Let's get academic about "Fake News"

The argument in discussion portraits the term “fake news” rather simplistic, assuming that such statement is fixed, unchangeable, either real or fake, instead of analysing the whole scenario more broadly and perhaps critically understand the purpose of any publication.

Moreover, one could argue that such statement could potentially be both as both are based on their own agenda and might have interest on the outcome of the “news” therefore, being interpreted by whatever channel or journalist presenting that news.

Furthermore, a journalist or media channel will always re-present a partial scene of the whole scenario. ‘The word representation literally means “re-presentation”. To represent something means to take an original, mediate it, and “play it back.” But, again, this process almost necessarily alters the reality of the original (Grossberg et al., 2006, p195).

Fundamentally, the idea of “fake news” might not be as straightforward as some media channels ague, it could potentially be a version or representation of reality based on the channel’s ideology. Although in some cases one might state that some news is perhaps completely out of reality, it is important not to ignore that any media will have an opinion in the argument and it will represent such opinion in many forms. The ideology behind the institution which represents and informs the news plays a massive role in the corporation’s view.

Most importantly, one must question the potential outcome and result of such news being published in a way it has been. Moreover, what potential gains such institution or corporation would achieve by producing that news.
In addition to that, the ideology behind the representation called news by media channels is extremely relevant and those channels are well aware of how powerful their messages are. Most people still trust the media as the main source of national and international political guidance. Especially television channels where news are predominantly the main vehicle of communication. Such power produces a great tool for manipulation and control of a society.

‘News is the product of conventions- a set of informal and subjective rules that guide the decisions of those who gather, produce, and transmit the news’ (Lippmann, 1922 cited in Patterson, 2000, p241).

These example portraits rather clearly how news are treated as a product and viewers are treated as a consumer, such interpretation breaks down the possible ways of how this product could be sold. Consequently, making no difference of the strategy of selling a car or selling the news. One cannot step outside the reality, however, reality can be an opinion, a single frame taken away from the whole scene and analysed separated as it was never part of the whole film. Media can use such strategy to they own benefits in order to protect their ideology.

Bibliography:

Grossberg, L. et al. (2006). Media making: mass media in a popular culture. London: Sage.

Patterson, E.T. (2000). The United States: news in a free-market society. In: Gunther, R. and Mughan, A (eds.). Democracy and the media: a comparative perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 241-265.