Movements and the Media

Abstract

This thesis, Movements and the Media, is a journalistic account of the ways in which the news media has influenced the destinies of cultural movement throughout American History. The impact of news headlines and the information shared by major networks, on shaping public opinion has played a large role in both the legitimization and discretization of the most recognized revolutionary activities in America, including the anti-war and counter culture movements of the 20th century and recent Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011. This piece begins with a comprehensive look into the history of how the news media took shape in America and moves chronologically, discovering how the news media has in the past, and continues to, shape the lives we live and perceptions we form daily.