Assertion (A): Within the space in which reality is played out, the media institutions provide media audiences with information, images, stories and impressions, sometimes according to their own purposes and logic, sometimes guided by other social institutions.
Reason (R): Mediation can be a purely neutral process and that it will not have any consistent biases.
(A) Both (A) and (R) are true
(B) Both (A) and (R) true, but (R) is not the correct explanation
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true
Correct Ans: (C)
Explanation:
The assertion highlights that media institutions shape reality by providing audiences with information, images, and stories. However, these portrayals often serve the media’s own objectives or align with the interests of other social institutions. This means that the media does not simply transmit information; it plays an active role in constructing how we perceive the world.
The reason suggests that mediation is neutral and free from biases. This contradicts the assertion, as it fails to acknowledge that media institutions often influence how information is presented. Media is not neutral—it is shaped by various agendas, including political, social, and economic forces.
While the assertion emphasizes that media has a significant impact on shaping reality, the reason overlooks this influence. Mediation involves biases, whether intentional or not, due to these external pressures.