• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
I Rise

I Rise

Empowering through health, wellness and historical knowledge

  • My culture, my country
  • History
    • On this day in history
  • Events

Categories

  • Culture
  • Empower
  • Features
  • Health and Wellness
  • Things to do
  • History
  • My culture, my country
  • Events

Need help?

  • Culture
  • Empower
  • Features
  • Health and Wellness
  • Things to do

The role of the media in fuelling culture wars

8 July, 2018 by Ella Palmer
white printer paper on white table

Media plays a vital role in shaping public awareness and providing information that shapes attitudes and opinions. The media has become a powerful tool, whether it is TV, radio, or the internet. As a society, what should the media’s role be, and what purpose does it serve?

The three broad roles of the media are to inform, entertain and educate. However, a fourth role is often overlooked, and that is the role of the media in fuelling culture wars.

There are two ways in which the media can fuel culture wars. The first way is by giving a platform to fringe groups and extremists, and the second way is by framing stories in a way that polarises people.

The media has a responsibility to inform the public about important issues, but it should also be mindful of how it reports on them. It is essential that the media presents both sides of the story and that it does not unnecessarily polarise people.

With the UK’s vote to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, the role of the media in fuelling culture wars has come under scrutiny. Some argue that the UK media played a significant role in stoking fears about immigration and drumming up support for Brexit. Over the pond, the US media is also primarily to blame for Trump’s election victory.

How social media is exacerbating the culture wars problem

Social media is rapidly expanding its influence on every aspect of our lives.

Social media platforms were not built to incite culture wars. However, they have become a powerful tool for doing just that. People had to rely on traditional media outlets to get their news in the past. Now, people can get their news from social media, which often leads to confirmation bias.

People are more likely to share content that aligns with their views. This leads to people being exposed to more of the same content, which only reinforces their beliefs. As a result, social media is exacerbating the culture wars problem.

Social media has been widely credited with helping to start and spread various social movements in recent years. In some cases, such as the Arab Spring, social media has been used to help people communicate and organise when traditional media is unavailable or restricted. In other cases, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, social media has been used to raise awareness of an issue and connect people with similar views.

However, there is also a downside to social media’s role in culture wars. Social media can be used to spread hate and bigotry and harass and intimidate people who hold different views. This can result in increased division and polarisation rather than understanding and compromise.

What do you think? Do you agree that the media plays a significant role in fuelling culture wars?

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Category: FeaturesTag: Social Media

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sidebar

Recent posts

woman sitting on purple bench

Make Space for Girls charity using the law to make parks more inclusive

Mariah Carey

A songwriter is suing Mariah Carey over All I Want For Christmas is You

Love Island

Love Island contestants to receive inclusion training

Windrush arrivals 1948

The Windrush passenger’s underground accommodations

When Caribbean migrants disembarked from the SS Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948, many of them had nowhere to live. Due to the shortage of housing in London following World …

Subscribe to never miss a post

Enter your email address to subscribe to this site and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Trending posts

  • Warning over illegal skin bleach
    Warning over illegal skin bleach
  • History of Notting Hill Carnival
    History of Notting Hill Carnival
  • Fitness influencers and body image: How they impact our perception
    Fitness influencers and body image: How they impact our perception
Drawing of the zong massacre -slaves being tossed overboard

The Zong Massacre

Actors dressed in ku klux klan costumes in a scene from the film the birth of a nation

Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

Claudia Jones leads protest against immigration act

The Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962

Bellefield Great House

Sir Francis Kerr-Jarrett – Jamaican landowner

  • About
  • Contact us
  • Be a guest writer
  • Cookies and your privacy
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · I Rise · All Rights Reserved ·

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLACCEPT ALL
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
SAVE & ACCEPT
pixel