Are the Citizens better informed in the Information Society? GO GIANTS!!!!!!!

Betsy Cordoba                                                                                    Andrews           

Media, Politics & Society

RA1

                       

Are the Citizens better informed in the Information Society?

Hypothesis:

This exercise was to see how people are informed with news, media, and politics. The Governor’s election is a week away and I came up with a few questions to see how informed people are.  I asked a series of questions to a group of forty people to see what they exactly knew. Most of my questions were very basic and were answered by young, old, and different nationalities. My first sets of questions were too open ended so I came up with a new set of questions that were quick and easy.  My tentative insight feels that people are not going to be informed, as everyone should be.  This survey of forty people will give me an idea of how people use their time, how much truth do they know, and if they even are well informed. Throughout class we have discussed if society is well informed. In the book called Taking Sides

Alexander Hanson asks the reader if we are better informed in the information society? In the book two sides were proposed, yes and No.  In my survey you will see how people of all ages and races are informed.

Method:

After thinking how I can get a variety of answers and be efficient with my time, I realized I could email and use Face book to help. These are a few ways that I stay in loop with family and friends that are Internet ready. I was able to get most people to answer my six questions with various different answers. Below are my questions:

1. How informed are you on the Governor’s race? Rate yourself. 1 to 5

2. Do you know who is the former CEO of E-Bay?

A. Betsy Ross

B. Bill Gates

C. Meg Whitman

D. Steve Jobs

3. Do you know what specific vote both Governor candidates are going for?

A. Caucasian

B. African-American

C. Middle-Eastern

D. Latino

4. Who is the candidate opposed for Proposition 8?

A. Jerry Brown

B. Willie Brown

C. Meg Whitman

D. Lisa Leslie

5. A Governors term in office is how many years?

A. 4 Years

B. 2 Years

C. 3 Years

D. 1 Year

6. How much time do you spend on the Internet in one day?

A. 1 Hour

B. 3 Hours

C. 5 Hours

Result Summary:

After I tallied up everyone’s answer I came to realize everyone had vary different answers. For example, my first question with how informed are you on the 2010 Governor’s race? Most people are very “somewhat” informed; which took me to my last question, how much time do you spend on the Internet. Most people that spent more time on the Internet had answered more questions correctly. The people that spend the least amount did not answer questions correctly.  I think I should have narrowed down whom I asked the series of questions. Since I asked all kinds of different people I received various answers. I think if I would have kept it in a certain group I would have came with a more conclusive summary.  As for my question number five, it was close to even, some said three years in office and some said four years. Obviously four years is correct but I received all answers 4,3,2, and one year.  What most people did know what that Meg Whitman is the former CEO of E bay now is that because people use e bay a lot of because the media has pushed that one fact into mainstream over and over? Summarizing my information I see how media does effect how informed people are.

Conclusion:

After gathering and charting my answers I came to the conclusion that Citizen are better informed when they use mass media, not necessarily right but more informed in general. My answers were everywhere aside from question number two, most people knew about Meg Whitman and how she was the former CEO of E Bay. If I could do this again I would pick a certain age group with that I feel that I can become more conclusive with the hypothesis. I think it’s important that we have an informed citizenry however my answers were everywhere. I can say my group of forty people are mislead by media and has given me reason to believe that it effects the truth and the step towards a better society.  In order for our democracy to work it needs to inform the truth.  My survey gave me everything, which means we are not well informed and only through some media can we seek truth.