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RUNNING HEAD: Radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the internet, and films, 1

The Effects of the Media's Manipulation


on Today's Generation




Amber Bentley
Media Ethics 404
Hampton University
November 25, 2013





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Radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the internet, and films, all forms of media, all
things we use, watch, or listen to daily, but more importantly they are all tools used to
manipulate today's generation. Values, opinions, personal interests, desires and emotions can be
changed instantly in response to something that the media has released. Media manipulation is
by far the easiest way to reach out to or influence someone, especially today's youth. Ryan
Holiday, a contributor to Forbes Magazine online website wrote an article titled, "What is Media
Manipulation?--A Definition and Explanation," and in that article he explains best how media
manipulators are plaguing society.
"Today with our blogs and web driven media cycle, nothing can
escape exaggeration, distortion, fabrication and simplification....When
the news is decided not by what is important but by what readers are
clicking; when the cycle is so fast that the news cannot by anything
else but consistently and regularly incomplete; when dubious scandals
scuttle election bids or knock billions from the market caps of
publicity traded companies; when the news frequently covers itself in
stories about 'how the story unfolded'--media manipulation is the
status quo."
As defined, on Dictionary.com the word manipulate means, to negotiate, control, or
influence cleverly, skillfully, or deviously; to falsify for one's own advantage. The word
influence is often a lighter term for the word manipulation. However, unlike manipulation, that
word can be used in a positive way as well. Influence is defined as the action or process of
producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc of another person. As a media
professional, one is automatically instilled with a great deal of power; it is important that that
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power is always used for the influence and betterment of society, not with the intentions to
manipulate consumers.
It is very clear that this generation is one that is very easily manipulated. It does not help
that today there are so many things that are published, posted or broadcasted that are extremely
complicated to decipher as reliable or erratic information. Manipulation is similar to temptation
and betrayal, in which there are many different forms and aspects to them, however one they
that each has in common is the physical sensation that accompanies the act (Bugeja, 2008).
These sensations include throat constrictions, a flushing of the face, and a pit in the stomach.
This occurs when one finds out that someone he or she once trusted has betrayed them, or when
one finds out that something he or she relied on or looked up to, has just been declared faulty. "It
is important to allow instant feelings to inform consciousness rather than overriding those
feelings in the belief that our head always knows more than our heart (Bugeja, 2008)." This is
where one's conscience comes in to play. One's conscience has the function of allowing one to
make quick decisions based off of little to no information.
A key element that all manipulators know is "predictable behavior." This consists of the
fears, beliefs, convictions, and values of a person. Manipulators in the media know exactly what
it takes, what to say, and what to do in order to persuade an aspect of one's life. They almost
control one another as if they were
puppets, which is all a part of the
deceitful strategy (Bilbie, 2005).
Manipulation violates one's privacy and
inner conscience. Within one's self there
are three different sides: best self,
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ordinary self, and worst self. The best self is one that exemplifies grace and forgiveness to
manipulators and ourselves. The ordinary self reacts in a way that is predictable to manipulation.
This is what manipulators count on. Last the worst self is the one that perpetrates the
manipulation (Bugeja, 2008).
When it comes to media manipulation it is often hard to determine what is normal
information and what is exaggerated. It relies on the behavior of companies, platforms, outlets,
and its employees that mimic knowledge of protocol, deadlines, technology, and other aspects of
communication. The important thing to remember is manipulation is always interactive! Without
the participation of the receiving end, it would not be successful. Media manipulation occurs for
several reasons: to gain an advantage as a company, to get one to buy a product, to get one to
think or act a certain way, and to sway one on politics. Citizens rely on the news reporters, the
journalists, and the publicists to give out accurate information. Not only should media
professionals want to be ethical within their profession, it should go beyond the newsroom or
cameras. A perfect example of manipulation in the media was seen in the movie "Shattered
Glass." Stephen Glass, the main character, was an avid manipulator. He wrote stories that had
made up quotes, imaginary scenarios, and exaggerated scenes. All for fame and recognition,
which by the way is one of the leading reasons that people of this field manipulate their work.
Glass knew exactly what it was that he was doing, and his consciousness did not even play a
factor in his decisions. People rely so much on the media because that is the only place to know
what is going on in the world. So when one manipulates its consumers, it makes them feel
betrayed, baffled, and they are more apt to not trust that source ever again. The consequences of
being manipulated are sometimes unavoidable, because one is unaware of what is happening,
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however the consequences of one finding out that you have been manipulating the media are far
larger ("Journalists Ethics Should,")!
There are many forms of manipulation, and along with that there are different aspects.
The first way one can manipulate a story to get the ends they want is to use anecdotal evidence.
This method includes using a single fact as the only evidence, which in reality only amounts to a
sample size. Second, journalists are known to provide just one sided of a story, and we all know
that there are two sides to every story. So leaving one out intentionally is an easy way to
manipulate one to feel a certain way. The third thing one can do is chose only certain stories or
ads to run/ emphasize on. This bias can force other to be just as bias about an issue or situation.
The fourth way one can manipulate others is by cherry picking research and statistics. There are
thousands of media outlets where one can get information from now a days, for instance the
television, radio, magazines, and newspapers. So therefore one can hand pick which sources to
use and which to omit from the entire story. The fifth way is to use out of context clips or quotes.
Everyone has seen how television and radio interviews can take a segment of what you said and
flip it into a bad statement instantly. The sixth and final way one can manipulate a story is to
declare a source "anonymous" or unnamed. Once that is said it basically gives the professional
the means to say or make up whatever he or she wants to say (Messerli, 2011).
As a Public Relations major it is important to touch on the topic of manipulation in the
PR fields as well. Some may underestimate their power. Public Relations specialists are the first
to speak out on behalf of a celebrity or company when something goes wrong. It almost seems as
if it is their job to manipulate others. They can pay journalists to say certain things, they can
preplan events or appearances in order to get one thinking a certain way about a celebrity, and so
on (Shah, 2006).
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Society is not just consumed by the manipulations of the journalism world. This goes as
far as manipulating one psychologically, emotionally, politically, and physically. Acne
commercials have actors who have their faces changed, celebrities are in commercials for their
weight loss, but have their body morphed, people are in magazines with pictures that are edited
and touched up to make them look better than they are. Things of that nature give people a false
sense of beauty and confidence. Politically there is so much that one can do effect today's
generation. Because we are so young and new to the talk of politics, it is easy to manipulate
some.
The media attempts to also override the values that our parents and role models have
instilled in one. This force is something that is consuming the media and transforming the public
to be one of the same, rather than functioning with one's own belief. Romans 12:2 (New
International Version) says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind." and that fits perfectly for this paper. Today, the media has entirely
too much of a negative effect on society. People depend on it entirely too much, and that is why
it is so easy for ones who produce the products to manipulate the consumers. According to
Bugeja in Living Ethics, journalists and practitioners manipulate sources, clients, and consumers
every day. The validity of the news these days will always be questions, simply because many
individuals are aware of how they have been manipulated.
Manipulation is important when it comes to ethics and public relations. The way one acts
will ultimately always display the ethics one possesses and the values he or she stand for. If you
work in this field, or looking to get into it, be sure to use your skills as a professional to be an
influence, as stated earlier, not a manipulator.

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References
Bilbie, J. (2005). Manipulation Through Mass Media. Unpublished manuscript, Retrieved
from www.slideshare.net/julia_bilbie/manipulation-through-mass-media
Bugjea, M. (2008). Living ethics across media platforms. Oxford, New York: Oxford
University Press.
Dictionary.com (n.d) Retrieved from dictionary.reference.com/browse/manipulation?/s=t
Holiday, R. (2012, july 16). What is Media Manipulation--A Definition and Explanation .
Retrieved fromhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanholiday/2012/07/16/what-is-media-
manipulation-a-definition-and-explanation/
Messerli, J. (2011, july 14). The Media's "How-To" Guide for Manipulating the Truth. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.balancedpolitics.org/editorials/media_manipulation.htm
Shah, A. (2006). Media Manipulation. Global Issues, Retrieved from
www.globalissues.org/article/532/mediamanipulation#Mediamanagementandpublicrelati
onsisveryprofessional
(n.d.). Journalists' Ethics Should Go Beyond The Newsroom. Retrieved
from www.penguinate.com/journalism-ethics-from-stephen-glass.html

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