Politics and Media Blog Project
Media's Responsibility to the Public
Since the July 2nd election in Mexico, both of the competing party leaders have been declaring victory. Through the counted votes, which may not be comepletely trustworthy, Felipe Calderon won the election by a narrow margin of around 4%. His main opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Orbrador, however, claimed victory after the election and has not stopped claiming victory on television station and newspapers ever since. As the former Mayor of Mexico City, Obrador is liked by the people, and has a large part of the population supporting him. Today in Mexico, Obrador had a ceremony with all of his supporters, declaring himself the "legitimate" president and swore himself in. Due to his popularity in Mexico City, Obrador was able to get substantial media coverage at the event, and in some ways generate a form of legitimacy.
The way I see it the more media coverage that says its official and that he won the election the more likely the average citizen is willing to accept Obrador as the legitimate leader. Similarly to the US election of 2000 when Bush claimed victory over Gore.
It is at these times when the Media has to stop acting irrationally by jumping at any given opportunity to cover a news story just because somone says it happened, and start using more precautions and proper judgment to inform the public of current events by first establishing the truth and then reporting on it.
ofcourse this isnt always easiest thing to do when a certain brother of the current president of the US decides what news story, be it ture or false, airs on a popular channel in Florida following the election. Or if the News station in Mexico city happens to be a supporter of the PDR and helps the incumbent with his celebratory coverage.
With that said, it is only fair to say that a large responsblilty is placed on the Media during close elections to publicize the appropriate news and this must be done with due diligence
Since the July 2nd election in Mexico, both of the competing party leaders have been declaring victory. Through the counted votes, which may not be comepletely trustworthy, Felipe Calderon won the election by a narrow margin of around 4%. His main opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Orbrador, however, claimed victory after the election and has not stopped claiming victory on television station and newspapers ever since. As the former Mayor of Mexico City, Obrador is liked by the people, and has a large part of the population supporting him. Today in Mexico, Obrador had a ceremony with all of his supporters, declaring himself the "legitimate" president and swore himself in. Due to his popularity in Mexico City, Obrador was able to get substantial media coverage at the event, and in some ways generate a form of legitimacy.
The way I see it the more media coverage that says its official and that he won the election the more likely the average citizen is willing to accept Obrador as the legitimate leader. Similarly to the US election of 2000 when Bush claimed victory over Gore.
It is at these times when the Media has to stop acting irrationally by jumping at any given opportunity to cover a news story just because somone says it happened, and start using more precautions and proper judgment to inform the public of current events by first establishing the truth and then reporting on it.
ofcourse this isnt always easiest thing to do when a certain brother of the current president of the US decides what news story, be it ture or false, airs on a popular channel in Florida following the election. Or if the News station in Mexico city happens to be a supporter of the PDR and helps the incumbent with his celebratory coverage.
With that said, it is only fair to say that a large responsblilty is placed on the Media during close elections to publicize the appropriate news and this must be done with due diligence
posted by the opinionator at 7:53 PM
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