News Media is one of the few markets where companies deal with non-material, conceptual goods.
Because of this, media companies compete by satisfying their target audience while trying to be as entertaining as possible. This lead me to ask the question: "What is the mainstream media's objective?" In a perfect world, most people would agree with the Global Ethics Network, which states, “Media is the sword arm of democracy. It acts as watchdog to protect public interest against malpractice and create public awareness.”
Based on several studies the vast majority of Americans do not agree that the mainstream media is following through with this. Why? The answer is actually not hard to understand. Simply put, media aggregators are businesses. Every piece of news that comes through cable TV, radio, social media, or anywhere else, comes from a business. All businesses have one common goal, which is to make money. Whether you like it or not, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, CBS, The Denver Post, BuzzFeed, and every other journalistic news media company wants cash, and they achieve this by finding an audience who will listen and agree.
Because of this, media companies compete by satisfying their target audience while trying to be as entertaining as possible. This lead me to ask the question: "What is the mainstream media's objective?" In a perfect world, most people would agree with the Global Ethics Network, which states, “Media is the sword arm of democracy. It acts as watchdog to protect public interest against malpractice and create public awareness.”
Based on several studies the vast majority of Americans do not agree that the mainstream media is following through with this. Why? The answer is actually not hard to understand. Simply put, media aggregators are businesses. Every piece of news that comes through cable TV, radio, social media, or anywhere else, comes from a business. All businesses have one common goal, which is to make money. Whether you like it or not, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, CBS, The Denver Post, BuzzFeed, and every other journalistic news media company wants cash, and they achieve this by finding an audience who will listen and agree.
This doesn't mean that all news companies constantly report dishonestly about world events, as this can ruin company image. Good business can come through honest reporting and true content, yet it seems that the media continues to become more polarized as companies like CBS and MSNBC tap into their typically Democratic-voting viewers. |
If you get hired by a media company, you aren't being hired just because you agree with their ideas or write honestly, you are being hired because you have the ability to make money for the company.
The main objective of the mainstream
media is to be a successful business by
making money.