media

In an increasingly globalised world, mass

media has a huge impact on people’s
perceptions of the world around them.
What is written in newspapers and on the
internet, broadcast on television and radio
is, for the majority of the populace, the
main source of information on
newsworthy events. It is said that when the
general public does not have first hand
information on developing news stories,
what they read and hear in the media
influences their judgment. Nowadays it is generally accepted that the
mass media, especially in newspaper
commentaries, is one of the most powerful
tools of persuasion and that reports about
events and affair, expose a mass audience
to issues of right and wrong. Even though
the media attempts to report the intensity
and magnitude of events in order to
provide a clearer picture of the situation, it
often expresses opinions as fact, thus
leading the audience to believe that all that
is presented as news is fact and not
opinion. Often, they may be unaware of
the ways by which they consume news, and
the distinction between factual news stories
and opinionated news commentary, an
objective ability which is necessary to enable
them to obtain the real facts. It is necessary,
according to Fairclough (1989:1) “to help
increase consciousness of how language
contributes to the domination of some people
by others, because consciousness is the first
step towards emancipation”. Indeed, teachers
should teach their students linguistic and
theoretical skills so as to provide them
with a critical approach to reading, which
would free them from being dominated by
others.

Words are powerful and therefore how they are used matters greatly. Printed media
continues to play an important role in shaping opinions as well as helping to set agendas
regarding how important certain topics are26. Mistakes can mislead public opinion and
journalists bear a great responsibility in ensuring that religions and communities are
depicted fairly and accurately.
 Islamophobia in the UK: The role of British newspapers
in shaping attitudes towards Islam and Muslims
Fleur Allen
28001668
The development of mass media today are quite encouraging
(both print and electronic), and supporting activities of society in
different social strata. Therefore, the mass media is often used as
a tool to transform the information from two directions, namely
from the media towards society, or transform information between
itself (Bungin, 2001: 1)
Recently, the influence of the mass media is very extensive,
because it can bring everything that happens in the world every
day. News about various lives is published widely to the public.
As far as possible, the news that is published by mass media does
not harm one party, the company’s own mass media sources or
subjects even reported. One of human needs, both as individuals
and as members of society, is information.
Through information, people can update various events that
occurred nearby area or around the world. So, information from
media gives knowledge to society. With the speed and precision
of the mass media in presenting information, the public should
not worry to miss the news because with today’s sophisticated
technology, the mass media have capability to penetrate time and
space. Information about collapse of the World Trade Centre and
the Pentagon in the United States and the first Bali bombing in
Indonesia, are the example of the speed of mass media reported
the tragedy.

According to Wilson (1995), mass media are the channel used in mass

communication to provide information and entertainment. Another definition is that

mass media is the channel through which a message travels from the source to the

.receiver. Mass media use these channels to carry message

Gamble and Gamble (1989: 10) state that mass media are tools, instruments of

communication that permit us to record and transmit information and experience

rapidly to large, scattered, and heterogeneous by helping us overcome barriers caused

by time and space. In other words, mass media are technological means of mass

communication that can meet the communicators and the audience who cannot

communicate in face-to- face encounters. Mass media are classified into printed and

electronic media. Newspaper and magazine belong to printed media. In addition, the
electronic media covers radio, television and internet. The mass media have an

.essential function to our lives. First, they serve information or surveillance function

Second, they serve an agenda-setting and interpretation function. Third, they help us

to create and maintain connections with various groups in society. Fourth, they help

us to socialize and educate us. Fifth, they persuade us to purchase certain items or

)accept certain ideas. And sixth, they entertain us (Gamble, 1989

Comparative Analysis of Appraisal between Editorial and Opinion

Column Exposing Ahmadiyah Issue Published on The Jakarta Globe

and The Jakarta Post Websites

)A Study Based on Systemic Functional Linguistics(