To what extent did media attention contribute to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971?
Level
A Level
Year Examined
2019
Topic
The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945–1980
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To what extent did media attention contribute to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971?
To what extent did media attention contribute to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971?
The years 1965 to 1971 witnessed a surge in protest movements advocating for social change across various domains, from civil rights and women's liberation to anti-war sentiments. The role of media attention in amplifying these movements and influencing their outcomes remains a subject of debate. While media coverage undoubtedly played a significant role in raising awareness and shaping public opinion, its contribution to the actual success of these movements is complex and multifaceted.
Arguments for Media's Contribution to Success
Advocates for the profound impact of media attention on the success of protest movements point to several compelling examples. The coverage of the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965, with its harrowing images of peaceful protestors being brutally attacked by state troopers, shocked the nation's conscience. This media exposure put immense pressure on President Lyndon B. Johnson, ultimately leading to the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. This event clearly illustrates the power of media attention in galvanizing public support and compelling legislative action.
Similarly, the media's portrayal of the anti-war movement, particularly its coverage of the Vietnam War's brutality, contributed to a shift in public opinion. Celebrities like Jane Fonda and Muhammad Ali actively participated in protests, leveraging their media platforms to denounce the war and inspire others to join the cause. The constant stream of images depicting the war's horrors, coupled with the voices of influential figures, eroded public support for the conflict. President Richard Nixon and his administration, recognizing the changing sentiment reflected in media coverage, initiated a gradual drawdown of troops from Vietnam. This example highlights the media's ability to sway public opinion and influence policy decisions, albeit gradually.
The Civil Rights Movement's shift in focus towards economic inequality, spearheaded by events like the March on Washington and the Poor People's Campaign, also benefited from media coverage. The media's attention to issues of racial discrimination in housing, employment, and education helped bring these issues to the forefront of national discourse. In response to this growing public awareness, President Nixon, despite his personal reservations, introduced affirmative action programs in 1970. While the effectiveness of these programs remains debated, their implementation underscores the media's role in pushing social justice issues onto the political agenda.
Arguments Challenging Media's Contribution to Success
However, attributing the success of protest movements solely to media attention would be an oversimplification. Critics argue that media coverage, while raising awareness, often focused on sensationalism and negativity, ultimately undermining the movements' goals. The "long hot summer" of 1967, marked by race riots in several cities, garnered significant media attention. Yet, instead of fostering sympathy, the coverage often portrayed the protestors as violent and disruptive. This portrayal fueled the anxieties of the "silent majority," a term coined by Nixon, who felt threatened by the pace of social change. This backlash suggests that media coverage could backfire, reinforcing existing prejudices and hindering progress.
The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago provides another example of media coverage hindering rather than helping a cause. While intended to showcase the anti-war movement's strength, the protests, marred by clashes with the Chicago police, were depicted as chaotic and unruly. The media's focus on the violence, symbolized by the "Pigasus" incident, overshadowed the protestors' message. This negative coverage contributed to the public perception of the Democratic Party as weak and out of touch, ultimately aiding Nixon's victory in the 1968 presidential election.
Furthermore, some argue that the impact of media attention on social change was limited. Despite the media frenzy surrounding events like the bra-burning protests at the 1968 Miss America pageant, societal attitudes towards women's liberation remained largely unchanged. Similarly, the Vietnam War, despite waning public support fueled by media coverage, continued for several more years. These examples suggest that media attention, while powerful, did not always translate into tangible legislative victories or immediate societal shifts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the media's role in the success of protest movements between 1965 and 1971 is complex and multifaceted. While media coverage undeniably played a crucial role in amplifying marginalized voices, raising awareness, and influencing public opinion, its impact on tangible outcomes was not always straightforward. The success of movements like the Civil Rights Movement in securing legislative victories like the Voting Rights Act can be partly attributed to strategic media coverage of events like the Selma marches. However, media coverage could also backfire, as seen in the portrayal of the 1967 riots and the 1968 Chicago protests, which alienated potential allies and fueled pre-existing societal divisions. Ultimately, the media acted as a double-edged sword, capable of both advancing and hindering the causes it covered. Its most significant contribution lay in its ability to shape public discourse and force social issues onto the political agenda, even if the path to actual change remained long and arduous.
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To What Extent Did Media Attention Contribute to the Success of Protest Movements in the Years 1965 to 1971?
This essay will examine the role of media attention in the success of protest movements between 1965 and 1971. It will argue that, while media coverage certainly helped to raise awareness and galvanize public opinion, it was not the sole or even primary factor determining the success or failure of these movements.
Arguments Supporting the Impact of Media Attention
Firstly, the media coverage of the Selma campaign in 1965 is a strong example of the media's ability to mobilize public opinion and pressure politicians. The graphic images of peaceful protesters being attacked by law enforcement, broadcast across the nation, fueled public outrage and prompted President Johnson to introduce the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Secondly, the involvement of celebrities like Jane Fonda, Muhammad Ali, and John Lennon in the anti-war movement during this period had a significant impact. This high-profile involvement brought the war into the homes of millions and helped to shift public opinion away from support for the war. This pressure, coupled with other factors, contributed to Nixon's decision to begin a drawdown of troops in Vietnam.
Thirdly, the media's coverage of the Poor People’s Campaignand the growing focus on economic inequality influenced Nixon’s introduction of affirmative action programmes in 1970. This response, albeit limited in scope, suggests that the media can have a tangible impact on policymaking.
Arguments Challenging the Impact of Media Attention
However, while the media played a role in raising awareness, its impact was often complex and sometimes detrimental to the success of protest movements.
For example, the media's coverage of the riotsthat erupted in the "long hot summer" of 1967 contributed to a backlash against the civil rights movement. The focus on violence and disorder alienated many white Americans, who felt that the movement had become too radical. This backlash created a climate of fear and mistrust, which may have hindered the progress of civil rights legislation.
Moreover, the media's portrayal of student protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, particularly the "Pigasus" incident, was often biased and sensationalized. This coverage contributed to a negative perception of the anti-war movement, which further alienated the "silent majority" and ultimately helped Nixon win the election.
Furthermore, the media's focus on "bra-burning" protests and other symbolic acts during the women's rights movement may have led to a misunderstanding of the deeper issues at stake. While these protests captured attention, they also reinforced stereotypes and detracted from the broader fight for equality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while media attention played a role in raising awareness and galvanizing public opinion, its impact on the success of protest movements was complex and often ambiguous. In cases like the Selma campaign, media coverage was instrumental in putting pressure on politicians and prompting legislation. However, in other instances, the media's portrayal of violence, disorder, and radicalism contributed to a backlash and hindered progress. The success of protest movements relied on a combination of factors, including media coverage, public opinion, political will, and the strategic actions of activists.
Extracts from Mark Schemes
Arguments supporting the view that media attention contributed to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971
Arguments supporting the view that media attention contributed to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971 might include:
⭐The coverage of the Selma campaign prompted Johnson to introduce the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
⭐The active participation of celebrities like Jane Fonda, Muhammad Ali and John Lennon in the anti-war movement inspired others and even provided a soundtrack. Nixon and Kissinger began a drawdown of troops as a result.
⭐Nixon introduced affirmative action programmes in 1970 to address issues of economic inequality for minorities and force government contractors to employ a quota of minority workers. This came in part as a response to the switch in the focus of the civil rights movement on to jobs, first seen in the March on Washington and echoed in the Poor People’s Campaign.
⭐Coverage of Vietnam veterans throwing away their medals in 1971, alongside the occupation of the Statue of Liberty in the same year by anti-war protesters, led to Gallup surveys finding that the war only had the support of 28% of the population.
Arguments challenging the view that media attention contributed to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971
Arguments challenging the view that media attention contributed to the success of protest movements in the years 1965 to 1971 might include:
⭐Media coverage of the riots in the long hot summer of 1967 turned many voters away from the justice of the movement, and highlighted the existence of a ‘silent majority’ for whom the civil rights movement had gone too far.
⭐Student protests led by the Yippies and SDS at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968 quickly got out of hand, press coverage of ‘Pigasus’ and the out of control Chicago police force undermined the popularity of the Democratic party and helped Nixon win the election.
⭐The bra-burning/freedom trash can protests outside the Miss World contest in 1968 gained huge media attention but didn’t lead to significant change in attitudes to women.
⭐Protest movements were not actually that successful in the period, after 1965 no new legislation was introduced for civil rights, the Vietnam War was not ended and limited progress was made in women’s rights.
⭐Publications such as Betty Freidan’s ‘The Feminine Mystique’ and Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’, also contributed to the success of protest movements.
Students may conclude that media coverage of non-violent protests still had power and led to change in Selma and, to a lesser extent following the Poor People’s Campaign, however when violence occurred the media coverage was likely only to confirm the existing beliefs of voters in either the injustice of the war or the fecklessness of the modern generation.