The big idea: The media — from newspapers and TV to social media — decides what people see and talk about. That makes it a powerful non-state actor, even though it makes no law.
Most of what we know about the world, we learn from the media. By choosing which stories to tell, it shapes what the public — and even governments — pay attention to.
- Traditional (mass) media — newspapers, radio and TV, such as the BBC or Al Jazeera.
- Social media — platforms where anyone can post and share, so news spreads instantly and from everyone.
The 'fourth estate': Free media is sometimes called the fourth estate — a watchdog that holds governments to account by exposing wrongdoing. Its power is attention and scrutiny, not law.
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Social media has changed global politics — for better and worse. It can spread truth and rally people, but also spread lies.
Case study — social media's double edge: In the Arab Spring (2011), protesters across the Middle East used Facebook and Twitter to organise demonstrations and share footage the state media hid — helping topple several governments.
But the same platforms spread misinformation and disinformation. Governments and groups now use them to push propaganda and confuse people.
The key point: The media's power is double-edged: it can inform, connect and hold power to account — or mislead, divide and be used as a weapon. Which it does depends on who controls it and whether it is checked.
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So is the media a force for good or a threat in global politics? Weigh both — and note it depends on whether the media is free.
Link it up: The media shapes power by shaping what people believe. In an answer, always ask who controls it: free media can check governments, but state-run or manipulated media can be a tool of power.
How the media comes up in Paper 1: In Paper 1 a source is often a piece of media itself. So ask two things: what is this actor doing to shape politics, and what is its own viewpoint or bias?
Using the sources and your own knowledge, evaluate the claim that the media is a force for good in global politics.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Easy marks to lose: 1. Only one side. Weigh 'watchdog' against 'misinformation'.
2. Forgetting 'who controls it'. Free vs state media matters.
3. No real example. Use the Arab Spring or disinformation in a recent conflict.
4. No judgement. Say how far, and under what conditions.