Australian Media for Role and Power - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theAustralian Mediafor Role and Power. Answer: Introduction Media companies are playing a very important role in influencing the perceptions and attitudes of the general population in the 21st century. Media has become a very powerful platform for portraying the problems and issues faced by the people and the society as a whole and this helps in ensuring proper and timely intervention from the government in order to solve the problems and issues which are being faced by the normal population. Thomas Jefferson has quoted Media to be the fourth estate which plays a vital role in maintaining a proper functioning democracy which is governed by the rule of Law. The media has two main functions (Meadows et al., 2007). The first function is an informing function where the media is responsible for spreading information among the general population which would enable them to undertake informed decisions. The second function of media is a checking function where the media is assigned the responsibility of ensuring that the elected representatives of th e people are carrying out their functions and responsibilities in an ethical manner by upholding their oath of office without misusing their power of position. This is one of the main aspects which help to ensure a successful democracy (Greenfield Williams, 2007). Critical Analysis of the Role and Power of current Australian Media The media industry in Australia comprises of both the traditional and modern digital media which is mostly catering to its large English speaking population. As per the Press Freedom Index, Australia has been ranked at 30th position out of the total 179 countries which are included in the list. The television and radio companies in Australia are regulated by theAustralian Communications and Media Authority(ACMA) along with the Online Content Scheme which is acting as the co-regulator. Apart from the public broadcasters in Australia, there are mainly three private commercial media companies in Australia and they are Nine Network, the Seven Network and Network Ten. Presently the Australian media does not allow any single media company to own both a radio and television operations. This is popularly termed as the two out of three law and the media is speculating that this law is slated to undergo changes once the Australian parliament resumes its session (Flew Liu, 2011). The Australian media is playing a vital role in shaping up the perceptions and attitudes of the Australian population. It is playing a very important role in keeping the normal population informed and updated about all the latest events which are taking place in Australia and how they are having an impact on the general population in that country. In spite of the proactive role played by the Australian media companies in bring social issues to the forefront of the Australian government, the media has been often accused of sensualising and hyping an issue which does not require so much attention at all and this is the main reason the Australian government has been trying to increase their control over the private commercial media with the Broadcasting Services Act of 1992. Inspite of the tight laws and regulations which has been laid down by the Australian government, there has been a large concentration of media ownership in Australia as compared to the other developed countries of t he globe (Greenfield Williams, 2007). Media is playing a vital role in generating public awareness regarding the social issues which requires the immediate attention of the government. The media in Australia is playing a vital role in maintaining checks and balances which helps in ensuring the separation of state power into diverse areas. The final word or decision making authority in a democracy largely rests on the government; the media companies in Australia are playing a very important role in making the government accountable to the Australian citizens. The Australian media is acting as a watchdog on the government which has played a very important role in restricting the government power. It has helped in preserving the individual rights and liberties of the Australian citizens by always keeping them informed about government policies and legislations (Kempf, 2007). Furthermore, the media in Australia is playing a very important role in maintaining transparency in the government functions and decision making. An ex ample of the power and influence can be evaluated from the recent suicides of four children at a school in Geelong, Victoria which was highlighted by the current affairs program Sixty Minutes which airs on Channel Nine. The channel provided information to the general population regarding this incident but they were not careful enough to ignore the commonly held media conventions such as omitting the exact and specific details about the deaths. This led to a public furore and outcry which created a split in the society with many people and groups stating that it was irresponsible journalism which was totally uncalled for and which violated the media conventions. The other part of the society thought that the channel had done a commendable job in highlighting the issue of teen suicides and generating greater public awareness regarding the same (Ward, 2015). This would help in providing more media coverage for organisations which are striving to help children in suicidal situations. Th e entire Mediawatch report on the incident can be obtained from link provided below. https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2665300.htm Identifying the Influence of Media in Regard to Culturally Safe Care The concept of cultural safety is a concept which has mainly emerged in order to protect the rights of the indigenous people (like Aboriginals) in Australia and ensuring the delivery of quality health care facilities for them which would help in preserving their health and well being. According to Willams, (1999) the concept of cultural safety mainly involves creating a holistic healthcare environment which is spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially safe for the patients wherein the patients would not have to undergo any denial of their identity. It means creating a situation where the needs of the patients would get utmost importance and priority and the patients will be respected for who they are and not subjected to any kind of discrimination in the process of treatment and care (Henderson et al., 2011). The media in Australia is playing a vital role in promoting culturally safe care practices which can effectively satisfy the health needs and requirements of the indigenous people in Australia. It has embalmed the health care establishments to identify the needs and expectations of the indigenous people in regard to the quality of health care facilities which they expect from the government and this enables the government to provide better quality of healthcare faculties and services which is able to ensure better health outcomes for the indigenous people in Australia. The media is playing a proactive role in raising awareness among the healthcare professionals regarding the need to recognise and respect the cultural and social customs of people belonging to diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and this will enable them to provide the same quality of care and treatment to those people without any kind of discrimination (Williamson Harrison, 2010). The media has been trying to pro mote an environment shared respect, shared meaning and shared knowledge which would eventually satisfy the health interests of their patients. The media in Australia has been propagating the need to focus on the cultural aspects of people belonging to different ethnic backgrounds. They are spreading awareness about how examining their own cultural identities and attitudes would go a long way in promoting cultural safety in the delivery of healthcare services among the general population. This has played a vital role in helping the healthcare establishments to incorporate a lot of flexibility and open mindedness towards accepting the cultural identities and attitudes of people coming from different cultural backgrounds and this would help to promote a sense of unity and brotherhood among the different ethnic populations in Australia (Smye et al., 2010). The media has played a very important role in improving the access to quality healthcare facilities for the indigenous people in Australia and this has enabled the Australian government to bring each and every citizen under the ambit of quality healthcare services. Selecting two media items and evaluating how each one demonstrates their potential influence on ensuring Cultural Safety in Health Care Positive Media Item Recently, the deputy Prime Minister of Australia Mr Barnaby Joyce came to the aid of an aboriginal elderly woman who had fell into the pond at the Parliament house. The women came to attend a ceremony which marked the 50th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Rights referendum which was passed in the year 1967. The elderly woman fell into the indoor ponds gutter. Mr Joyce along with Liberal MP Tim Wilson immediately rushed to her help and helped the woman get up on her feet, getting themselves wet in the process. The woman was unhurt but the people present at the venue made sure that she was able to receive all the proper medical attention and first aid which would help in ensuring her health and well being. The media coverage received in the incident played a very important role in helping the Australian government to promote and popularise the concept of equity in the delivery of healthcare services (Bickers, 2017). The Australian government has been continuously striving to make the heal thcare professionals more considerate and understanding towards the cultural needs and preferences of patients belonging to different ethnic backgrounds and this has enabled them to reduce the instances of discrimination in the delivery of healthcare services to the general population. The media has been able to promote awareness among the healthcare professionals regarding understanding the social and cultural customs of patients coming from diverse cultural backgrounds and how it would enable them to indentify and understand the healthcare needs and requirements of the different patients (Armstrong et al., 2007). This has played a very important role in enhancing the quality of care and treatment which is presently being provided to the patients and minimised the instances of healthcare discrimination in Australia. https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/barnaby-joyce-leaps-into-action-to-aid-woman-who-fell-into-parliament-house-pond/news-story/ee8e8da4142bd9f7670bf5d551ad718c Negative Media Item A recent report released in News Corp Australia Network stated that Australian doctors have the right to deny a contraceptive pill based on their own moral understanding of the situation. The report tries to determine that whether it is right or wrong for a woman of 21st century to be denied the right to a medical pill based on their doctors morals. The incident relates to a woman who went to a local clinic to obtain her usual prescribed pill but only to be rudely refused by a doctor not known to her previously that she would not be able to write the prescriptions for the pill which was demanded by the woman in question. This case provides a situation where women have been subjected to a lot of humiliation and their rights have been violated. The women patient was visibly shocked at the response of Dr Beth Wilson AM (the doctor who refused the service). The patient expected a legitimate health service but in return she was rudely refused by the doctor (Zielinski, 2017). This incident shows how media at times becomes insensitive towards the needs and expectations of the general population. Media has been advocating the importance of moral ethics in healthcare without considering the fact that the patient has the right to obtain the prescribed medication which they have been using for their medical conditions. The media needs to understand the final decision to use a pill ultimately depends on the patients and the patients must have the right to take their own decisions as they are more familiar with their own health. This will go a long way in empowering the patients to take their own decisions pertaining to their health and safety which should be the norm in a civilised society (Meadows et al., 2007). https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/australian-doctors-can-deny-women-the-contraceptive-pill-is-this-ok/news-story/ace48c27497173f356d4a5aaaf54c772 Conclusion This assignment has played a very important role in helping me to understand the role played by Australian media in promoting equity in healthcare services and how it is playing a very important role in helping the Australian government to ensure better health outcomes for the general population in Australia. 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