned that the woman suffered third degree burns and was only trying to receive compensation for her medical bill. In conclusion, the media does control reality in a way, but only for the ill informed.
Meghan Giannettino
9/6/2012 02:58:02 pm
I agree Camille that "whoever controls the media controls reality" is a bit extreme.
Jackie Ortiz
9/6/2012 11:42:23 am
Although Mr. Jennings made a great point, I believe that we are in a time that people are very openly opinionated and have strong beliefs. Therefore, most aren't so easily influneced by the media. It is easier for kids to be influenced because they are so impressionable, but not most adults. To an extent we believe the media but because we hear the same story changed different ways we take it upon ourselves to listen and combine both, for the full one. The media is defintely used to change our minds but I would'nt say fully manipulate us. That is why some news channels are more bias than others. For that reason I watch CNN the most but also tune into FOX, along with reading the CT post and the tweets they post on twitter for story updates.
Alex Mardis
9/6/2012 11:52:20 am
I agree with Danielle in the sense that the media will always be a tool used to manipulate society in one way or another. However, I disagree with Danielle when she says that Jenning's quotation is false. Ideally, everyone would check both sides of the media. But unfortunately i dont think that is happening. I believe that society has reached a point where it has become so dependant on the media that it has forgotten to not listen to whatever it hears. just because its on tv, people just assume it to be true, let their guard down, and become more susceptible to manipulation. Therefore, I believe that who ever controls the media DOES control reality in one way or another. As someone mentioned above, its not like the public is actually at these events. everything we hear of, unless its in our own town has been provided to us by the media. Actually, the media is the only way we can even be exposed to reality.
Kaleigh Cragan
9/6/2012 12:17:36 pm
In some ways I agree with Peter Jennings and others I do not. There are many people in this world today who are naive and "act like sheep" when it comes to believing anything they see on the news or read in articles. The media can put alot of false and incorrect gossip out there and its up to the people to believe it or not. For example, political parties try to sabatoge the other by putting commercials up about something bad or wrong the opposing party (or person) has done that may or may not be true. It is the public who decides if they are false or not. The media can put so much gossip into our heads that can not be true. But for a smart, knowledgable person, I believe the media can't trick them. I don't believe the news can "manipulate" us, but I believe it has a huge impact on our daily thinking and reasoning. I personally watch the news on FOX or wtnh, articles in the paper are also very interesting because they have an author that can put in their own opinion, which can allow some readers to understand the article in a different perspective.
Bridget Borowy
9/6/2012 12:24:26 pm
I also agree with Jennings. Today, pretty much all information is passed via news, newpaper, or the internet. The media does have the power in which to publish almost anything. An example that I saw the other day was on one of those cheap gossip magazines. It said that, and I quote, "KIM KARDASHIAN: She is won't flush her own toilet." Mind you that this was written on the cover of it. Why on earth would that be true and why would it ever be important enough to post on the front page? Funny example, but it just goes to show that media does post things like that, and I'm certain that there are plenty of ignorant people who now believe that Kim Kardashian does not flush her own toilet.
Zach Antonio
9/6/2012 04:22:03 pm
Oh my goodness, Kim Kardashian doesn't flush her own toilet? Oh, and that reminds me, did you hear that Kourtney is finally kicking out Scott? About time, right? Lulz jk, I don't care. Just goes to show how people can be forced to believe anything. Like those ads that promise abs in 3 weeks without exercising. Of course, I've never actually tired it. I wonder if it works...
Kyle Blake
9/6/2012 01:12:44 pm
I disagree with Mr. Jennings. I believe that the media and reality are two totally separate aspects of the world. I do believe, though, that the media can manipulate reality by stretching the truth. Many news reporters add small lies to their story to make it more interesting and appealing to the public. If their story is not appealing enough it will not make the press, so by adding the lies, it catches the eye of the public. Many news reporters are very skilled at making their stories believable. People watch the news every day to find out what is going on in the world. What people do not know is that, most of the stories in the news or the newspaper are not fully true. I believe the news has manipulated every society in the world. People watch the news every day. If they do not see the news for one day they feel like they have missed something. Media manipulates us every day. Every sales commercial is manipulating people into buying useless materials. I do not watch the news, but my parents watch news 8.
andrew lynch
9/6/2012 02:20:46 pm
I like how you included sales commercials. It is true because every time you turn on the TV there is some one saying that their product is the best, or they are the cheapest.
Kristina Lacasse
9/6/2012 01:14:38 pm
I disagree with Peter Jennings. His quote seems a little extreme. Whoever controls the media does not control reality, but how we see reality. Although the media doesn’t fully control reality, the media controls how events are perceived and what is shown. There is always more to the story of what people advertise, because they only show the side of the story they want to be known. Many people watching the news story can be persuaded to believing that it is the whole story. Many people that don’t feel like looking up more articles are more prone to being convinced by one source. I don’t believe every story I see on the news and then I try to find another article that says the same thing. I just get my news from a combination of radio, CNN, and Fox. I don’t believe it each story, but if it is interesting I will look it up on different sites.
Katheryn Byrnes
9/6/2012 03:38:17 pm
I agree with Kristina that with the media controlling what is being shown so, it in a way shapes how they people look at what is happening in the world.
Michaela Ryan
9/6/2012 01:25:18 pm
The media definitely controls our reality, to the point where we might not even realize it's happening. The media selects stories that they believe are "newsworthy" and blow them out of proportion until they've exhausted every aspect of the story. Think about how often the news becomes part of our everyday conversations, right now everyone is talking about the upcoming election, a few months ago it was Trayvon Martin. No one seemed to mention the similar Kenneth Chamberlain and Sean Bell cases. Why should we only be fed certain stories? The media not only feeds us information, but gets to decide what we think is important or not- and we are exposed to it every single day. News is on TV and the radio 24/7. We can get it any time, on our phones. Within seconds we have access to what they want us to hear, and they make it sound all too fascinating.
Kaitlyn Carey
9/6/2012 05:42:06 pm
I agree that the news focuses too much on some issues, skipping over others. I think that this is partly because they want to get more people to watch their reports, so they focus on things that are already sensationalized. This gives people an inaccurate view of current events.
Trevor Haigh
9/6/2012 01:28:04 pm
I believe that Peter Jennings' statement may have been accurate at one point, when there only one or two "reliable" news outlets. In today's society, however, there are so many ways to obtain new information, be it newspapers, television, the internet etc., that it becomes impossible for any one person to control the media. 9/15/2012 02:06:48 pm
That's a good idea to always check a third source. I personally haven't gotten too far out there with politics, so I just listen and watch what my parents are viewing or listening to. And you're right. With the internet, the media doesn't sway you as much, because you have a choice in what you want to read, rather than sitting and watching a network with all the same, biased points. Good ideas!
andrew lynch
9/6/2012 02:14:06 pm
I agree with Peter Jennings point. People for the most part are very gullible easily manipulated and uneducated about what is going on all around them. There have been situations in which the people have over and under reacted to situations because of the media has said. For example, a few years ago, Air Force One was flying low over New York City taking aerial photos of the city. Along side air force one was a single F16 fighter jet. The media immediately looked at the situation and broadcasted that we can potentially be dealing with a repeat of September 11, 2001. Every skyscraper in the city was evacuated, causing businesses to shut down, emergency vehicles were scrambling all over town, and people were terrified. But there was no accident. This is all because of the way the media works. They find a story that is somewhat interesting and the build on it. That is how a "low fling aircraft" story turned into "possible repeat of 9/11". We listen to what the media has to say too much, we need to become more independent in finding out information about what is happing in the world. I personally like CNN because their info seems legitimate for the most part, but just like all other news stations, they are not always right. You need to decide what’s real or not.
Amanda Donofrio
9/6/2012 02:31:38 pm
I concur with Peter Jennings as he states, "Whoever controls the media controls reality." To a large quantity of the American population, tuning into the news is a quick and effortless way to learn the basics of world issues. Reporters sway the public opinion by the way they present the issues. For example, when talking about political candidates, it is easy to extract intrest in a candidate by pointing out negative qualities. News reporters can be very minipulative in this way. Those who are listening might not take the time to further their knowlegde about the person or issue, but just base their knowlegde on what they are told. In other words, if the average American were to engage in the news, they would most likely side with reporters instead of taking their personal stance on the issue. It is rational to be less trustworthy or gulable of what you hear, and to form your own opinion. I occasionally watch the Channel 8 news, but most often will go online to their website. This gives me a chance to explore more. Also, to only engage in what I think to be necessary.
Jessica Fedak
9/6/2012 03:12:32 pm
Amber Murray
9/30/2012 07:13:25 am
I agree with this, some people are so gullible and believe almost anything that is feed to them, especially if it's through the media!
Katheryn Byrnes
9/6/2012 03:36:18 pm
What he say is somewhat true because there are many out there who believes in what the media says and will follow what they are saying even if it is not true. Some people will follow what they are told and not care if it is true. They will take the word of others when even when they do not know the whole truth. In some reality shows people actually believe that what is happening there is what really happens in there life. The people who have the power to control this are controlling what the people believe and in the end how they live their life. These people are letting their lives be controlled by the media so, in result the media is controlling them. They are not going online or watching different new channels to hear the full story so they can take out the bias parts and make their own opinions.
Zach Antonio
9/6/2012 04:14:25 pm
Mr. Jennings brings up some good points, but I think it all has to do with how trusting you are. Sometimes opinions are presented as facts, and it is tough to tell the difference. It is really up to the person to use their own knowledge and intuition to make the best judgement. "Whoever controls the media controls reality". Well, I would call that a stretch. I would say that whoever controls the media controls the general perception of reality. But everything is up to interpretation. I personally take in what I read in papers and watch on TV and try to form my own opinion. Although, I am not going to lie to you here, I'm not the kind of guy who watches Fox News or MSNBC nad consider political opinions. I just really don't care. I'm sure I will one day, but until then I'll leave politics to those who want to have debates over something they do not have control over. "Can the news be used to manipulate us"? Well, of course it could. If all major news stations tomorrow reported that Barack Obama had been assasinated, many would believe. And many would be in complete disbelief. Either way, they could mess around with our emotions and thoughts just by presenting the news.
Richard Katrenya
9/6/2012 04:43:54 pm
Hey, sorry for posting so late, I'm useless without my agenda -_-
Alyssa Ferreone
9/13/2012 09:04:53 am
I do think that the news and other media can be manipulative, however, we have no other source to get information from. It is either listen to what they're telling us or not know anything about our country. 9/15/2012 02:00:27 pm
I think Peter Jennings has a point. People do believe everything they hear nowadays. The average person doesn't look past their favorite news channel and they end up relying on just one source. You have to think that this election would be nothing without television and internet. People watch what they watch and claim it's true, and claim they're into politics simply by watching a channel. Those networks like Fox News and CNN are America's lifeline to the political world. I don't agree at Jennings' exaggeration that whoever controls the media, controls REALITY. But certain perspectives will end up impacting you if they're listened to on a regular basis. Fox News is the channel in my household, along with Rush Limbaugh in the car. I've personally just stuck with my parents' beliefs, but since I'm becoming more of an individual, I'm starting to rely on other networks to see the different perspectives.
Rob Costigan
9/29/2012 04:53:44 am
This topic is actually extremely interesting. Now the reason I say this is because different forms of media have different viewpoints and different stories of a topic. Even different companies have different stories of a certain topic. For example, Yahoo! Sports may have an article on a certain rumor lurking in the league, while NBA.com may have a complete and totally different outlook on that same rumor. I remember back in the 2010 offseason the Celtics were looking to trade Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo for Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, and Tayshawn Prince, as told by Yahoo! Sports. Now Danny Ainge, the manager of the Celtics, denied those reports and said he never even mentioned trading them, as told in a public conference and by NBA.com. That's why when you are reading articles or doing projects, you have to be real careful where your sources are coming from. You have to make sure your sources are valid, and you have to know where they're coming from. To be honest, I don't think whoever controls the media controls reality. I think that the truth always comes out in the future.
Nick Casablanca
9/29/2012 10:46:32 am
I disagree with Mr. Jennings, but do agree along with the majority of my classmates with their opinions on this topic. I do believe that the news manipulates people to taking different sides of situations and that is what causes disunity among people. I do not watch the news at all but when I see my family arguing about certain political topics, I look them up so I am up to speed and am able to know what is going on. As for me, I do not like to watch the news because of this very reason. I want to stay true to myself and believe in what I believe, and not follow people whose ideas caused disunity among our people. It is nice that we can debate, but what good is it when some people get too extreme and take things way too far. That is what media can do to us. It can manipulate us in ways to become united or fall into disunity. What good is the media when sometimes it tears us apart. Media can cause more problems than there really needs to be and I wish that we can all stand together as one party than rather being in two and arguing among each other.
Amber Murray
9/30/2012 07:10:43 am
I do not believe that whoever controls the media controls reality. The people who control the media definitely impact the people who watch those kind of things. The news media is manipulative, for example when they said that the world was going to end some people actually believe that and they sold everything and spent all of their money. So in some ways they can control reality. The media is the main source for information that everyone hears. The news part is believable but the little gossip thing are not always true. Like most people I get my news from television and magazines, or even other people. Come to think of it most of the this I hear is just hear say. How does anyone know if the things they hear are true or not? The media is the only true source that is out there, but it does not mean that they are reliable. Comments are closed.
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English 12 HonorsRespond to the question AND comment on another classmate's response in at least 10 sentences. You can certainly disagree, but BE RESPECTFUL of the opinions/feelings of your classmates. Archives
June 2013
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