Times of Past and Times to Come
Day to day and year after year, the news is one of the most definitive platforms that help shape, change, and transform American culture and society. The stream of iconic and symbolic images that we see on the news, coupled with a running commentary, analysis, discussion, and debate, is the perfect demonstration of a democratic society at work. The news is information, and in America, unlike in other countries, there are no limits or restrictions on information; freedom of the press is alive and well. Whoever controls the flow of information, controls the power of the news. The representation of the news is every bit as powerful as the actual news. This is why it has the ability to change the American political and social landscape.
At the same time, how the news is brought to the general public has changed over the years. Information that used to be limited to radio and television now has different outlets. The Internet and other social media platforms can stream news more quickly than ever before; the information is raw, and sometimes false, but these sources keep the news fluid. How information will be presented and processed in the future is anyone-s guess.