More comments from Transition Year students who have won a week's work placement in The Irish Times. To join them, send us a 200-word piece on a media-related topic.
Stephen Kennelly, Sligo Grammar School
The media are the omnipresent, omniscient conscience of our world today. They hold a power greater than any government.
Information is the key to any authority, and it is the media who provide almost all the information we receive in our world today. It is the media who determine our outlook on the world, our opinions on matters of universal importance. They are the teachers of a national class - and where would we be without education?
However, when such reliance is placed on one institution of society, there are often problems. Media abuse is like a parasite, becoming fat off the wounds of an exposed individual - an individual scarred for life through the eyes of a public naive through dependence. Overall, the benefits of having an efficient media network tend to outweigh the disadvantages. Any information, even misinformation, is better than ignorance.
Sarah Power, St Andrew's College, Dublin
I am really amazed at the media attention given to Bill Clinton's alleged extra-marital affairs. Is this really of world importance? And what about the effect on his family of having the most lurid details published? We should be better informed by the media about more important issues, such as the US being on the point of launching an attack on Iraq; there is far more coverage given to what is really none of our business.
Should the media not debate whether the US, acting as world policeman, has the right to threaten once again the lives of ordinary innocent people in Iraq? Hasn't the US done enough damage already, with embargoes on so many things, including medical supplies. So please, let's have some serious journalism instead of sleaze!
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media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools. Group rates and a special worksheet service (see `faxback', left) are available: FREEPHONE 1-800-798884. media scope is edited by Harry Browne.
