Blog prompt 4

To what extent do the best selling UK newspapers cover stories related to serious issues? To what extent would you think that it is their role to do so? In your opinion do the tabloid media and the ‘low budget entertainment’(reality shows, soaps have too much power and influence in this country?

Before attempting to give an informed opinion about the lack of wide coverage of serious issues by the media, it is necessary to outline some of the objectives of newspapers, tv’s and radios. Does any of their objectives have anything to do with the promotion of environmental activities and if so to what extent? Besides the desire for money, the media have a moral responsibility to inform the people about factual things happening in their world and in the world around them. For information people depend mainly on newspapers, tvs, radio, and internet.

There are institutions like The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) responsible for the verification of circulation figures for newspapers, magazines and directories, and The Advertising Association (AA) which represents advertising and promotional marketing industries one of which is the media industry? Available from this link: http://www.theidm.com/about/professional-links/.

Surely there must also be authorities like the Standard Association responsible for ensuring that the media practices impartiality and objectivity in carrying out their businesses. These associations could be Radio and TV even the BBC who are the market share holders. Can the media be persuaded (though they have the freedom of choice and expression) to value people’s sustainable future while enjoying their materialistic benefits? The same way TV licenses are imposed on viewers is the same way the issue of informing the public about serious-information-awareness should be viewed.
If such authorities existed then they were probably dormant or not having the mandate to influence the media- stake -holders not to just talk about DIYs, Sitcom soaps, Drama and Reality programs. Even in a democratic state, it should be the government’s aim to influence the media to promote issues about sustainable development rather than leave them to individuals and Activists. The issue here is whatever happens in and around the world can be best understood or taken seriously, if it comes through the media. Yet the media, in an effort to attract subscribers, looks for news that may easily manipulate people’s minds into believing in trivial matters. In the UK there are dozens and dozens of daily, weekly and Sunday newspapers including thousands of periodical publications.

The types of newspapers available to the public are the tabloid (smaller easy and quick to read), and the broadsheet (much bigger in size and time-consuming). Historically the tabloid is known for primarily focusing on less serious but pleasurable content for example; celebrities, sports, crime and many more. On the other hand the broadsheets, like The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Independent, are known for providing in-depth news coverage. Generally the broadsheet newspapers provide factual and often meaningful news. Link: http://www.travelsignposts.com/England/england-daily-newspapers.php. Nevertheless what matters is not the size of the newspaper but the contents

From the ABC (2009) data, Link: http://www.abc.org.uk/ it is noted that the six top selling newspapers attract about 9 million readers a day of which a third subscribe to the Sun. Is it because the Sun tabloid always produces sensational headlines and eye-catching pictures of girls? What would be the impact if, on a daily basis, the front page of the six top newspapers showed a sensational blog about sustainable development issues. On the other hand the TVs and the radios would also show and talk about sustainable life-styles respectively. Alternatively the tvs could show pictures of the degrading world. Of course, it is not to say that the media is doing nothing because now and again, issues of environmental nature are raised. Furthermore, the newspapers could also use the ‘Mail Online’ to influence the millions of internet users or by showing pop ups of melting glaciers or stranded bears on the internet in form of appeals.

In conclusion the UK already has in place a strong media base to deliver important information by means of daily and weekly newspapers, and periodical publications. On the other hand the numerous TV and Radio channels could intensify their involvement in sustainable development matters. The more people hear and read or watch and understand environmental programs, the more they would switch from hedonistic life-styles to more positive and sustainable life-styles.