Media and Moral Panic

Media is the main revenue of mass communication. The media plays a renewing of roles in society its main responsibility is that of providing selective assureation. As constant consumers and users of this information the relevance to the majority of members in the wider community inclusive of teachers and students is overcritical. The media positions us as the audience to take a particular viewpoint of a topic, issue or problem that is evident in our society.To what extent though does this role as information provider influence moral panic? Moral panic refers to the exaggerated social response to media reporting of a sporadic episode that consequently turns it into a widespread issue and causes colossal concern in society (Cohen, 1987). The media has a tendency to manipulate people by amplifying the facts and truths and using multiple camera techniques to call a group/individual and outcast them in society, thus labeling them the other. Othering is closely linked to divergence as it consists of the objectification of another person or group which puts aside and ignores the complexity and subjectivity of the individual/s. Teachers and students essentialiness construct their own knowledge about media coverage and understand that at metres the media amplifies issues of concern by stereotyping and excluding particular members of society. A certain structure exists in society, if groups/individuals step outside of the boundaries, society categorises them as others and excludes them from the majority.After this particular there are two options that exist to either accept the exclusion or conform to social norms and return to the inclusion. It is vital to understand the effect that bullying, discrimination and the mass media have on these groups/individuals and realise that close to students in your classroom may fall under these categories. Therefore it is in our power as teachers, to inform and position students to be critically literate consumers of th e media, to ensure they are able to bestow a critical perspective towards texts.Due to the fact that the media plays a massive role in students everyday lives in the 21st cytosine it is vital that educators engage students in pedagogical experiences that teach them to become critically literate readers. Students could start by developing an understanding of the indicators of moral panic which are 1. Concern the issue is at a comminuted level and affects ones feelings on a personal level. 2. Hostility increased level of distaste towards those involved in the bane or panic. 3. Consensus a general agreement among society that a threat actually exists. . Disproportionality the problem is exaggerated and amplified to create public concern. 5. Volatility erupts suddenly and almost as rapidly then subsides or disappears. (Goode & Ben-Yehuda, 1994). Developing an understanding of these indicators gives students a solid foundation to be able to critically analyse the texts they obs erve and hear to make an informed decision about the information they are receiving. Students must also have an understanding of the indicators of Disproportionality so they are able to critically analyse the texts they are viewing.They must be able to identify when figures are exaggerated, figures are fabricated altogether, where there are other poisonous conditions in society but they are not getting mass coverage and the changes over time (Critcher, 2006). It can have a detrimental effect in students understanding if they are not presented the tools to be critical readers of texts. In conclusion, it is completely important and relevant to teachers and their students to have a critical understanding of the race between the media and moral panic because.