What role do our media institutions play in society? In the 19th century, the Baha’i writings stated that “the pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world.” While media technology has since evolved to include radio, television, and social media, among others, this original sentiment rings true. Our media system, in all its complexity, reflects the aspirations, dispositions, struggles, and challenges of the American people.
The image of media as a mirror prompts many questions. Do we like what we see when we look into this mirror? Does the mirror reflect people from every walk of life, or do we only see reflections of the privileged few? To what extent is the reflection accurate, and to what extent is it distorted, and why? Informed by Baha’i principles, we explore questions like these in collaboration with journalists, media professionals, and academics. Together, we work to build a collective vision for how our media can best contribute to the advancement of society.
