Role of Media in Social Movements
People have used social movements throughout history to express their views on what is going on around them. Occupy Wall Street and the Arab Spring are two examples of social movements formed by the people in the pursuit of social change. People in modern communities continue to organize and mobilize others through social movements to change situations that do not meet their expectations. Strikes and labor movements are used to demand improved pay and working conditions. In most cases, social movements are formed in response to societal violence or to seek opportunities to assert new rights (Goodwin & James 302).
Role of Media in Mobilizing Support
Media has played a significant role towards the success of social movements. Media helps in mobilizing political support for such movement, which may lead to their success or failure depending on the direction taken by the media. The social media also plays the role of public legitimation in the mainstreams discourse. Here, a social movement, which is frequently covered by media, ultimately become legal in the public as it attracts the attention of many people. But if the movement violets human rights, the public will not associate with it. Lastly, media helps in broadening the scope of conflicts. Media gives people opportunity to express their views on an issue and can change the scope depending on their interests. The nature and quality of media coverage obtained by a social movement have strong influence on how the movement will be perceived in public. A good media makes a social movement, but an inadequate coverage breaks it (Goodwin & James 312).
Conclusion
In conclusion, social movements are portrayed by the media as agents of change in the society. Consequently, social movements that have been existence for long and effectively institutionalized receives fewer media coverage and would, therefore, make fewer changes in the society, unlike the new movements.
Work Cited
Goodwin, Jeff, and James M. Jasper, eds. The Social Movements Reader: Cases and Concepts. John Wiley & Sons, 2014.
