Is the news making us unhappy? The influence of daily news exposure on emotional states.
Another study reveals that negative news may: (1) trigger feelings of sadness, anger, or anxiety, can have a significant impact on both mindset, behaviour, decision and health, (2) lead to a negative spiral of thoughts and emotions, (3) make it difficult to see things in a positive light, (4) increase feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, (5) lead to the deterioration of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, (6) have an impact on cognitive function, such as memory, attention and decision making as well as on physical health, (7) affect sleep, energy levels and motivation, relationships and social interactions and unhealthy behaviours such as overeating, smoking, and substance abuse, which can further contribute to poor health. According to another study negative news leads to a sense of “compassion fatigue” where people might start to feel numb and desensitised to the suffering of others, which can affect their ability to empathise and help others. (Schlenger WE et al. 2002).
Negative emotions triggered by exposure to negative news may unleash stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can in turn increase the risk of developing chronic health conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke and increased risk of sleep disturbance, which can in turn affect overall physical and mental health. The majority of media messages are constructed with commercial, political or other purposes. Therefore, the evaluation process in which individuals question media contents with respect to objectivity and reality is of vital importance for the media.
In the new media order in which anyone can create one’s own contents and share them because cost and scarcity of radio spectrum no longer apply as they did in the analogue days. Silverblatt (2001) suggests a contextual approach, one that emphasises issues of production and consumption in addition to content. One can expand this to an analysis of information control and cultural ideologies (Kavoori & Matthews, 2004, Lewis & Jhally, 1998). As Jhally notes, “To appreciate the significance of contemporary media, we need to know why messages are produced, under what constraints and conditions and by whom” Lewis & Jhally, 1998)
Another definitive but less recognised element of media literacy is to give the person greater control of exposures and the construction of meaning from the information ‘encountered in these exposures’ (Porter, 2004) R. McChesney – the problem we face with a hyper-commercial profit obsessed media system is that it does a lousy job of producing citizens in a democracy.
News literacy is a news-oriented competence, aimed at promoting the critical news in news consumers and journalists that overlap the core skills of CML. However, it focuses not only on tracking, identifying and questioning content to distinguish from genuine to false ‘news’ but also to determine if news reporting and coverage is credible, trustworthy, objective and factual. It provides insights into the manipulative editorial skills. This empowers news consumers to become news savvy in order to make informed choices and decisions in order to uphold the ideals of a democracy.
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) states “News literacy is the acquisition of 21st century, critical-thinking skills for analysing and judging the reliability of news and information, differentiating among facts, opinions and assertions in the media we consume, create and distribute.” They suggest that it can be taught most effectively in cross-curricular, inquiry-based formats at all grade levels, and is considered a necessary component for contemporary society.
The association also states that news literacy is a news-oriented competence, aimed at promoting CT in news consumers and journalists, which overlaps with the core skills of CML. However, it also focuses on identifying and questioning content to distinguish between genuine and false ‘news’, as well as determining the credibility, trustworthiness, objectivity, and factual accuracy of news reporting and coverage. Through this, it aims to empower news consumers to become more news-savvy, making informed choices and decisions in order to uphold the ideals of democracy.
In summary, news literacy is a critical skill that is essential for informed decision making in today’s society, where access to information is readily available but not all information is reliable or trustworthy. By providing individuals with the tools to critically evaluate news and information, news literacy can help promote a more informed and engaged public, and ultimately strengthen the ideals of democracy. News Impact on Democracy [Next]