Short entries related to the cinema, music, media, politics, social issues, and personal grievances.
Brought to you by Brendan Prost. A 22 year old independent filmmaker, university student, radio show host, etc.
At present, fulfilling professional expectations of balance in the news media relies upon the reasonably equal coverage of all parties with power who are relevant to the news content.
This notion of balance obviously discounts the representation of those without power, however directly connected they are to the news content and regardless of the legitimacy and rationality of their opinions. The professional expectation of balance does not demand that all voices in proximity to a news story be heard. The entrenched values, and therefore the expectations within the journalism community, dictate a mindfulness of only certain consistent groups.
The news media can then purport a false sense of balance by offering a selection of seemingly different viewpoints, all of which come from the same circles of power, while excluding the voices of those without the strength or agency to be heard.
The failure of the news media to provide a platform for those whose interests are not represented by those with power, and the obvious resulting omissions of certain discourse, clearly undercuts any claim the mass media can make of offering “balance”.
