Over the last five decades, the media has had a tremendous growth along with the advance of technology. We live on a society that depends on the media. As common persons, when we woke up the first thing we do is; Turn on our TV and watch the news. One news report can became the main topic of conversation for days, or even weeks.
The media can mobilize a whole nation within two minutes of a report. But do we really trust media? Are we hundred percent sure that the information presented is reliable, or does the media creates information to their own convenience, and manipulates the audience to believe on what they are saying?On the movie “Mad City” the TV journalist Max Bracket was covering a story at a local museum when suddenly a bigger issue occurred. Sam Bailey had recently lost his job as a security guard at that museum. In an effort to get his job back, Sam enter the museum with the only intention of convincing Mrs. Banks, his old boss to give him his job back.
After a few minutes of arguing with Mrs. Banks, Sam became anxious and desperate and shoots a shotgun that accidentally hits another security guard. That situation make him feel even more desperate an leaded him close all windows and doors of the museum. Mean while at the restroom Max Bracket was reporting via phone a “hostage situation”. At that point thousands of people had already heard about the “hostage situation” that what was taking place at the museum.Mr.
Bracket became so obsessed to have the whole story for his own that he became Sam’s guidance. Bracket persuaded Sam negotiate with the police. The deal was to led one kid go home, if they led Bracket interview him in front of the cameras. On the interview, Sam was going to explain the situation, saying that the shoot was an accident and that the only thing he wanted was his job back to support his family. After the interview many people from many parts of the country gather around the museum.
Some wanted him to go to jail, and others wanted him to be free. Even merchants gather around the museum to sell food, t-shirts, hats, and all that kind of stuff. The situation had mobilized the entire nation.But not all what the media was saying was true.
There were false testimonies and false stories that made Sam look as a bad guy. The media pretty much manipulated the whole situation and persuaded people to believe on what they wanted them to believe. For Bracket this story was going to be the hit of his career, all what he was thinking of was fame and money. With the arrival of Kevin Hollander the story turned against Sam.
Kevin manipulated the information to make Sam look evil and cruel. He expose the false testimonies of people and even the own Sam’s words with a point of view different than Max to outshine him and to make him seemed as Sam’s accomplice.The story took an unexpected turn with the arrival of Kevin Hollander. Sam was desperate; the situation was out of control.
Now the whole nation thinks he is a psychopath. The only resolution he found was blowing the museum dynamite. The situation could’ve been control till the beginning if the media would just keep away from it. Mr.
Bracket was the first to introduce the story because he was at the place and moment of the situation. His intentions were clearly not to harm Sam.He wanted a progress on his career, to be recognized as being a hero or the best reporter, but his ambitions lead to a terrible tragedy. Other media wanted the story too, and each one interpreted it to their own convenience.
None of them had the entire truth, and none of them really wanted the truth. All they wanted was audience, and they succeeded. Yes, we need media on our lives to be well informed of what is going on in our society, or even to gained a little bit of culture and knowledge. But not all what media says is true or hundred percent reliable. Media does not report stories, media creates stories.
