What Is It Like Working In The Media?

 What is it like working in the media?

By Yahye Elmi 

Instagram: @journalismwithmaestro

Twitter: @AE_Maestro

Like every career path in the world, the media has pros and cons. On face value, the media industry can come across as stressful and often unrewarding. The side of media that goes untold is the fact you are a witness to history; you are opened to a world that would be unthinkable before working in media. From working politically straining media coverage in Russia to insightful research in dementia in sport, it opens different avenues to tasks we would not have considered previously. 

The general public’s perception of the media has always indicated a lack of trust and a dislike towards media outlets which display clear bias. With major media outlets such as CNN and the BBC, controversy and differing opinions have always followed them and are seen as a negative they must deal with if they are to continue being successful. The media’s power can often go beyond what is considered its boundaries. Court cases and political matters are often seen as barriers that the media seem to bypass unethically and without a warrant. Cases such as the Menendez trial with the LA Times (O’Neil & Kennedy, 1995) and the Arab League controversy with Al-Jazeera News (2020) are just a fraction of how far the media can influence people’s ideas about the subjects. The media has not always been viewed as attainable and developed as it is now in the modern world.

Newspapers were in their early birth and were just one of the major 19th-century events that were in formation. It had developed and gone through centuries of new changes such as Picture supported newspapers on display for the first time in the 19 and 20th century as discussed in Mark Hartog’s Media Matters Talk (2020). Slavery was abolished, the first and second revolutions led to massive urbanization and in turn much higher levels of productivity, profit and prosperity. The large majority of Africa was under colonial rule due to European imperialism and led to much of South Asia and South-East Asia being under colonial ruling as well. Media had something to latch onto and develop with. 

Fast forward to 2014 and another dark day for media was to damage and tarnish a major sector in media today. In 2014, Russia hosted the Winter Olympics which was marred with controversy including disputes with Circassians, environmental and economic issues. Previous research has also found the safety and human rights of the LGBT community in danger considering Russia’s “gay propaganda” laws as reported by the BBC (2014). Furthermore, a massive state-sponsored doping program was uncovered after the games which led to questioning on the ethical approach taken by Russia towards these Winter Olympics. Media representation in Russia was at an all-time low and had, in turn, damaged the overall representation of sports in media.

Media has a side to it that can bring joy and a sense of successfulness that’s unique to its career path. You meet people who can change your life forever. Inquire anybody who works in media around a few of the individuals they’ve met, and you might get a noteworthy list of the best celebrities and newsmakers the industry has to offer. That’s not even including columnists or radio hosts who conduct interviews and type in profiles. Even backroom staff have the change to come across other popular and successful figures.  They can share stories with fellow family and friends about the good stories they have meeting top celebrities.

To conclude, across generations we’ve seen the Media become a somewhat powerful figure without those who don’t work in the media knowing the upsides and downsides that come with working in such a demanding and sometimes exhausting industry. The hard work and constant need to better and improve those who work in the industry has given it the platform to be so successful as demonstrated by Tobi Akingbade, Terry Mansfield and Rebecca Johinke’s Media Matters Talk (2019). It’s a risky career path to go into with debt and failure just two of the many consequences that can happen as a result of risk-taking in The Media. Those who roll the dice and succeed are given a place in history that no one can take from them. 

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REFERENCES

Al-Jazeera News (2020). Palestine quits Arab League role inprotest over Israel deals. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/22/palestine-quits-arab-league-role-in-protest-over-israel-deals. Accessed 16/12/2020

ANN W. O’NEILL AND J. MICHAEL KENNEDY (1995).Judge Bars Television Cameras from Courtroom for Menendez Retrial. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-07-me-54160-story.html. Accessed 14/12/2020

MARK HARTOG (2020). Media Matters Talk 04. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LvRHrui2Gs. Accessed 15/12/2020

 

BBC News (2014). Sochi 2014: Gay rights protest targets Russia’s games. Available at:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26043872. Accessed 14/12/2020

TOBI AKINGBADE, TERRY MANSFIELD AND REBECCA JOHINKE (2019). Media Matters Talk 01. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTSD8lvf-k. Accessed 15/12/2020