Back in 1787, philosopher Edmund Burke coined the term ‘The Fourth Estate’, which he used to describe the role the media ought to play in society. According to him,
the press should perform a regulatory role by keeping the other three powers (parliament, the state and the judiciary) in line, and prevent them from becoming too dominant. It was also deemed that fluency was needed between them and the public, to aid understanding and co-operation. Almost a
quarter of a millennium later, with the media and society having undergone
radical changes, do the foundations of this estate still stand strong?
One of the primary roles of the media is to keep the public in touch with those above them - namely the politicians who govern their everyday lives. It is evident that, in order to combat the "growing sense of political disillusionment, apathy and disconnection"[1] that is manifesting itself among today's youth, more transparency is needed at the very top. In 2010, a series of debates were televised in the run-up to the general election. The three leaders - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - appeared in front of the general public to tell them how their party intended to deal with various issues, such as the economic crisis and immigration. These debates were a huge success, with the the views peaking at 9.9 million, or 37% of the total TV viewership at the time [2]
This table[3], which charts amount of television watched by various age groups at the time, shows that those in the 12-17 bracket watched more television than any other group bar those who were 50+. As a result, these figures suggest that a large part of the debates' audience was young. This perhaps points to a growing interest in politics, with the media to thank for the publicity these showdowns received in the build-up to their broadcast.
In addition to keeping the people informed on the powers, the media's ability to entertain, educate and inform is unparalleled. Now, more than ever, we are reliant on the media in order to learn and thrive - with the development of the internet, it has become an integral part of our daily lives. The media is a force to be reckoned with and, as such, it must be handled with care and responsibility. IPSO, a regulatory organisation established in the wake of the phone hacking scandal, aims to do this - with the Guardian and Independent refusing to sign up, though, it remains to be seen how effective it will be.
The journalist Anand Shukla remarked that "a democracy without media is like a vehicle without wheels"[4]. Indeed, a strong and independent media is pivotal to the functioning of day-to-day life. Without it, we would be left in the dark, with the powers that be free to run amok and renege on any and all promises as they see fit. The role of the media in today's society must not be underestimated, for it will surely shape the society of tomorrow.
______________________________________________________________________________
[1] Ashgate - A Disconnected Generation?https://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Young_Citizens_Intro.pdf
[2] Guardian, 2010 TV debate viewing figures
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/apr/16/leaders-debate-tv-ratings
[3]Marketing Charts, TV viewership data
http://www.marketingcharts.com/television/more-viewers-watch-timeshifted-tv-15093/
[4]International Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Anand Narain Shukla
http://www.academia.edu/4243668/MEDIA_AND_SOCIAL_AWARENESS
One of the primary roles of the media is to keep the public in touch with those above them - namely the politicians who govern their everyday lives. It is evident that, in order to combat the "growing sense of political disillusionment, apathy and disconnection"[1] that is manifesting itself among today's youth, more transparency is needed at the very top. In 2010, a series of debates were televised in the run-up to the general election. The three leaders - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - appeared in front of the general public to tell them how their party intended to deal with various issues, such as the economic crisis and immigration. These debates were a huge success, with the the views peaking at 9.9 million, or 37% of the total TV viewership at the time [2]
This table[3], which charts amount of television watched by various age groups at the time, shows that those in the 12-17 bracket watched more television than any other group bar those who were 50+. As a result, these figures suggest that a large part of the debates' audience was young. This perhaps points to a growing interest in politics, with the media to thank for the publicity these showdowns received in the build-up to their broadcast.
In addition to keeping the people informed on the powers, the media's ability to entertain, educate and inform is unparalleled. Now, more than ever, we are reliant on the media in order to learn and thrive - with the development of the internet, it has become an integral part of our daily lives. The media is a force to be reckoned with and, as such, it must be handled with care and responsibility. IPSO, a regulatory organisation established in the wake of the phone hacking scandal, aims to do this - with the Guardian and Independent refusing to sign up, though, it remains to be seen how effective it will be.
The journalist Anand Shukla remarked that "a democracy without media is like a vehicle without wheels"[4]. Indeed, a strong and independent media is pivotal to the functioning of day-to-day life. Without it, we would be left in the dark, with the powers that be free to run amok and renege on any and all promises as they see fit. The role of the media in today's society must not be underestimated, for it will surely shape the society of tomorrow.
______________________________________________________________________________
[1] Ashgate - A Disconnected Generation?https://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Young_Citizens_Intro.pdf
[2] Guardian, 2010 TV debate viewing figures
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/apr/16/leaders-debate-tv-ratings
[3]Marketing Charts, TV viewership data
http://www.marketingcharts.com/television/more-viewers-watch-timeshifted-tv-15093/
[4]International Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Anand Narain Shukla
http://www.academia.edu/4243668/MEDIA_AND_SOCIAL_AWARENESS
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