Media and Social Change

Today’s society is so easily swayed with media -whether it’s legitimate news or hearsay and speculation by someone within the industry or politicians.Through the COVID pandemic in 2020 there is huge shift and change in social media as viewers and news programs focused on COVID being the biggest story with constant on screen updates.There is divergence in the news and where the informations accuracy is being questioned. This originally stemmed from politicians specifically Trump and his naive comment regarding using bleach/disinfectant be injected into humans as a possible cure. The details of this problem started with Trump questioning the severity of COVID with Fauci - causing many Americans to question and doubt the science professional. Through his lack of knowledge yet his prestige self image - many American's were easily swayed to follow Trumps ideals and beliefs. This caused a worry that public would actually take Trumps words as a truth and inject themselves with lethal toxins. The power of social media and how it can influence change - can become deadly in the wrong hands.

The media coverage of the COVID pandemic was costly and over the top- seems the right information was (and still is) not fully being disclosed to the public about the virus and its mutating strains, its origins and the status of finding a cure. Instead- the News is about the opinions of the reporters thoughts on it, or Republicans versus Democrat views on it, petty squabbles between Fauci/cabinet/senate/congress/President etc. News/Media had become mere perspective and speculation from journalists who are failing at obtaining the truth of the story regarding the COVID pandemic. This caused more strife within the government as well as causing unnecessary panic in people confused at what to do. Public Relations (PR) did their best to try and sweeten over verbal mishaps knowing the public was watching and people were getting more and more concerned. The change came immediately after Trumps end of Presidential office- since he was gone there was the less squabbling within the office and the end Trump’s social media power (mostly through twitter) which brought a lot of strife and enhanced discord between people, health officials, news outlets, and within the Presidential office. Media and social change came/come from people becoming aware that news and politicians are not providing the full accurate picture. The rise of Freelance investigative journalists - utilizing America’s freedom of speech and the new technologies allowing a studio at the fingertips through Youtube, Podcasts and various other media outlets to share their information.