A lot of the time the media report on, and
reflect stories for their own personal gain. For example, the Australian media
often report on events that happen in the western world because that’s what
Australian viewers want to see, and that in turn will make the media a powerful
and dominant agent in society. Unfortunately, the egotistical nature of western
media causes pain and suffering to marginalized groups in society, or uses
stereotypes in their reporting which can harm others.
In his article ‘Orientalism and the
Australian News Media: Origins and Questions’, Benjamin Isakhan suggests that
western media discourses have served to create a climate of fear and paranoia.
This construction of society on behalf of news media is implemented in ensure
that viewers are drawn in to the content being displayed. Creating a sense of
fear or paranoia means that viewers are more likely to meticulously, and
ritually view news as a mode of keeping up to date with the dangerous and
damaging events that are being portrayed.
During his article Isakhan introduces
Edward Said’s notion of Orientalism in order to express the manner in which
news media propagates racist discourses. This is one way in which the media
constructs feelings of paranoia. Instead of developing a nuance understanding
of the myriad people, religions, cultures and practices, the media selfishly homogenizes
the people into an all encompassing Middle Eastern “Other”. The western media,
in particular, has little motivation to repair past misconceptions about people
of diverse race, ethnicity or culture. Instead they manipulate situations, and
exploit these people for their own incentives and gains.
In the latter part of his article, Isakhan briefly
traces the history of these misinformed representations. He explains that the
construction of the Arab or Isalmic “Other” in news media can be traced back as
far as the 15th and 16th centuries. Therefore, as these
representations can be traced back centuries ago, there wonder why there is
little hope for any remarkable change in the near future.
Isakhan, Benjamin. (2009). ‘Orientalism and the Australian News Media:
Origins and Questions’, Islam and the
Australian News Media, Melbourne University Press
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