"Influencing Change: The Role of Media in Social Movements

Abstract

The paper focuses on the influential role of the media in the shaping and supporting of social movements—one traceable right from early print media to the modern digital age. Entailed historical cases for study, among others, are the Civil Rights Movement, the Fall of Apartheid, and the Arab Spring, which have put forward the very important role of different forms of media in mobilizing public opinion toward social change. This would also include how media works—from agenda-setting to framing and the agency of storytelling in creating affective resonance and moving collective action. Furthermore, problems associated with ethical dilemmas within media reporting are very well documented, from bias to sensationalism and infringements on ethics. Drawing from actual case studies and real theoretical frameworks, the paper argues in a disposition that shows intricate ways in which the media can be related to social movements. Thus it makes a compelling case for ethical journalism in facilitating democratic processes and social justice.