Assignment 1: Role of the Media

The media plays a significant role in sharing stories that matter to the public. However, the media is also influenced by television ratings and tends to highlight those stories and information that increase its ratings (Uscinski, 2009, p. 796).

In fact, throughout history, it has been noted that "if it bleeds, it leads"—which means, the more gruesome and bloody the story, the greater the ratings.

Submission Details:

By Saturday, December 10, 2016, in a minimum of 250 words, post to the Discussion Area your response to the following:

• What role should the media play while covering stories and issues on terrorism?
• Should the violence depicted in the media be censored in an effort to prevent public fear and panic? Why?
• Does the media provide a realistic and fair depiction of terrorism?

By Wednesday, December 14, 2016, read all of your fellow students' postings and respond to at least two of your classmates' posts.

Reference:

Uscinski, J. (2009). When does the public's issue agenda affect the media's issue
           agenda (and vice versa)? Developing a framework for media-public influence.
           Social Science Quarterly, 90(4), 796–815.

Discussion Grading Criteria and Rubric

All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. This assignment is worth 40 points. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.