The American electorate is deprived of information. Deficient information arranged by media organizations barricade the public’s ability to supervise democratic institutions. Large media corporations inaugurate these disadvantages upon Americans to stifle the power of the people. Collective action is the power necessary for change and reform. Every person in the country can possess the knowledge and power to stand up against falsehoods of media conglomerates. The true dangers of deception must be understood by every citizen, young or old, liberal or conservative. Media reform, through the united efforts of non-partisanship, is a springboard into the wellbeing of information within America.

Declined journalism damages the political realm. Every day, citizens across the country tune into their media outlet to gather information on daily events. Many concede to tailored news content based off their demographic and political inclinations. Others dismay in finding inadequate content paired with corresponding stories across the broadcasting spectrum. Our current vanilla journalism inhibits straightforward discourse the county needs to solve our biggest problems. The media condemn our nation to dissension within politics, both right and left. Politics within America struggle largely because media’s greater reliance on formulas. We are selecting politicians who promise formula approved solutions and evade tough governmental dialogues necessary for reform. Countless amounts of political coverage are fragmented, dramatized, and personified to ‘spice’ up the news. America can and should do better. Our success as a nation stems from the wisdom of our founders who believed in an open, accountable, and diverse media. The power of the people is a voice to govern our politics. Six companies that control 90% of the media isn’t a truthful voice of the 313.9 million Americans (Business Insider). Media reform is the correct path back to healthy political environment and a better America.

Media reform is a problem of collective action. The media affect political parties by characterizing information they choose to report. Media frames issues by putting it in an advantageous or negative context, also by selecting what to report or ignore. It has a huge impact on politics, both positive and negative. Media groups tend to choose different sides of the political divide and wedge themselves into the middle claiming to be ‘fair’ and ‘moderate’. In fact, the media in the middle pushes the parties away from each other. This disadvantages both major political parties and further divorces partisanship. Media companies are in the business of profit motive and unified parties don’t help their situation. All of this discourages collective action and reform; however it is the duty of the people to fix the broken media system. It will require bipartisanship, unification, and a vocal public. Robert McChesney, a profound media reform activist, says now is the time to, “Strengthen alternative, independent and non-commercial media. Make access to communications affordable and universal.” Journalists and the media cannot be the only watchdogs of government. In fact, the media system is the product of government policies such as the fairness doctrine and deregulation. The media’s role in a healthy capitalist society is to present diverse key issues paired with being a watchdog. The public’s role in a healthy capitalist society is to be a watchdog of corruption within media and to play an active role in both current and future policy decisions.

Media reform necessitates a culture change. Current media conditions shape the perception of themselves. The media conglomerates have successfully integrated themselves into our daily lives without contest or competition. The result is tailored news content that successfully prevents the unification required for reform. It will take a culture change in order for reform to transpire. New technology makes change possible. Now more than ever, people are able to access information via different means of distribution. Reform requires the public to take advantage of the opportunity. America’s information culture isn’t healthy and it isn’t focused on the right values and goals. The new cultural setting needs to empower ordinary people to make their voices heard. In addition, information technology needs to be explored and not based on profit motive. The best way to rejuvenate our information culture is to give people fresh methods of information technology or a driving movement they can embrace, rally around, and act upon. It has to be more than words, more engaging, and more revolutionary upon our media institutions. Pressures on journalistic content need to be alleviated and it will begin with changing the way media is perceived. Cultural change is not an easy task. However, media reform is a necessary objective.

The correct measure for change is through public participation within policy. It begins with stopping media conglomerates from getting bigger. As media companies grow, so does the amount of perceived diversity. The few media companies successfully deceive the public’s eye by providing a sense of diversity. Policy needs to change. In the past, it has been up to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is directed by five commissioners appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for five-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The president designates one of the commissioners to serve as chairman. Only three commissioners may be members of the same political party, and none can have a financial interest in any commission-related business (FCC.gov). Essentially, the beginning of reform begins with the FCC. The power to regulate the media needs to be restored back into Congress’s hands. Representatives of Congress continue to lose touch with their constitutional purpose and marginalize the sacred oath they spoke before entering office. Congressmen were elected to legislate. Today, we see Congress fleeting important media policy decisions to a group of individuals who were not elected by the public. Congressmen return home to their districts frequently and keep close relationships with their constituents. These locals directly affect congressmen’s employment opportunities and can meet with their representatives through many different outlets. Also, a constituent representative relationship effectively established customer relationship management. The customers of media are unhappy; it is time to give the people what they want. Once the media is back in the hands of the elected, citizens will have more influence for change.

Reform is the will of the people. United with a core purpose, media reform must account for the future and unite a diverse group of millions of Americans working in a range of trades. It’s time to establish accountability mechanisms that change the political-economic climate of the media. As citizens of democratic institutions, we deserve a marketplace of ideas. The media has only provided us with a marketplace of disillusionment. There are numerous success stories of reform within America, now it is time to fix our media. The wellbeing of information within America is contingent on you.