How does People’s Accessibility of News Affect their Opinions on Current Events?

By: Amelia Torry

Introduction

  The news is a necessity for all, and accessibility to this information has the possibility to shape the minds of many people. However, does a lack or excess of news exposure have an impact? Does this lead to one being more apathetic to current events or will they try to make a difference in their world.?

The Way We Feel

   Though people are naturally influenced by their surroundings, changes in beliefs are not instant. The media can infiltrate our thoughts and impact our emotions. For instance, the Boston Marathon bombing received a lot of news coverage. A study was conducted to track the wellbeing of people before and after the accident. The results showed that those with more exposure to media in the aftermath of the event experienced more acute stress. This study found that awareness of public events can impact both the mental and physical health of many people. Those who hear more about a tragedy will feel less apathetic about the particular situation, while experiencing an emotional impact that can affect their daily lives. Access to current events can shape the people’s feelings. 

Levels of News Accessibility

   Various components, such as socio-economic and environmental factors, can affect news accessibility. Age differences have a major impact on availability of news. Older audiences are interested in early morning news, while those who are younger can turn to a less reliable form of information on social media. Secondly, socio-economic factors, like pay walls or device limitations,, can affect access to various news resources, hindering some to stay uninformed of current events. Lastly, environmental factors such as distractions, device limitations, or a busy lifestyle, can hinder some from seeking information from the news. While this is only a glimpse into the limitations of news accessibility, it shows that current even access can be limited and the feelings of current events to some may differ in others depending on exposure.

Conclusion

   Opinions evolve throughout the world, regardless of the source and its personal impact. Overall, it is important to keep in touch with the world’s current events, even with restrictions. In the future, focus should be sharpened on accessible news for all regardless of age, gender, socio-economic status, or ability.

References

Project, The Media Insight. “How Does Personal Experience with News Affect a Person’s Views?” American Press Institute, 11 June 2018, americanpressinstitute.org/personal-experience-with-news/.

Gorvett, Zaria. “How the News Changes the Way We Think and Behave.” BBC, BBC, 12 May 2020, www.bbc.com/future/article/20200512-how-the-news-changes-the-way-we-think-and-behave.

“The Loss of Local News: What It Means for Communities | News Deserts.” The Expanding News Desert, www.usnewsdeserts.com/reports/expanding-news-desert/loss-of-local-news/.

“Mainstream Media Need to Make News More Accessible, Relevant and Entertaining to Attract the Next Generation of Consumers.” Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/mainstream-media-need-make-news-more-accessible-relevant-and-entertaining-attract-next.