I would like to analyse and interpret the possible effects of the mentioned news coverage on society according to Michel Foucault and Stuart Hall's theories. 

In a short video, the presenter talks about what he called "looting", showing some people collecting properties flooded in rivers in Istanbul. He describes the situation "very serious" saying people go with their minibuses to collect the properties, which were hit by floods. The police are trying to intervene, but they are so numerous that the question of how to handle them comes to mind, he further adds. During the approximately five minutes coverage of the incident, the presenter comments and interpret it. It seems the presenter violates the core values of news, including impartiality and not using loaded words. But if we analyse the coverage's effects on society in the context of theorists Michel Foucault and Stuart Hall, we will face with different outcomes.

First, Michel Foucault gives a new way of thinking about power. Foucault has suggested that most power indeed the most important kind of power in our modern society does not repressive at all. It works in a far subtler, less visible way. This power is what he called normalizing power. Normalizing power is a power that determines what we see as normal. It constructs our view of the world and ourselves.

 As in the news coverage, the remarks or the narration made by the presenter could be accepted as the view of a large number of audiences. Without a doubt, numerous audiences believe what they see and hear via media outlets without thinking about different aspects of the issue. The news presenter seems trying to show the inefficiency of the government and the greed of the people repeating the footage several times and commenting on it. As the word or image is reproduced again and again it becomes fact. Media outlets can act in the framework of their sponsors' interests without using police force, the army or the judge.

But Stuart Hall gives three options for audiences to react to the media messages. Hall has said the audiences come to a different understanding of a text depending on the reception context in which they saw it. The response of audiences to the media messages will be in dominant-hegemonic or preferred, negotiated and oppositional manners according to Hall. If we analyse the possible effects of the coverage on society according to Stuart Hall's perception theory, we can say there could be three kinds of reactions to the coverage. The first group will fully agree with what the presenter says, the second group will negotiate and take a decision after a while and the third group will be oppositional to the media messages. Passive audiences will soon be exposed to media images and messages. But active media audiences take the issue seriously before they fully believe in the media messages. According to the video, dominated responders, as Hall has said, will receive a severe situations' imagination from the coverage.

Note: The interpret was selected as the best answer to the assignment by Assoc. Prof. Dr Cenk Saraçoğlu. 

M. Zaher DOWRAN