The Mass Media as Subjects of Manipulation

Ethical values as opposed to the «trendy market culture» of manipulation with violence, accidents and crime

Abstract

The author studies the role of the mass media in modern society, particularly in light of the obvious trend of editors insisting upon negative news events as top stories of the day.  Is irresponsible journalism, which focuses upon profits from sales achieved through a sensationalistic, oftentimes brutal violation of privacy, a feature of the 21st century media? Is it possible, in a chaotic, disordered society which defines neither obligations nor sanctions, to speak of democratic media which respect the rights of the weakest? News headlines can be made by anonymous, unknown people under the condition that they have done something very wicked, negative to themselves or others. Noticeable trends demonstrate an identity crisis in Croatian journalism: all media are beginning to resemble one another, and the editorial concept which encourages negative news stories is becoming dominant. Practice confirms the thesis that a journalist is not in the role of the subject bringing a news story, but rather a soldier of profit for the owners of newspaper publishing houses. If there is no subject, then there is noone to bear responsibility or suffer sanctions, and consequently there is no ethical journalism. Through analytical discourse, the author reminds us of the important task of ethics in post-modern society, of the background of yellow journalistic trends in this century, and finally points out that a different sort of media activity is possible, which would incorporate ethics and principles of the common good for all people.