Media Malaise Theory

This interesting but well-known theory was proposed by Robinson in 1976 and has since had many new dimensions added to it by other theorists. 

The theory argues that how the media presents news or conveys it to the public has a generally negative impact on society. This negativity is particularly concentrated on the political sphere. Symptoms of this can be seen in developments such as the decline in public trust in public institutions and the rise of political cynicism.

As we are all aware, in today's competitive environment, news channels often focus on sensational news such as scandals, conflict, and drama to attract viewers. On the other hand, although we may not realize it, this situation prevents a fair handling of current events. This is because the search for a fresher and bigger story becomes dominant. Since events around the world are reported instantly, especially through social media platforms like Twitter/X, only a rapid flow of information is provided without giving space for detailed explanations of the news. We define this situation as information redundancy. This rapid flow causes confusion in public opinion and creates a distinct negative impact on politics as well as politicians.

Consequently, in order to gain broader news coverage—that is, to increase their own share within the intense news flow—politicians attack their rivals and engage in negative behavior. In this process, the positive work they do is ignored and left untold. Thus, a constant atmosphere of distrust and cynicism is created in society. In fact, this is a kind of vicious cycle. 

This negative perception disrupts the general atmosphere of the political sphere. For example, it has been observed in scientific research that political news creates more stress in people during the pre-election period. This leads the public to avoid such news and even stop buying newspapers or watching television. Viewers then turn to series, movies, entertainment programs, documentaries, and reality shows. If there is fighting and insults in political debate programs, viewership ratings increase. 

When this happens, journalism and television move away from their idealized purpose. By reducing the accountability of politicians to the public, television creates a detrimental effect on the foundations of democracy. This situation inevitably affects political stability and, consequently, the lives of the public. Today, we can observe these effects on social media as well. 

The issues highlighted by the theory contain important clues for today's media ecosystem. It is possible to say that due to increasing competition and the need for sensation in the media, trust in politicians is constantly decreasing, a negative atmosphere is being created, and this is negatively affecting democratic functioning. For example, in the media, but especially on social media, extensive coverage is given to scandal and corruption news intended to expose politicians. This causes people to prefer staying away from elections entirely rather than voting for the right party, and the public's conscious participation in politics decreases. Today, the media creates negative effects in society such as alienation, diffusion, marginalization, discrediting, and political cynicism, and society remains vulnerable to all of this.