Reliability of the Media

Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth?

In this contemporary society, we are constantly bombarded by information from our computers, newspapers, television etc. Hence, we need to be constantly aware of the reliability of information fed to us and choose from the wide range of media sources. News that are politically sensitive or exposing private lives of celebrities often cannot be relied upon to convey the truth because propaganda and over-exaggeration tend to get in the way. However, news that recount facts related to intensity of natural disasters, architecture, festivals etc. are usually unbiased unless they are controlled by the government. Thus, media mostly cannot be relied upon to convey the truth.

Media is a business-oriented industry. Hence, truths may be distorted or twisted in order to feed the huge appetite of their target audience. One of the best examples is the method used to fabricate news by making it more sensational in the entertainment industry. Gossips of celebrities are often untrue and made so as to increase the exposure rate and popularity. Even though most of them are simply rumors with no solid proof, readers still choose to get attracted to it because they view their well-liked celebrities as role models or some even imagine them as their future spouse. Companies grab hold of that mentality and try to get celebrity scandals fired up among readers. At the end of the day, it all boils down to gaining profits. Hence, media related to the entertainment industry often cannot be relied upon.

When it comes to news regarding political issues, most of them are controlled by the government. In China, newspapers are not allowed to publish news that will bring down the idea of communism. Even in Singapore, our local newspapers actually publish their news selectively and exercise a certain amount of censorship in the information provided by various sources. Another example is the information provided by the news in USA during the...