Mass Media Bias

Jacques Ellul a French Sociologist once said "It is the emergence of mass media which makes possible the use of propaganda techniques on a societal scale." The presence of Mass media has been rapidly growing since the advent of its first medium, the radio in 1920s and later the television in 1950s ("Advertisement" ,2010). Today mass media has gained global popularity and is heavily relied on to stay informed on current events Through the web. While seemingly beneficial in keeping the public educated there is a major issue resulting from this dependency. With this reliance mass media could reinforce false images leading us to act off false information which could result in the public being effectively brainwashed. their also seems to be a larger

It is worth mentioning how Muslim women are being depicted as damsels in distress who are being subjected to Islam With Lila- Abu –Lughod noting it presents itself as a "very strong appeal of saving Afghan women a notion that justifies American Intervention by American and European feminist" with such claims fostered by mass media public sentiment has increased toward involvement and westernization efforts to apparently combat their harsh lifestyle but that also presents the question of whether this depiction offered is entirely true or are serving their own agenda? In response many would frequently bring up the practice of veiling" where the veil has been represented extensively as a symbol of oppression, fundamentalist beliefs and a threat to western democratic values with political leaders openly expressing sympathy for oppressed covered women". While there is female suppression in the Middle East it is hardly the fault of Islam with Lughod novel "Do Muslim Women Need Saving" she addresses a conversation she had with a woman named Zanab, an Egyptian who claims that while there are apparent problems in society Islam is hardly to blame the government where Police and military would offer trouble if demand weren 't meet" (1-4). It is apparent that mass media is hardly offering accurate portrayal to the public which could be contributed to Bias and prejudice or just covering details to make stories further enticing or possibly condemning their practices which differ from their own American practices. Muslims however aren 't the only groups being falsely portrayed with immigrants being negatively viewed by the media with them assumedly outcompeting citizens for jobs as they tend to work for lower pay. The most dangerous aspect noted by Lucila Vargas and Bruce dePyssler" that media representations of Mexican immigrants as