Why should we care?

Most New Zealanders say they trust the news to tell them about what is happening in New Zealand and the wider world.

• We live in a media saturated world so it is critical that we understand what makes the news and why.
• The media are, arguably, the most powerful shaper of viewpoint and attitudes in democratic politics.
  Public opinion, both positive and negative, is strongly governed by the media.
  Government policies are often driven by the agenda-setting role of the media.
  The way that media frame stories can shape elections.
  Journalism Professor Todd Gitlin states that the media frame reality through

“principles of selection,emphasis and presentation composed of little tacit theories
about what exists, what happens, and what matters.”