How does media influence fear within a society Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Those settled in the urban areas experience more fear of crime caused by the mass media because they often spend most of their time watching television compared to rural residents who spend most of their time working in their farming fields. Another vital aspect is whether the audience has direct casualty experience or share characteristic with the victims of crime. Media sources will be more meaningful to the society when direct experience they get from the public does not affect the public negatively (Gunter 267-270). There is also the indication that the media through the coverage of tough issues such as sexual assault and murder impact more fear to the listeners and viewerscompared with minor issues involving less crime that are covered by the media. Therefore, media influences public to make crime choices from the mentality the have that is created in them by the media. Although viewing the television is intended to have pleasure to the viewers, it fails to has a direct, consid erable effect on fear of crime especially when brings programs showing crimes. As a result of increased fear of crime by mass media to the public, we can observe that public fear and anxiety for crime is inseparable with the public pressure resulting from mass media and aim for the solutions to crime problems. When news from the media appear urgent covering about crime, they control a negatively and ineffectual perception of the viewer and hence can influence fear factor in him or her. Moreover, frequent viewing and more enjoyment of reality-based crime shows through the media hold acorrectiveinsolence while frequent and more enjoyment of fictional crime shows are not related to holding correctiveinsolences and it contributes to punitive attitude (Surette, 1998). Public Perception on Law Enforcers In a normal situation, public attitude towards police is generally positive. We will write a custom essay sample on How does media influence fear within a society or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now However, a few studies show that the media has a certain level of influence on public rating of police effectiveness. For example, media portray law enforcers to be deployed in a crime scene or as maintenance of law and order where there is crime. Fictional television dramas such as a movie portrays police as heroic, professional crime fighters through exaggerate number of offenses that result in arrest. These exaggerated numbers of the offences has an influence to movie viewers and views the real society is subjected to many crimes through the fiction view of many offences that result to arrest in the movie. On the other hand, increase deployment of police is symbolized with the increased rate of crimes and law enforcers are there to provide security a notion that is developed by the public on matters concerning crime.