Next SectionThe Media: Helping, Controlling, or Both?
The media is a decision structure of a unique kind. It is best understood as a part of the fourth party. The media may be helping in the sense that the information it provides to the public is essential to the smooth and effective functioning of a democracy. But, it also can be controlling. In the hands of a despot the media can be used to publish biased, selected or even false personal information about people for the purpose of controlling their behavior or the behavior of those around them. Armed with First Amendment rights and a belief that the public has a right to know, whether justified or no, the media often is aggressive in its attempts to penetrate the defenses of other decision structures in order to get information about people which they think can be used to present a good story. Such actions sell newspapers and build television and radio audiences.
Moreover, the privilege our society accords reporters to protect their sources provides a shield under winch the press can operate more freely than most other institutions and decision structures.
Virtually all decision structures form a kind of love/hate relationship with the media. Being given visibility by the media can support a structure's activities and help it achieve its goals. On the other hand, demonization by the media or its untimely or injurious release of personal information can lead to bad consequences such as shame, discrediting or the loss of personal space and options for the first party. Lives and careers can be destroyed. The approaches used by the media are broad, ranging from the incessant stalking of the paparazzi to the dogged trailing of investigative reporters intent on ferreting out wrongdoing.
All of these elements - first, second, third, and fourth party rights and duties; helping, controlling and media decision structures, and problem of controlling information flow - played out in a recent case.