College Students and the Media

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College Students and the Media

With my initial research, I sought to find out whether or not college students were informed of the news in the community and world. My results were inconclusive, and through a case study (below) I shifted topics to the attitudes of college students towards the news-media. Through a case study, interviews, and surveys I found that college students have mixed views towards the news-media.

The news-media influences how many people think on a certain topic. If news-media reports and accounts are biased, people may be manipulated to believe things that are not true or factual. People, from superstars to the president, can be portrayed as good, evil, selfish, crazy, intelligent, etc. The news-media can use propaganda to illicit these feelings of like or dislike.

The responsibility of the news-media is huge. Some blame school violence and shootings on the media. Others criticize the news-media for copy-cat crimes or crimes purposely committed for the attention of the news. But on the other hand, we trust the news-media will keep us accurately informed of events in the world and community. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, we all sat with teary eyes glued to the television set, watching the news; did we trust what we heard?

Case Study

The purpose of this case study was to see what a college student is more interested in. I sat down with a college student, Grace, and presented her with two sources of news and information. The two selections were The Indiana Gazette and Star magazine. By doing this case study, I hoped to learn whether this student was more interested in community and world news or gossip in tabloids.

I instructed Grace to read through them as she pleased, taking as much time as she wanted. While she was reading I asked her questions about why she chose an article, or why she thought it was interesting. She read the newspaper for an hour and five minutes.

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