The Gatekeeping Theory Of Media Is Still Being Used In The News Media Despite Being An Age Old Theor

By Author: tanya hansen
Total Articles: 8
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The various forms of media

There are various forms of media that we have around us. Media can be broadly classified into the following

1.Traditional or Print Media
2.Broadcast Media
3.New Media

Traditional or the Print Media
The print medium is being regarded as one of the oldest form of media. Newspapers, magazines and journals are all part of the print medium. Broadsheets and also the tabloids come under the newspaper category as well.

Broadcast Media
The radio is being regarded as one of the earlier forms of the broadcast medium. The television came into being later on. Ever since the television was introduced, the television has all by itself undergone a lot of innovation.

New Media
The later part of the 20th century and the 21st century saw technological revolution because of the innovation that happened. It was around this time when new forms of media began to evolve and develop. The internet and the mobile technology came into being during this time as well.

The theories of media
For many years media researchers and research scholars have been ...
... tirelessly working on establishing a connection between media and society. There have been several theories that have come into being as a result of such research. Such theories have been put to test in various social setups before finally being accepted into the communication stream as theory.

The gatekeeping theory of media
One such theory that has been widely accepted is that of the Gatekeeping Theory. This theory has been born out the psychology stream. It was the German social psychologist who first introduced the concept of “gatekeeping”.

Even in this modern day, this theory holds good for the news media. If we take a closer look at the way the news media functions, we will realize that the process of gatekeeping is being executed at the various levels. Gatekeeping is the process of selection as to what news items can be passed through or allowed through the gates. The gates here mean the medium. The medium could be newspapers, broadcast or the internet medium that deal with the dissemination of news.

In case you have television and internet Charter Deals in your home watch the news bulletins on the television. Also watch or read the same news on the internet. You will understand the difference in the news elements that were being allowed to pass through the gates of the internet medium and the television medium. May be the same news story has managed to clinch a spot in the television and the internet medium, but the news elements being emphasized upon will be different in the two stories. This is one classic example as to how the gatekeeping function is being performed.

Even reporters at the ground level who go out to collect news perform the gatekeeping function. They are the ones who decide how much of what need be accommodated in the particular news story. This works with the journalists in the print, broadcast and the internet medium. The editors also decide what news stories can be included in that particular news edition, be it in a newspaper, television medium or the internet platform.

So when you watch television or the next time that you are online you can go ahead and see for yourself how the same news story is being portrayed in different angles. If you have Charter Deals in your home this is yet another thing that you can end up doing.

The gatekeeping theory despite being an age old theory has managed to survive. In fact this theory is being related to even the internet medium as well. So the next time that you happen to watch news on the television and you notice that the same news is being brought out in a different angle on the internet, understand that it is the gatekeeping process that has made all the difference.

Tanya Hansen is a free-lance writer and active blogger. She writes effortlessly about Mass Media, Information Technology (IT) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Being a keen media watcher, she does not miss developments in the various forms of media and great services like the ones Charter deals