Beyond the Play of Political Power: does the Media have the ability to switch the channel?

After the death of Hezbollah Military Commander, Mustafa Badreddine[1], the plane crash of EgyptAir 804[2] and the violent end of the protests in Iraq[3], it is impossible to avoid the fact that the world is currently in serious play of political power in which the role of media seems already forecasted.

Simply explained, the media conduct into the recent global events appears to be improved by the existence of flexible social media networks[4] that enable public participation into the changing social and political landscape but it still follows the traditional pattern of gathering and communicating information that does not completely serves in favor to the public audience[5].

Whether we assume that the modern media has the ability to switch the channel from the production and transmission of messages for business and elitarian purposes to the creation and spread of innovative and socially connected topics, what the main focus should fall on?

The act of providing peace

Beyond the familiar news practices, the media actually has the ability to contribute as mediator in times of conflict and humanitarian crises and even to play positive role into the peace building processes by preventing further political aggravation. Numerous are the examples for such media assistance worldwide including the Haiti earthquake[6] , the war in Syria and Iraq[7] and the Ebola outbreak[8].

In fact, the concept of peace journalism is not only a formal part of the media and communication theoretical field but a real tool for indirect communication that facilitates the process of understanding the condition of peace as relationship between different actors involved rather than just a state of affairs, e.g. the Conflict reporting in the South Pacific[9] and the Norwegian media coverage of the war in Afghanistan[10].

Friends or Foes?

Although the advantages of media assistance in peace practices are many the reprimands against media effect on humanitarian aid are also serious.

The absence of media quick response and accurate reporting on conflict events may put in danger the lives of countless people and the media empowerment in areas of permanent economic and political instability also continues to be sizable obstacle for prevention the involvement of local political and commercial interests[11].

[1] Barnard, A. & Chan, S. “Mustafa Badreddine, Hezbollah Military Commander, Is Killed in Syria, The New York Times, <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/world/middleeast/mustafa-badreddine-hezbollah.html?_r=0> (21.05.2016)

[2] Evans, N., Dean, J. & Evans, S. “EgyptAir 804 plane crash: Live updates as ‘more body parts, plane seats and personal belongings’ found in sea”, Mirror, <http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/egypt-egyptair-plane-crash-live-8010675> (21.05.2016)

[3] “Iraq crisis: Green Zone protests end in violence”, BBC, <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36344996> (21.05.2016)

[4] Webster, F. (2006) “Network society: Manuel Castells”, in Theories of the Information Society, 3rd Edition, London: Routledge, p. 98

[5] Bennett, T. (1982) “Theories of the Media, Theories of Society”, in Culture, Society and the Media, London: Routledge, p.30

[6] Levs, J. “Trapped father survives with help of phone app”, CNN, Jan 2010, <http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/24/haiti.survivor.phone.app/> (22.05.2016)

[7]Favell, A. “how technology is helping deliver aid to Syrian refugees in the Middle East”, ComputerWeekly.com, Oct 2015, <http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/How-technology-is-helping-deliver-aid-to-Syrian-refugees-in-the-Middle-East> (22.05.2016)

[8] Rakotomalala, L. “Mapping for Niger, as Told by One of the Project`s Volunteers”, Global Voices, December 2015, <https://globalvoices.org/2015/12/17/mapping-for-niger-as-told-by-one-of-the-projects-volunteers/> (22.05.2016)

[9] Robie, D. (2011), “Conflict reporting in the South Pacific. Why peace journalism has a chance”, in The Journal of Pacific Studies, Vol. 31, no.2, pp. 221-240

[10] Ottosen, R. (2004), “The Norwegian Media Image of the War in Afghanistan: Peacekeeping or Aggression?”, in conflict & communication online, Vol. 3, No. 1 / 2, pp.1-14

[11] Bredeson, J. (2011), The CNN Effect: Mass Media and Humanitarian Aid, Virginia: Liberty University

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