News coverage plays a critical role in shaping public perception about world events and can influence the decisions that people make. This is especially true when the media highlights or omits certain aspects of an event, such as the recent Gaza conflict. Research shows that a person’s view of a situation can be significantly influenced by the way it is reported in the news, including the language used, visuals, and context.
For example, when a story frames a protest as a riot instead of a demonstration, this can have a profound impact on the way that viewers interpret the information. Research has also shown that what is omitted from a news story can be as impactful as what is presented, particularly when the omission skews the overall perspective on a topic.
Another example of this is the way that the media has promoted organised sceptic groups who present their own views on issues such as energy and climate change. As a result these groups are often viewed as experts and their scepticism is promoted as the only reasonable position.
While it is necessary to inform citizens about events, it is important that the media do so in a balanced way. When the media focuses on one particular side of an issue, it can create a bias that is hard to escape. This can have a negative effect on people’s trust in the media and may even influence their decision to consume news at all.
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