Mass Mediated History. Media and the Rise of Nationalism and Xenophobia

Academic Paper from the year 2020 in the subject Communications - Media History, grade: NA, , language: English, abstract: A journalist is basically a chronicler of events as they unfold. In the process he/she makes the first draft of history, which history may come to the use of a professional historian to record the events objectively and bequeath to the future generations. New technologies have made journalist's task easy but the rise of media empires and the subsequent formation of culture industries have made his/her job complex at the same time. Since media empires or cultural industries are primarily driven by profit motive and a desire to set the agenda - economic, political, social, cultural, etc., - journalists come under increasing pressures to compromise objectivity and truth. Accordingly at times the mediated history that is produced in the newsroom is a distorted version of reality out there. This is especially so in times of conflict and war. Some media critics goes on to the extent of saying that media is also a maker of war. Media assumes the self-appointed role of actors or agents in the events and processes which they purport only to be reporting. To that extent the media themselves have had an impact on the course of historical events, and been a significant ingredient in their development. This becomes evident when one considers carefully the major historical events of the twentieth and early twenty-first century.

Did his PG Diploma in Media studies from Griffith College, Dublin, Ireland, and Licence and Doctorate in Social Sciences, specializing in media, from Gregorian and St. Thomas Universities in Rome. Has a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Nagpur University. Licence in Philosophy from St. Thomas University, Rome. Taught Media, and Philosophy for 22 years at many Institutes and colleges. Was Director of Gyandhara, Institute of Philosophy, in Orlim, Goa. From 2012-15 he taught the Under Graduate and Post Graduate Programme in the Mass Communication Department, St. Joseph's College (Autonomous) Bangalore. He was also the Head Of the Department (HOD). Has published six books. Presented papers in national and international conferences and seminars. Published scientific papers in reputed journals. Written numerous articles in religious and secular magazines. Filed press reports and Letters to the Editor in secular magazines and newspapers. He has a significant presence in online media with a personal website, blogs, and social networking pages offering comments on economic, political, religious, and social matters. He has been a full Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at Amity University, Gurgaon, Haryana, India.