Media and Opinion: Who Shapes What We Think? | ifingo – ferdig modellbesvarelse for norskfaget på ifingo.
📋 Exam Question
Referring to the material below, reflect on the importance of media’s role in forming people’s opinions. Use examples from English-speaking countries in your answer.
You may find the material in tasks 1 and 2 useful.
Quote 1:
- “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda.”
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Source: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2021/press-release/
Quote 2:
"The problem today, is that kids are only getting their information and news from social media. How on earth can you trust something like TikTok or Instagram? Who is editing these platforms anyway?"
- Algernon Greenbaum, media critic
Quote 3:
"The vast majority of people don’t live in echo chambers*, but are exposed to pretty diverse information, through both traditional journalism and social media. For example, it often happens that friends share surprising information that we wouldn’t otherwise have found on social media. In those cases the information diversity on social media can be even greater than what we get from other sources."
- Melanie Magin, associate professor, NTNU Department of Sociology and Political Science
Source: Adapted by Utdanningsdirektoratetet from https://partner.sciencenorway.no/digital-services-information-technology-internet/social-medias-echo-chambers-not-such-a-big-problem/1876865 . Retrieved: 23.03.22
*Definition of ‘Echo chamber’:
An environment in which somebody encounters only opinions and beliefs similar to their own, and does not have to consider alternatives, for example:
• It can be too easy to slip into an echo chamber that reinforces extreme political views.
Source: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/echo-chamber?q=echo+chamber
Illustration 1:
Source: https://theswaddle.com/social-media-echo-chamber-effect/. Retreieved: 24.03.22
Illustration 2:
Source: https://cherna.jimdofree.com/8-%D0%BA%D0%BB-25-11-16-12-do-you-like-travelling/. Retrieved: 24.03.22
✏️ Model Answer
Media and Opinion: Who Shapes What We Think?
In a world flooded with information, the media plays a crucial role in shaping people’s opinions. Whether it’s through traditional journalism or social media, the way we consume and interpret news directly affects how we view politics, society, and even each other. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated, “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda.” In democratic societies, this function is not just important—it’s essential.
However, media today is more complex than ever before. People no longer rely solely on newspapers or television. In English-speaking countries such as the United States or the UK, many—especially younger generations—get their news primarily from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook. This is shown in Illustration 1, where a cartoon figure is manipulated by “likes” and the Facebook logo, visually representing how easily people can become trapped in digital echo chambers. These platforms reward attention-grabbing content, not necessarily truth, which can distort public understanding and amplify misinformation. …