Adversarial Media: Definition and Examples

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Adversarial Media: Definition and Examples

Table of Contents

Introduction
Adversarial Media
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Journalism plays a significant role in every society because newspapers, magazines, TV shows, and other mass media channels inform the general public about various essential events. The way how they present information can be decisive since this manner can significantly impact social attitudes toward different issues. In other words, journalists have the power to shape peoples opinions and thoughts. This outcome is achieved when many mass media platforms describe a specific issue in the same way. However, such cases are rare, and there are typically some sources that offer an alternative point of view to the same event. They are also known as adversarial or alternative media, and this term stands for a journalism that relies on an oppositional style of reporting. Thus, three examples from magazines and a film reveal that adversarial media is a common phenomenon that can bring both true and false information.

Adversarial Media

Firstly, it is possible to find an example of alternative media from class discussions. In particular, this statement refers to the article The Headlines that Are Covering Up Police Violence by Jackson. This new piece focuses on mass protests that followed the police killing of George Floyd. The author admits that government sources tended to focus on the violence of protesters, and numerous mass media platforms repeated the same approach (Jackson 2). However, Jackson utilized a different strategy and offered to highlight that law enforcement agencies and officers were responsible for escalation because these individuals typically abused their authority to deal with protesters (4). This fact demonstrates that the selected article is a perfect example of an adversarial media source because the author expresses an opinion that is opposite to a generally acknowledged assessment of the issue.

Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic brought much debate and conspiracy, and this fact contributed to the spread of alternative mass media sources. Some of them promoted the opinion that the virus was artificially created, which was against the official version of the pandemics origin. The article Republican Report Says Coronavirus Leaked from China Lag; Scientists Still Probing Origins by Reuters is an example of adversarial journalism. This sources author admits that the coronavirus was artificially created because the Wuhan Institute of Virology experts worked to modify coronaviruses (Reuters par. 2). This point of view is significantly different from various governments official statements. Most international scientists agree on the fact that the coronavirus emerged from natural causes. That is why there is no doubt that the selected article is adversarial and presents an unpopular point of view.

Thirdly, alternative mass media platforms are frequent in films, where almost every madman performs their functions. Thus, Dont Look Up is a recent example of how this phenomenon can be used in cinematography. In particular, this movie describes that a comet is going to approach the Earth and destroy the planet. All government agencies and mass media platforms tend to ignore this threat because the asteroid bears many valuable elements. Kate Dibiasky and her professor, Randall Mindy, seem the only people who are concerned with the problem, and they attend TV shows to inform society of the danger (Dont Look Up). It finally appears that Dibiasky and Mindy are right because the comet arrives and destroys the planet (Dont Look Up). These two persons act as mass media agents, and they distribute an opinion that is opposite to the official description.

According to the findings above, it is impossible to mention whether adversarial media is good or bad. The paper demonstrates that these sources can present both true and false data, meaning that one cannot establish a regularity between a source and its validity. However, it is undeniable that alternative media offers an oppositional point of view regarding particular events and issues. Such mass media sources are significant because they allow people to look at different interpretations of certain events, which makes individuals develop their critical thinking abilities. These media platforms are also essential since they ensure that there is no censorship or discrimination in the community. Individuals are free to reveal their opinions if the latter is supported with facts and other evidence. Thus, alternative journalism demonstrates that freedom of expression is provided to people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the paper has overviewed adversarial media and demonstrated three examples of this phenomenon. The given term stands for presenting information in a way that is different compared to a generally-accepted point of view. This issue can be found in newspapers, magazines, and even in films. As a rule, alternative media means focusing on controversial topics and treating them in an oppositional manner. The rationale behind this statement is that the coronavirus origin and the protests after the police killing of George Floyd were considered in the paper. It was also addressed that adversarial media was not the same as fake news since some of the presented examples in the paper offered valid information. That is why one cannot state that alternative mass media is a negative phenomenon. It offers a different approach to analyzing a particular issue, which motivates people to think and analyze the world.

Works Cited

Dont Look Up. Directed by Adam McKay, performance by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, Hyperobject Industries, 2021.

Jackson, Sarah J. The Headlines that Are Covering Up Police Violence. The Atlantic, Web.

Reuters. Republican Report Says Coronavirus Leaked from China Lag; Scientists Still Probing Origins. Reuters, Web.

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