Section B exam practice

Does your case study suggest that new and digital media have had a positive impact by offering audiences a more diverse range of values and ideologies?

The recent developments in new and digital media over the past decade have had a significant impact on audiences. Accessing a diverse range of values and ideologies has become far easier, and essentially could be argued that it has had a positive impact on audiences. Nevertheless, there are various implications that can come with new and digital media, and the extent to which it positively offers a diverse range of values and ideologies is debatable.

The rising power of the internet, often referred to as triggering the “information revolution” has resulted in traditional mediums of media being pushed aside in favour of online media. The “digital first strategy” which has been taken up by traditionally print newspapers could be argued to have had a positive impact on audiences as this “survival of the fittest” initiative has resulted in newspapers adapting to provide audiences with platforms in which they can engage with audiences, whether through forums or comment sections such as the Guardian site. This could be argued to have had a positive impact, as audiences which were once passive are now more active and can positively interact and come across a range of values and ideologies. However, it can be argued that each institution, whether online or not still have agendas and promote their own ideologies and values and this is guaranteed through the selection and mediation process. Although news institutions such as BBC are renowned for their impartiality, James Murdoch, criticises stating that state sponsored journalism is a “threat to the plurality and the independence of the news”, thus suggesting that state sponsored news regardless of its impartiality can also hinder audiences from coming across a diverse range of values and ideologies. Traditional forms of media are more biased, as they always carry and reinforce their own values and beliefs through their newspapers rather than allowing for audiences to come into contact with a diverse range of values and ideologies, but it can be argued that there is still a continuation of this regardless of whether traditional institutions have moved online.

A pluralist would argue that there has been a positive impact on audiences. Due to recent developments such as the rise of the internet, it has become easier for audiences to access a more diverse range of values and ideologies. The internet as a platform has provided a degree of flexibility, where audiences can “conform,accommodate or reject” these values and ideologies rather than a limited range of values being implemented on audiences (Hyperdermic needle theory). Audiences can easily come across various values on social networking sites, through bloggers and even the comments section of online media outlets such as the Guardian, thus highlighting the positive impact it has had.

However, it could be argued that new and digital media has had a negative impact in providing audiences a diverse range of values and ideologies. New forms of media such as the internet have accelerated the process of globalisation which then fuelled cultural imperialism. As a result, this has led to the “Americanisation” of the world, where majority of audiences end up holding the same democratic values as others.

In terms of social media, it can be argued that platforms such as Twitter have provided audiences with the opportunity of coming into contact with a diverse range of values and ideologies. Twitter has allowed for the creation of various communities, notably “Black Twitter” in which users challenge racial discrimination and discuss social and political issues to raise awareness. Audiences as a result can come across values from a diverse range of people, ultimately suggesting that social media has become a tool for the dissemination of different values and ideologies. Alongside this, movements have formed, a prime example of this is the BlackLivesMatter movement which has had a prominent presence on Twitter. Due to the “trending” mechanism on Twitter, more people have come across the values and ideologies of social movements such as BlackLivesMatter. The Arab Uprisings also had a notable presence on Twitter, with many tweeting their grievances on the site and organising marches. This has led to revolutions across various middle eastern countries while also raising awareness to global audiences. Whether this has had a positive impact is debatable, but it highlights the significance of social media sites such as Twitter in enabling worldwide audiences in gaining access to a diverse range of values and beliefs as this is capable of causing revolutionary change. However, this is counterargued by Malcom Gladwell, who argues that social media although an effective tool, does not have the power to bring great revolutionary change as traditional activism. The US General elections are also another prime example of audiences coming into contact with a diverse range of values and ideologies. Politicians such as Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton have taken advantage of the site to engage with audiences and implement the values and ideologies of their campaigns. This occurs on a daily basis, also demonstrated by the EU Referendum campaigns that took place on Twitter. Overall, this suggests that the internet and social media have had a positive impact because they have made it easier for audiences to access a diverse range of values and ideologies while also voicing their own.

However, new and digital media also have their implications. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been accused of creating “filter bubbles”. Facebook is a prime example of this, due to its algorithm based model, audiences only come across views and ideologies that reflect their own due to their reading habits. Tailored news on Facebook for example means that audiences will only be suggested to read articles from newspapers that are parallel to their own views.  Twitter similarly creates echo-chambers due to users only following those who reflect their own identities and hold the same values and ideologies as them. This suggests that also new and digital media has had a positive impact and liberated audiences, it has to some extent also limited audiences, as audiences are less likely to come across views that differ to theirs. This can be demonstrated through the EU referendum phenomena, where those on social media sites such as Twitter predominately thought the UK would remain in the EU. This is a clear example of the negative impacts of social media, as it acts as a form of hyper reality (Baudrillard) by distorting the reality of the referendum while also preventing audiences from coming across other ideologies and values.  Additionally, having a wide range of values and ideologies available can have its implications. Although these social media sites advocate for freedom of speech, this freedom can easily be manipulated through the spreading of dangerous ideologies such as terrorism and hate. ISIS are a notable example of taking advantage of these sites to spread dangerous views and values, suggesting that new and digital media may have in fact had a negative impact as it was much more harder in the past to access these types of content.

Overall, new and digital media has had a positive impact on audiences by offering a diverse range of values and ideologies through various new platforms, but the limitations that come with new forms of media have essentially hindered this.