Is the media stronger than the government?

When posed with the question of: is the media more influential and more powerful than the government? What is your view of which form beholds the stronger power in multiple facets.

We see the media becoming an overpowering source in the postmodern society we live in today. We see the government and governmental powers being mocked on a daily scale in the airing of shows such as The O'Reilly Factor; which is a show where Bill O'Reilly debates and discusses controversial political and social issues. The media can simply make the government out to be an ill repute establishment; which often happens. The media is also present within our homes. It can broaden it's scope of effectiveness larger than that of the government's.

To play devils advocate, the government likely knows the media's capability and uses it as an apparatus to convey the message they please. Also, I present the obvious vantage point that the government has the power to eradicate any media production which is largely abusive towards the government.

Debate my friends :idea:

 

Bill O Reilly = my favorite.

Anyways you have to ask yourself who the media represents, the Gov or the People?

 

The media would represent the people.

 

Alright looking at it that way the media/people could overthrow the government. Also though the government, if they wanted, can influence and push the media to put out what it wants.

I think in this instance we have the media playing middleman. They could be shoved by both sides.

In the end I believe it would be people > Government

 

The media represents everyone as a whole. This includes the Government. Ever heard of subliminal messages? The Government uses the media for many things, including recruiting, campaigning, news, and more.

So the argument whether media is stronger than Government is hard to be in question, as the Government is a part of this 'whole'. However, with the US Gov't being a Democracy, the media is most likely more powerful. If the media tries to mess with the Gov't and the Gov't mess with the media by passing unfair legislation, the Gov't would be overthrown in my belief.

 

Neither. The Fox Network, for example, represents the interests of Rupert Murdoch.

 

Well considering the government controls the media I don't think that's a valid question.

 

But doesn't the media control the government, such as Unb4nn3d stated, because the fact that our government is a democracy and relies heavily on the opinion of the people?

 

Maybe in fairy land.

In reality, the government controls the media, and uses it as little more than a public propaganda projector. Fox News, CNN, and whatever else you fancy are all controlled by the same people. The left/right crap they pull off is just hogwash to deter you from discussing actual politics.

 

I happen to believe that the media can be government regulated, but it doesn't stop certain aspects of the media from saying what they please. The media is described as just CNN and Fox - it goes far beyond the premises of both those networks. It's not only present in TV, but also in papers, the internet, etc. Not all of these facets of the media are regulated by the government - it's an impossibility.

 

I am referring to the mass media - not small-town, local newspapers. Gigantic leviathan news corporations like Fox, CNN, NBC, and so on, are not 'regulated' by the government. They are literally all owned, and thus represent the interests of, the same group of wealthy bankers. These interests are not necessarily in your best interest, which is why it's important to do your own research instead.

 

no, corporations on the other hand...

 

I'm not saying that my stance is that the media is stronger than the government, I'm just presenting the idea of the media having the power. I do think the media is under the power of the government because the government subsidies the media through multiple aspects.

 

The bankers control the government which controls the media

The bankers control the government which controls the media

The bankers control the government which controls the media

The bankers control the government which controls the media

The bankers control the government which controls the media

They don't just 'subsidize' it. They CONTROL it. Everything that the mass media spews out has been prepared and reviewed by the owners of said media.

 

Media of course does have a strong influence on the people, but at any time the government can take over the media and use them for their own purposes.

But, sure media can show an image of a person or group to the public and the groups or people are known for what they have done. Example: Terrorism and Islam.

 

I think the innumerable uses of censorship both throughout history and indeed today illustrate that the government is infinitely more powerful than the media.

 

You're right, but the owners aren't necessarily bankers. News Corporation, the worlds second largest media organisation after Disney, is owned by Rupert Murdoch. A list of its ownerships is here.

 

The media, is able to put bad views against the government, which ofcourse people see and place a lot of hate into teh government. I would say the media is one of the most powerful groups.

 

In Australia our prime minister was recently replaced due to increasing pressure from the media over one tax. Some may argue that there were other reasons, but this was definetly one of the main contributors to this event.

Also see this; http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread515619/pg1
Citigroups leaked emails, effectively them attempting to control both government and country, immoral in my opinion. The media was the reason why this was stopped, the government could have done nothing but:

A: Assassinate them (unlikely)
B: Imprison them by creating false crimes (more likely than the first one)
C: Pass laws which could stop them. (see the top of my thread, were the prime minister lost his job)