Skripsi Adhe Riski
Skripsi Adhe Riski
Skripsi Adhe Riski
A THESIS
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Sarjana Degree Majoring in American Studies of English Department
Faculty of Humanities Diponegoro University
By
ADHE RIZKI MULKIANA
13020112140036
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DIPONEGORO UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
2016
PRONOUNCEMENT
The writer honestly confirms that she compiled this thesis entitled “Behind the
Media in America: News Coverage and Media Bias; as Reflected in Nightcrawler” by
herself without taking any results from other researchers in S-1, S-2, S-3, and in
diploma degree of any university. The writer ascertains that she did not quote any
material from other publications or someone else’s paper, except from the references
mentioned.
- ii -
MOTTO AND DEDICATION
- Mocca –
I proudly dedicate this thesis to my beloved family and to everyone who supported
and helped me accomplished this thesis.
- iii -
APPROVAL
- iv -
VALIDATION
-v-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All great praise be to God the Almighty Allah, who has given strength and
spirit to me, so this thesis entitled “Behind the Media in America: News Coverage
and Media Bias; as Reflected in Nightcrawler” came to a completion. On this
occasion, I would like to thank all those people who have supported and helped me in
completing this thesis. I especially extend my sincere gratitude ti the following:
1. Dr. Redyanto Noor, M.Hum., as the Dean of Faculty of Humanities
Diponegoro University;
2. Sukarni Suryaningsih, S.S.,M.Hum as my thesis advisor who has guided,
helped, supported, and suggested me continuously, so this thesis comes
into completion;
3. Dr. Agus Subiyanto, M.A. as the Head of English Department Diponegoro
University;
4. All my Lecturers for the learning in English Department, especially in
American study section Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University
who have given the writer much useful knowledge and experiences;
5. My beloved parents, Nurkholis and Umi Masnunah, and also my beloved
younger brother, Aribi Zainul Umam, thank you for your love, supports,
advices and prayers;
6. All of my friends in English Department, Diponegoro University 2012
especially Class A. Thank you for your supports until this day;
7. My best college friends, especially Angitya Pangestika, Nailah, Arassari
Kusumah Dewi and Finasari who have supported and given me a lot of
useful knowledge and information in completing this thesis;
8. My beloved boarding house friends, Angitya Pangestika, Nailah, Sri Nur
Aini, Dessy Putri Haryani, Dwi Ristanti Putri, Alvi Fitriya, Alhaq Fara
Nabella, Rizqi Chairunnisa, Intran Prastiani, Dina and Eti whom I have
assumed as my own family in Semarang. Thank you for your togetherness,
stories, advices, supports, and experiences so far;
9. My other family in BEM FIB Undip, Enormous English Club, Team
KKN, my Purwokerto friends in Semarang. Thank you for being my
family in Semarang. Thank you for the stories, experiences, togetherness
and support.
I realize that this thesis is still far from being perfect. Therefore, I will be glad
- vi -
to receive any constructive criticism and suggestion to make this thesis better. I
expect that this thesis will be useful for the reader.
- vii -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE ..................................................................................................................... i
PRONOUNCEMENT ............................................................................................. ii
MOTTO AND DEDICATION ............................................................................... iii
APPROVAL ........................................................................................................... iv
VALIDATION..........................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGMENT........................................................................................ vi
TABLE OF CONTENS........................................................................................ viii
LIST OF PICTURES ……………………………………… ..................................x
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................... xi
- viii -
3.2.1 Agenda Setting ................................................................20
3.2.2 Media in Creating News Coverage .................................22
3.2.3 Media Bias ......................................................................24
CHAPTER 4 BEHIND THE MEDIA IN AMERICA: NEWS COVERAGE AND
MEDIA BIAS; AS REFLECTED IN NIGHTCRAWLER ….. ...............................25
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................52
- ix -
LIST OF PICTURES
1. Picture 1 ………………………………………………………………………1
2. Picture 2 ………………………………………………………………………16
3. Picture 3 ………………………………………………………………………17
4. Picture 4 ………………………………………………………………………17
5. Picture 5 ………………………………………………………………………18
6. Picture 6 ………………………………………………………………………18
7. Picture 7 ………………………………………………………………………25
8. Picture 8 ………………………………………………………………………25
9. Picture 9 ………………………………………………………………………26
10. Picture 10………………………………………………………………………29
11. Picture 11………………………………………………………………………30
12. Picture 12………………………………………………………………………31
13. Picture 13………………………………………………………………………31
14. Picture 14………………………………………………………………………32
15. Picture 15………………………………………………………………………32
16. Picture 16………………………………………………………………………34
17. Picture 17………………………………………………………………………34
18. Picture 18………………………………………………………………………34
19. Picture 19………………………………………………………………………34
20. Picture 20………………………………………………………………………45
21. Picture 21………………………………………………………………………45
22. Picture 22………………………………………………………………………45
23. Picture 23………………………………………………………………………45
24. Picture 24………………………………………………………………………45
25. Picture 25………………………………………………………………………46
26. Picture 26………………………………………………………………………46
27. Picture 27………………………………………………………………………48
28. Picture 28………………………………………………………………………48
-x-
ABSTRACT
Nightcrawler is a movie which is written and directed by Don Gilroy shows how
media works. This movie tells about a freelancer cameraman named Louis Bloom
who looks for footage of a news, records it and sell it to a news station. The aims of
this thesis are to describe the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of the movie. The intrinsic
aspects cover the narrative elements (theme, characters, setting, plot and conflict) and
cinematic elements (camera distance, mise-en-scene and sound) while the extrinsic
aspects cover how media works based on agenda setting theory, the news coverage
and media bias in Nightcrawler. The writer used library research to support the data
analysis obtained from some references, such as some related books, journals and
articles. The result of this thesis is in the process of how the news produced, there are
some modifications of information so the news will be more suitable with the value
of where the company comes from. The process itself contains some editing process
of how media covers an issue, which can lead into media bias.
- xi -
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
social life. Media become the part of modern society not only to deliver any
important message, but it also has the power in creating public opinion. Long time
ago, traditional people used smoke as the media to deliver the information to each
other. However as the development of technology, people start to use better tools in
delivering information.
The development of mass media in America has begun since 1780s with the
Advertiser. As the development of technology, mass media then becomes various, not
only printed media such as newspaper or magazine but also electronic media such as
television or internet.
As a country which is known with its freedom, America has the written rule to
protect the freedom of press as appear in Bill of Rights in the first amendment:
Among all of mass media, television became the most influential media to
human life. Based on survey done by BLS American Time Use Survey, A.C. Nielsen
-1-
Co in February 18th, 2016, about 99% of American have television in their home and
spend average 5 hours 11 minutes a day watching television (Statistic Brain (2016)
Television Watching Statistic). Television becomes more popular than other media
because of the way it presents the information is equivalent with the effectiveness of
how a media delivers the information, like Brent D. Ruben mention in his book,
Communication and Human Behaviour (1992): whether message are presented via
print or illustration, gesture or dress, film or microfiche, radio broadcast or the spoken
words of a friend, can have a direct, and in some cases obvious, influence (1992:145).
However, the written rule in American amendments which show the freedom
of speech somehow makes media industry becomes too free in delivering the news.
Media industry which is usually also close related with political things somehow also
creates media bias effect. Media biased effect is the bias of journalist or newsmaker in
mass media when selecting the events or information reported and how the
information are covered. In this thesis, the writer uses Nightcrawler movie as the
object because this movie shows how television as part of mass media delivers its
news.
shows the life of a freelancer cameraman who looks for a footage of a news, records
it and sells it to a news station. From this movie, the writer founds that news station
or press has the power in shaping the news by the choice of stories and words to
influence the audience (Liaugminas, 2002). Therefore the writer decided to use
-2-
Nightcrawler movie and entitled the thesis: Behind the Media in America: News
The scope of the study is the parameters which the study will be done. The
parameter will help the writer to gives the limitation of the problem which will be
discussed in order to make the explanation more focus and clearer. In this thesis, the
writer limits the object of research into intrinsic aspects and extrinsic aspects. The
intrinsic aspects consist of the explanation of narrative and cinematic elements of the
movie, meanwhile the extrinsic aspect explains behind the scene how media creates
news coverage in America and how the news tends to be bias of media interest.
After watching the Nightcrawler movie, the writer finally could determine the
aims of the study for this thesis. The aims of the study are presented as follows:
2. To explain the extrinsic aspects of behind the scene of how media creates
news coverage in America and how the news tends to be bias of media
interest.
-3-
Method of the study is methodology which is used by the writer in analyzing
the object of the thesis in order to find the answer of the research problem. Method of
study helps the writer to explain how the information sources needed come from and
how to collect the data needed to analyze the thesis. To analyze the problem of the
thesis, the writer differ two methods which are method of research and method of
approach.
Method of research is the process used in collecting the data and information
in purpose of making a decision and support the analysis of the thesis. In method of
research, the writer watches the movie and uses it as the main reference. Besides
watching the movie, the writer also uses library research which is collecting the data
by books to get the related information needed to support the analysis of the thesis.
before. In method of approach, the writer uses objective approach to analyze the
intrinsic aspects and agenda setting approach to analyze the extrinsic aspects. The
objective approach is an approach which interprets a work purely based on the work
itself. The objective approach here means the writer analyze the movie pure as
-4-
The theory of agenda setting was basically first introduced by Walter
Lippmann in his book, Public Opinion (1922). Agenda setting is an approach which
describes the ability of media to "press" the topic of public agenda and make the
audience believe that the agenda is really an important agenda. So in other words, in
agenda setting theory, every issue media makes to look important, society will also
think that it is an important issue. In this case, media is assumed to have a strong
In 1963, Bernard Cohen follows Lippmann in observing the press role and
Press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think,
but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about. The
world will look different to different people depending on the map that is
drawn for them by the writers, editors and publishers of the paper they read.
(Cohen, 1963 : 13)
Max McCombs and his college, Donald Shaw in 1972 then completed agenda
setting theory through their observation in presidential election in 1968. From their
observation, McCombs and Shaw find that there are two basic reasons which lead to
the theory. First, the media does not deliver the real fact of an issue but construct the
reality. Second, media prepare some issues and "press" them and shape the public to
make their judgment about which issues is more important than the other.
Nugraha Kusuma from English Department of Undip. However, the study focuses on
hierarchy of needs in Don Gilroy’s Nightcrawler. This study focuses on other aspect
-5-
of the movie, which is behind the media in America: News Coverage and Media Bias;
as reflected in Nightcrawler movie. Through this study, how media creates news
coverage and how the news tends to be bias will be discussed. This study is expected
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
Gilroy.
-6-
which are camera movement, distance and sound effect of
interest.
IN NIGHTCRAWLER
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION
-7-
CHAPTER II
movie tells about Louis Bloom, a jobless who is desperate for a job. One day he was
caught by the security guard because of stealing in a construction site. Because of the
recessive situation, Bloom attacks the security guard and steals his watch. Bloom
leaves the location with the stolen materials, sell it to a scrap yard foreman and ask
for a job. However the foreman says he does not hire a thief.
On the way driving home, Bloom sees a car crash and he finds it interesting.
In the location, he meets a freelance cameraman who is shooting the crash, named Joe
Loder. Bloom who is standing next to the freelancer's car sees there are cameras and
radio police scanners and he decides to start his own freelance cameramen business.
At night, Bloom sees another carjacking accident and starts to record his own video.
However, because of too close with the location, Bloom was kicked off the crime
scene. Bloom then eavesdrops his rival's phone conversation about selling the footage
to a news station. After knowing the news station, Bloom then goes to the same
In the news station, Blooms meets Nina Romina, the morning news director
who said that Bloom's footage is better than the other footage because Bloom's
footage shows the condition of the victim, which is bloody, clearer than the other
-8-
footage. Finally, they deal about the selling. After dealing with the footage, Nina told
Bloom that news station is most interested in footage of violent incident. Hearing the
information, Bloom starts to record footage only about violent incident using his new
camera. Bloom also hires an assistant, Rick, a young man desperate for money to help
him in shooting the incidents. As his business getting better, Bloom starts to buy
better camera and car to support his job. Bloom and Nina relationship also get better
and Bloom starts to fall for Nina. However Nina said that she can not be with Bloom
The next day Joe Loder beats Bloom on an important plane crash footage and
makes Nina explodes in anger and said Bloom to get the better footage. Bloom then
sabotages Loder's car and causing car crash which makes Loder suffer severe injury.
Bloom then comes and pretends that he just arrives to record the scene.
One day Bloom and Rick arrive at the site of home invasion before the police
arrive. Bloom starts to record the situation around the home, the murder victim, even
the gunmen who is leaving the location. Bloom sends his footage to Nina but he
keeps the footage about the gunmen identity. Since it is a big issue about
neighborhood, Bloom demands public credit and more money and Nina agrees with it.
The next day, the police visit Bloom, ask him about the robbery and ask for the copy
of footage. Bloom gives them the edited tape and keeps the complete video tape with
the identity of the gunmen. At night, Bloom and Rick trail the gunmen. Rick who is
scared with the gunmen asks for half of the money and threaten Bloom he will tell the
-9-
police if Bloom refuses it and Bloom agrees.
When the gunmen stop at the restaurant, Bloom phones the police informing
about the location of the gunmen. The police arrive and there is shootout between the
police and the gunmen. One of the gunmen is killed while the other manages to
escape. Following the polices who are chasing the suspect, Bloom and Rick witness
how the suspect's car involve into crash and makes the car flip over. Bloom asks Rick
to film the gunmen in the car and claiming that the suspect is dead. However, when
Rick gets closer into the flipped car, the gunmen, who is actually wounded, shoots
Rick through the glass and tries to escape but then was shot by the police. On the
other hand, Bloom films the whole scene and tells the dying Rick that he cannot work
The next day, Bloom shows his footage to Nina and makes her awed by the
footage. In addition, the news team discovers that the home invasion is actually a
drug deal gone wrong. However, Nina insists to keep the information and end the
news as home invasion news to maximize the story's impact. In the end, Blooms hires
a team and buys a new van to expand his freelance news cameramen business.
- 10 -
CHAPTER III
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Movie can also be categorized as literary work because it consists of intrinsic and
extrinsic aspect to construct the whole story. Therefore, intrinsic aspects help us to
understand the movie well because it depicts the situation and condition of the movie.
Intrinsic aspect in the movie can be divided into two major elements, which are
elements include theme, characters, setting and plot (Fulton et. al., 2006:1). Narrative
element contains the meaningful information which is hidden in the theme, character,
3.1.1.1 Theme
Theme is the central or dominating idea in a literary work (Thrall and Hibbard,
1960 : 486). In the movie, theme can be seen when watching the dominating idea
from the whole story of the movie itself. The dominating idea here means the general
- 11 -
idea or the main topic of the movie itself.
3.1.1.2 Character
example of some vice or virtue of type..." (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 79). Characters
in movie play an important role in delivering the message through their act to the
audiences. That is why in a movie, there are so many characters appear in order to
strengthen and make the story "alive". In general, character is divided into major
Major character or also known as main character is the character who has the
largest portion of role and gives the biggest influences to the whole story. According
to Thrall and Hibbard in their book, A Handbook to Literature, major character need
three-dimensional treatment which means that the major character "may present us
- 12 -
small portion of the story. According to Thrall and Hibbard in their book A Handbook
of Literature, minor characters are handled two dimensionally which means they are
"striking and interesting but lack depth" (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 81). Even though
the portion of minor character is not as much as major character, minor character also
has big role in softening the whole story of the movie. Minor character can be
protagonist or antagonist.
3.1.1.3 Setting
spiritual, background against which the action of a narrative takes place (Thrall and
Hibbard, 1960 : 453). Setting element is really important because it gives the deep
feeling about the movie itself. When we are talking about setting, actually we are not
only talking about the place of the movie but also about the situation, the time when
Thrall and Hibbard (1960: 453) in their book A Handbook to Literature divide
setting into four elements which are (1) setting of actual geographic location, its
topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements; (2) setting of the daily manner
of the character; (3) setting of time or period where the action takes place which is not
only about the date or the year when the action takes place, but also about the natural
condition such as night, morning, rain season, etc; and (4) setting of general
environment of the character; which helps the director build the emotion of the movie
- 13 -
because it contains the mental, moral and social emotional where the characters in the
narrative move.
3.1.1.4 Plot
interplay of one force another, through a struggle of opposing forces to a climax and a
denouement (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 356). Plot is also known as the pattern of the
story which has causal-effect role in the story. Plot has big rule to help the audience in
understanding the whole story of the movie. Thrall and Hibbard describe the function
of plot "is to translate character into action" (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 358).
Thrall and Hibbard in their book, A Handbook to Literature, also explain there
are three main part of plot, which are (1) Planned; the author must arrange and select
the incidents according to a plot purpose; (2) a series of actions which consist of
beginning, a middle and an end. These incidents will grow one upon another to create
the whole stories; and (3) conflict. Conflict is like the struggle which grows out and
makes the characters opposing each other. The conflict may appear from physical
(external) or may be spiritual (internal). Conflicts provide the interesting element into
the movie because the existence of conflict will create the climatic episode. The
climatic episode is the situation when the rising action comes to end and the falling
action begins as the result of the problem finished (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 357).
- 14 -
3.1.1.5 Conflict
is the struggle which grows out of the interplay of the two opposing forces in plot
(Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 357). Conflict and plot can not be separated from each
other because they are connected to build the story. Conflict is the raw material
The conflict may appear from physical (external) or may be spiritual (internal).
In a story, there are four basic kinds of external conflict which may appear in the story,
which are (1) the struggle against the nature; (2) the struggle against another character,
usually protagonist against antagonist; (3) the struggle against the society; and (4) the
struggle against the mastery (Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 : 105). However, based on
Thrall and Hibbard, the term of conflict does not always refer to the struggle of the
main character against someone or something. Conflict also refers to the existence of
motivation for the conflict or some goal to be achieved by it. This conflict is also
Cinematic elements are the elements which related to the camera and movie.
Cinematic element shows the action in front of the camera and starts to work if the
- 15 -
3.1.2.1 Camera Distance (Shots)
Camera distance is the distance between the camera placement and the taken
scene when taking scene of the movie. Camera distance also affects camera angle.
The right camera movement and camera angle will produce the balance and flow
image. Camera distance and angle is important because it will help the audience to
Picture 1
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
Extreme long shot help establish a character in a specific location page (Ablan,
2002 : 94). In extreme long shot, we can see the background or the location where the
scene was take place because the camera takes the scene from far away distance.
b. Long Shot
Picture 2
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
Long shot or full shot is taken in nearer distance than extreme long shot. Long
shot usually taken to show body language, nervousness, and even anticipation (Ablan,
- 16 -
2002 : 93). Long shot also use to show the actor's tapping foot and awkward hand
Picture 3
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
In medium long shot, we can see the character expression and also the
surrounding of the character. Medium shot or also known as wide shot helps identify
both the character and his environment to establish the single character's position in the
d. Medium Shot
Picture 4
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
Medium shots are used for dialogue sequence, and they allow the viewer to pick
up on the character's movements and gestures (Ablan, 2002 : 93). Medium shot is also
categorized as the safest shot because camera did not need many movements to capture
the moment in the scene. Medium shot usually use to take a conversation between
- 17 -
characters or conversation in small group. In medium shot, the camera remains close
enough to capture the emotion allowing the viewer to still be a part of a character's
e. Close Up
Picture 5
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
Close-up shot can be used for dialogue, also referred to as a "talking head"
(Ablan, 2002 : 92). In close up shot, the focus of the camera is on the expression of the
character because it only captures little bit of the environment situation. Close up shot
allows the audience to see the emotion of the character, which is important to telling the
story (Ablan, 2002 : 92). Dan Ablan, in his book, Digital Cinematography and
using a close-up shot on a dialogue sequence serves more than one purpose.
First, it brings the viewer into the action. Second, it saves you, or your staff,
time and effort because the shot is full with a single subject (Ablan, 2002 : 92).
f. Extreme Close Up
Picture 6
(Vineyard, 1977 : 10)
- 18 -
Extreme close up usually use to capture the emotion of the characters through
their expression in the face. Extreme close up usually takes the expression in the eye,
3.1.2.2 Mise-en-scene
including the use of scenery, properties, etc., and the general arrangement of the piece
(Thrall and Hibbard, 1960 :291). Mise-en-scene includes costumes and make-up and
lighting.
Costumes are the dress worn by the characters in the movie. Costumes are "a
quick signal for characterization and how we feel about characters often comes
simply from the way they are dressed" (John Golden). Make-up in the other hand is
can not be separated from costumes. Make-up supports the character role by adding
3.1.2.3 Sound
Sound plays important role in movie because it delivers the emotion of the
movie. Sound also create the tension depends on the situation in the scene. Sound
effect is not only about the voice of the character or the background music but it also
about the room tones or natural sound. For the music editor, their job will be
- 19 -
categorized as success if the audience did not notice their work, which means the
Sound effect also helps the movie to be more alive. Dan Ablan in his book
Without sound, even just a single note extended over time, animation is not
living up to its full potential. Audio is every thing. You can make your pictures
come alive with the right audio. The most appropriate sounds and special
audio effects often can make or break your animation work. (Ablan, 2002 :
167).
aspect in this research will be behind the media in America: news coverage and media
bias; as reflected in Nightcrawler movie. The writer chooses those main extrinsic
elements because the writer found that in Nightcrawler movie, the main concerns of
the movie are about behind the media in America: news coverage and media bias. In
the extrinsic aspects, the writer chooses to focus on the agenda setting theory, shaping
In analyzing behind the media in America: news coverage and media bias; the
writer uses agenda setting theory. Agenda setting theory is first introduced by Walter
Lippmann in his book Public Opinion. Without using the term "agenda-setting,"
Walter Lippmann was writing about what we today call as "agenda-setting" theory.
- 20 -
Agenda setting theory said that every minds of public issue in the world are shaped
The analyst of public opinion must begin then, by recognizing the triangular
relationship between the scene of action, the human picture of that scene, and
the human response to that picture working itself out upon the scene of action
(Lippmann, 1922 : 17).
Lippmann theory describes that every issue or action can be big issue
according to how our mind response and how society react to the issue. According to
Lippmann in his introduction of his book, Public Opinion, "freedom of thought and
speech present itself in a new light and raises new problems because of the discovery
that opinion can be manufactured" (Lippmann, 1922 : xiv). Just like any rule which
always have both good and bad side, freedom of speech also brings bad effect
because it "blocks" the truth. People can speak every thought in their head without
thinking about the real fact. Lippmann also said that "news stories also dominate by
the emotions and hopes of the men and women who comprised the news organization
rather than by the fact" (Lippmann, 1922 : xiv). Here we can see that the truth has no
any effect to public opinion as long as the public likes the story, then fact will be in
xviii).
Because of the ambiguity between the border between the truth and news in
- 21 -
The function of news is to signal an event; the function of truth is to bring to
light the hidden facts, to set them into relation with each other, and to make
picture of reality on which people can act. what one normally gets is not truth
but fact, and that fact is circumscribe by a variety of reporters, fear of libel,
and that which is superficial (Lippmann, 1922 : xviii)
Walter Lippmann is not the only one who known with his agenda setting
theory. In 1963, Bernard Cohen follows Lippmann in observing the press role and
Press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think,
but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about. The
world will look different to different people depending on the map that is
drawn for them by the writers, editors and publishers of the paper they read.
(Cohen, 1963 : 13)
However in 1972, Max McCombs and his college, Donald Shaw finally
McCombs and his college, Donald Shaw in 1972 then complete agenda setting theory
Readers learn not only about a given issue, but also how much importance to
attach to that issue from the amount of information in a news story and its
position. In reflecting what candidates are saying during the campaign, the
mass media may well determine the important issues-that is, the media may
set the "agenda" of the campaign (McComb and Shaw, 1972 : 176)
information, media has ambiguity. The ambiguity comes as the media is trapped
- 22 -
within its purpose and its operational purpose. In operational purpose, media is an
organization which runs as a business. Media needs to get benefits both material
profit and prestige profit. However, based on its purpose, media is a message
conveyor to public. In conveying the message, media has its ideal purpose to deliver
benefits both material profit and prestige profit. In this case, some mass media
organizations, especially the big one, give more attention to prestige profit than
material profit. The prestige profit also includes the interest of having influence or
power to society. The more prestigious media is the respectable it is and it can even
spread its power towards society. Not only the big scale media but also the small scale
media needs prestige profit to spread their power, even though the power is also in the
smaller scale.
media as a message conveyor media has to deliver the news based on the fact and free
from any business purposes. However in the practice, media is trapped in different
situation. The news released by media as an organization produce the fact which is
designed so the audiences follow and agree with the flow of the news. Even though
media wants to be objective in delivering the news, the fact is in the process itself the
message should pass some bureaucratic system which resulting a news with certain
interest purpose.
- 23 -
3.2.3 Media Bias
Based on Liaugminas in her book Media Bias is Serious Problem (2002 : 21)
media bias is the stance of journalist and the people behind the media in making and
selecting the events and stories which will be reported or aired and how the news are
covered. Media bias appears because of the different perception between the audience
and the news maker. Media is judged to be biased only if the content of the news does
not suitable with the society expectation. However, media bias is not entirely bad
because when the media is bias, it only means it serves the news from different point
of view.
Basically, even though most people said that they prefer good news rather
than bad news, but the fact is people mind gives better response and more attention to
bad news rather than good news. This cause the mass media prefers controversial
news because mass media is also an organization which needs profit. This causes
media to produce the news which is not purely objective because it is shadowed by
For example in reporting about the case of WTC in November 9, 2001, most
of mass media more focus on the theme of Islam phobia, in the form of report that
state the suspect of the bombing are Moslem. Unconsciously that kind of news
coverage is the one preferable by society. It is very rarely that the media choose to
reveal the real suspect and the real situation behind the case because the news is
believed to be less engaging. This causes the emergence of media bias for those who
- 24 -
do not believe in Islam phobia.
- 25 -
CHAPTER IV
4.1.1 Theme
Nightcrawler depicts the life of a footage freelancer named Louis Bloom. This movie
shows many criminal, accident and bloody scene, that is why the theme of the movie
is about crime. In the movie we can see many criminal thing, not only the crime that
happen for the news, but the main character, Louis Bloom, also commits in crime
such as when he sabotages his rival's car and when he tries to get a good news by
Picture 7 Picture 8
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:58:06) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:00:50)
- 26 -
Hey, don't film that, man. He's one of us.
Bloom : Not anymore, Rick. We're professionals.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:59:53 - 01:00:19)
In conclusion, the theme of the movie, which is crime related with news
coverage and media bias. It is because Bloom, as the representative of mass media
covers the crime accident into the footage news for society consumption. It also can
be seen how the news turns into media bias in the movie because of how Bloom
covers the footage for KWLA. Bloom makes the coverage based on the demand of
4.1.2 Character
In this movie, the major characters are Louis Bloom and Nina Romina. Both
of them become the major character because they have important role and give big
- 27 -
Picture 9
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:57:31)
Louis Bloom is the major character of Nightcrawler movie because he has big
role which affect the whole story. From the picture above, it can be see that Louis
Bloom is a man in about late 20 or 30s years old with wavy hair and blue eyes. The
character of Louis Bloom rarely shows his emotion. Bloom described as a man who
can manage his emotion very well. Bloom has behavior that he will smile weirdly
In the movie, Louis Bloom is described as a calm man with soft voice and
intimidating aura. Louis Bloom also a confident man, just like when he was talking to
the foreman for a job, he can promote himself very well. Bloom also known as the
character who will get angry easily if other people beat him. It can be seen when
Nina Romina also can be categorized as major character because together with
Bloom, she has quite big role for the story of the movie. Nina Romina is a woman in
about 40s years old, or maybe older. In scene minutes 00:43:48 Nina said to Bloom
- 28 -
that her age maybe twice of Bloom's age.
Nina : I have a rule, Lou. I don't date people I work with. And I'm twice
your age.
Bloom : I like older women. Besides, I don't work with you. You're someone I
sell to.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:43:48 - 00:43:56)
Nina is a director in news station who has big role in choosing which news
will be aired. Nina Romina can be described as a hard worker which not only loves
her job but also knows how to attract the audience's attention using the news. Nina is
also a passionate woman who will do everything to get the best news. It can be seen
in the scene when Nina tries to get the footage of home invasion, even though the
In short, Bloom and Nina are called as the main characters because as
already explained in the chapter 3, the function of main character is as the center of
the story. In this movie, the character of Bloom and Nina are the center who play the
role as them who cover the news and create the media bias in the KWLA news.
- 29 -
4.1.2.2 Minor Character
4.1.2.2.1 Rick
Picture 10
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:24:23)
Rick is Bloom's employee. From the picture above, it can be predicted that
Rick is a young man in about late 20s years old. From his dialogue with Bloom, it is
known that Rick comes from not very educated level. He is also a homeless with
unsettled job. In the movie, Rick is described as a silent young boy who can not speak
Rick : My old jobs? I did landscaping for a couple months. Mow, blow
and go.
Bloom : (writing his answer in the pad)
Rick : I learned I had hay-fever so I quit.
Bloom : Other jobs?
Rick : I don’t know, week here, week there.
Bloom : Why hire you? Sell yourself. Go.
Rick : Okay. Well, I'm Rick, of course. I took three buses to get here. I
finished high school. I need a job. I’ll do just about anything. That’s
me. Hire Rick.
- 30 -
Bloom : What’s your address?
Rick : I don’t have one. Not permanent I mean.
Bloom : You’re homeless.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:24:32 - 00:25:23)
Picture 11
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:46:35)
in his late 30s years old or maybe in the beginning of his 40s. He is showed as a man
who did not want to lose to anyone. In his first meeting with Bloom, he said that he
did not want to work with Bloom, but when Bloom finally becomes more success
Loder : I want you running my second van. Two crews. Half the area to cover.
Now, I know what you're thinking. Half of the money, right? You
should be thinking, twice the sales. Because we're going to be the first
at every scene. Why compete when we can work together? You can
share my press card. Puppy dog off my police connections. This is the
- 31 -
big move, the next level. We can corner this whole thing. I'm talking
about putting some heavy digits in our pocket, brah.
Bloom : Thank you for offering me the position but working for myself is
more in line with my skills and career goals.
Loder : Take a few days to think about it
Bloom : No. You'll need to hire someone else, and I don't want to hold up the
process.
Loder : You want to be on the inside of this, man because I'm going to be
tag-teaming every call.
Bloom : You keep talking like it's something that I may be interested in, but
I'm not
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:45:36 - 00:46:23)
It is concluded that Rick and Loder are called as the minor characters because
their role in this movie is to help the main characters to build the whole story of the
news. It can be seen in the movie how the character of Rick helps Bloom in collecting
the footage for KWLA and witnessing how Bloom turns the footage into bias footage.
As for Loder, he helps to strengthen the feel of character Louis Bloom and turn him
4.1.3 Setting
Picture 12 Picture 13
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:24:58) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:44:16)
- 32 -
Picture 14 Picture 15
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:47:01) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:37:15)
From picture 12, it can be seen that the setting of geographic location or
setting of place in Nightcrawler movie is in Los Angeles. This can be seen in the
From picture 13, it can be seen that the setting of the movie also taken in TV
station where Nina Romina works. From picture 14 the setting is taken in Mexican
restaurant. In the picture we can see Bloom and Nina are having dinner in Mexican
restaurant. This scene shows the relationship between Bloom and Nina, and is used to
show the audience about the other side of Bloom who likes Nina.
In picture 15, the setting is taken in the location of accident where Bloom
takes the footage. Most of the setting of place in this movie is taken in the location of
- 33 -
4.1.3.2 Setting of Daily Manner
The setting of daily manner of the movie shows the manner of Louis Bloom
and Nina as the main characters. In the movie, the character of Louis Bloom is a calm
man who always calculates everything he does. It can be seen when the police come
to Bloom's house to ask for the copy of the footage for home invasion. Bloom already
know that the police will come to his house to ask for the footage, that is why she
edited the footage and give the edited one to the police.
Nina, in the other hand, is a passionate woman, especially when she finds the
news she likes. It can be seen every time Bloom shows her his best footage. The
reaction of Nina shows that she is a passionate woman. She will do everything as
Nina : Oh, for Christ's sake. Are we breaking the law by showing this?
Linda : Block the faces, don't give out the exact address. Do that, I guess... I
don't know. I wouldn't think so, no.
Frank : Journalistically and ethnically?
Nina : This isn't Hatford
Frank : We are beyond all broadcast standards.
Nina : Have you seen this the overnights? I'll risk the fine
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:09:31 - 01: 09: 45)
- 34 -
Picture 16 Picture 17
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:01:49) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:45:22)
Just like the title of the movie itself, the setting of Nightcrawler is dominantly
taken in the night. This is to emphasize the crime theme of the movie itself, because
commonly crimes happen at night. In picture 17, based on the dialogue of Bloom and
Loder, it can be seen that the movie is taken with setting of time in about 2010. Loder
is asking about Canon 305 to Bloom, and Canon 305 is first introduced in 2010. So
there is high probability that the setting of this movie is in around 2010.
Picture 18 Picture 19
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:44:16) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:37:15)
media industry. It is shown in the picture 18 there is TV station where Nina works, or
in picture 20 which is taken in the location of accident where Bloom takes his footage.
- 35 -
Almost all of the scenes show the atmosphere of media industry from how the news is
taken, how they select which news will be aired until how it is aired.
In conclusion, the setting of the movie dominantly happen around the location
of the accident in the news station and usually it happen at night. The setting of time
which dominantly happens at night gives the strong impact about the situation in the
location of accident. Both of the locations are the important setting to deliver the
meaning behind news coverage and media bias. The location of the accident is the
first potential place of news coverage happen. It can be seen how Bloom records the
footage and sometimes change the position of the dying victim to get better shot.
However the KWLA news station is the place where all of the footage are edited and
4.1.4 Plot
The beginning of the movie is started with the view of night in America which
is calm and silent. Bloom appears in construction site, stealing some materials and
caught by security guard. In the first scene, the audience is introduced with the
character of Louis Bloom who is jobless and did bad things to get money. The raising
action of the movie is started when Bloom finally knows the job called footage
freelancer for news. He begins to get footage for the news and involves in many
criminal things.
The climax of this movie is started when Bloom and his partner, Rick,
- 36 -
suddenly eyedrop big case which is a house of rich man was being attack by some
gunmen. Bloom and his journalist feeling start to record the situation in the house.
The case being bigger in society and Bloom decides to trail the gunmen to get more
material for his footage. When the gunman was shot by the police and their car was
flipped over, the movie comes to its falling action. In the end of the movie, as the
resolution, the police and people in news station know that the gunmen attack the
house because of they fail in drug deal, not a home invasion like the news they aired.
In short, it can be seen from the movie the beginning of the plot story starts
when Bloom records the footage of the home invasion case for KWLA. The footage
then aired and become big issue around neighborhood. However it turns out that the
news is bias because it shows the dramatization of condition inside the home and
aired without waiting the legal confirmation from the police about the case.
4.1.5 Conflict
Louis Bloom is described as a calm character who rarely shows his true
emotion. In this movie, in almost scene it can be seen how Bloom maintains his
emotion and expression very well. Even thought it is quite hard to find the internal
conflict of the character, but in minute 01:02:23 until 01:07:14 the internal conflict in
Louis Bloom. Bloom was having internal conflict whether he decides to come in to
- 37 -
the house after seeing the gunmen or just shot it from far away. When he finally
decides to come in and shot the situation inside the house, Bloom also has internal
beginning of the movie, the internal conflict is between Bloom and the police officer.
As the movie goes by, Bloom also has external conflict with Joe Lader who is trying
to recruit Bloom into his team. However, the major external conflict in this movie
happens when Bloom involves in home invasion case. The police start to dig
information from him and start to oversee him. In the other hand, Rick, his partner
also involves a conflict with him. Rick asks for more money because of the big case
they face, which turn into Bloom's anger and he use Rick as a trail to get closer to the
dying gunmen to get a nice footage which turn into Rick's death.
- 38 -
Rick : I want half of whatever we make tonight.
Bloom : how did you arrive at that number?
Rick : There's two of us out here. So, 50-50
Bloom : I'll counter at $10,000
Rick : You don't set the numbers on this. I want half. I want half.
Bloom : If you're saying I can't negotiate, then I guess I'm... I'm just gonna
have to give it to you.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:26:51 - 01:28:29)
From the movie, it can be conclude that the internal conflict affect the external
conflict. It can be seen how the internal conflict in Bloom when he record the footage
of home invasion case, he was so scared but intrigue. This affected the external
conflict that is related to the relation of Bloom and Rick, because at that time Rick
saw Bloom recording the whole case and editing it. Bloom edits the footage because
Nightcrawler movie, TV news station also has a big role in shaping society mindset,
- 39 -
We find our viewers are more interested in urban crime creeping into
suburbs. What that means is a victim, or victims, preferably well-off
and white, injured at the hands of the poor or a minority.
Bloom : Just crime
Nina : No. Accidents play. Cars, busses, trains, planes. Fires.
Bloom : But bloody
Nina : Well, graphic. The best and clearest way that I can phrase it to you,
Lou, to capture the spirit of what we air is think of our newscast
as a screaming woman running down the street with her throat cut.
Bloom : I understand
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:20:12 - 00:20:58)
From the conversation it is shown that Nina taught Bloom about which news
people prefer as the news. Nina said that their viewer like something bloody.
However, this can not be separated from the role of the news itself. News always
aired crimes and bloody things which makes the viewers, whether they like it or not,
watch the news. News makes the viewer believe that crimes are something important
Nina chooses Bloom's footage instead of the other footage because she thinks
people will like to see the crime from the closer side. People like to see bloody things.
In minute 00:19:21 Nina said that they should air criminal-bloody news every day.
Nina as the actor behind the scene of the news makes the decision based on her
company motto to be shared to the viewer. Nina also said that their viewer show more
interest in criminal news. However, that is happens because the news always air crime
news and makes the viewer believe that crime news is the headline of the news. This
- 40 -
Another example of agenda setting can be seen in the home invasion case. In
that case, the news crews put big interest to the news because the victims of the case
Nina : Well, that's only part of it. We like crime. Not all crime. Carjacking in
Compton, for example. That isn't news, now is it?
We find our viewers are more interested in urban crime creeping into
suburbs. What that means is a victim, or victims, preferably well-off
and white, injured at the hands of the poor or a minority.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:20:12)
This is really different with Nina’s reaction when Bloom gives her a footage
about what she think as unimportant case because it does not has sale value.
Nina : A car crash. Well, none of this is gonna knock anybody out. I can’t
use any of this in my rundown. Is this it?
Bloom : No, I have a stabbing in Corona.
Nina : Where’s the plane crash at Foothill?
Bloom : I don’t mind saying that I’m trying to bring you storie that happen
here on the ground.
Nina : Two has it. It’ll be their lead.
Bloom : Well, I hope that works well for them. Now, let me show you the
stabbing in Corona
Nina : I don’t give a goddamn about fucking Corona! You know how
important this week is. This shit is fucking death to me!
Bloom : I understand your frustration. I was just trying not to be too hard on
myself.
Nina : I sold you upstairs as some kind of fucking a sweeps savior. And I’m
leading with a goddamn stabbing. In Corona!
Bloom : So, you want that, then?
Nina : I want you to get in the goddamn game! I want something people
can’t turn away from.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:56:10 - 00:56:57)
Even though the movie did not really show the result of the news to the
- 41 -
society, but from some scene we can predict that the reaction of society must be good.
Good here means that society pay big attention to every news aired, because they
believe that the news aired is important. In picture 21 it is predictable that the society
From the dialogue above, it can be seen that Bloom shows the perspective of
people who do not know anything, suddenly become panic because of the home
invasion case. Knowing that the home which should protect you now is not a safe
place for you because of the gunmen who can attack you and your family, even in
your home.
News coverage is about how media cover the news, or in other word what
happen behind the screen until the news is aired. In Nightcrawler movie, it can be
seen that the news footage should pass some editing session before aired. This editing
session makes the news cannot purely objective because the director put some “extra
- 42 -
Male editor : Right here
Nina : okay. Put the neighbor here, and the kids with their mother by
the door. You can get it back from 2:16.
Male editor : yeah.
Nina : Then I want to lay in some nat-sound. Let’s loop the neighbor’s
dog barking. And then try taking the crying kid from B-roll and
dropping that in the background.
Male editor : got it.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 00:17:18 - 00:17:32)
Ben : A young woman, I’m guessing from this angle. A young woman on a
sofa, there. All the faces, though, have been blurred out.
Nina : (on microphone) They’ve escaped. They’re on the loose.
Lisa : That is the first of what we understand are three bodies in the home in
Granada Hills and this was committed by a suspect, or suspects who
are still out there…. thought.
Nina : (on microphone) repeat that
Ben : yes, scary, and very concerning, particularly given what we’re looking
at here, the savagery of what these pictures show, and now, look, there
on the floor. Lisa, what is that? A bloodied article of clothing?
Lisa : it looks like a silk shirt. Maybe a woman’s silk blouse
Ben : it’s just so sad.
Director : stand to dissolve, two
Ben : obviously, there is the second body.
Nina : (on microphone) they’ve escaped. Repeat it
Ben : the person or people who committed all of this brutal home invasion
robbery, they’re presently unidentified and at large, still on the streets.
Nina : (on microphone) hit it again. Harder.
Ben : this has got to be a huge worry not only to the resident in this
neighborhood, Granada Hills area as well
….
Nina : (on microphone) build it
Lisa : yeah, you’re just praying that that crib is empty because this is
definitely a child’s room
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:14:57 – 01:16:29)
From both of the dialogues above, it shows Nina and the male editor are
editing the footage video which will be aired in the news. They also arrange how the
- 43 -
announcers deliver the news such as which point should be repeated or emphasized.
From dialogue, it shows Nina add and subtract some effects which are supposed to
give deeper impression which support the coverage of the news. This proves that the
news is selected and packed based on the wish of the journalist for certain aim and
purpose.
According to the theory in the previous chapter, media has big role in shaping
behind TV station can be seen clearly. In minute 00:19:08 - 00:19:37, it shows how
Nina makes decision which footage will be aired according to the most interesting
one.
Another news coverage in the movie is when Nina wants to air a news footage
about home invasion with terrifying scene. Even though Nina knows that the news
- 44 -
station is under the broadcast standard, but she decides to air the footage because she
knows that it is a good issues. This shows that broadcast standard is only kind of
formality because in the end, the station TV is the one will decide the content of the
news itself.
Nina : Home invasion in Granada. He got there before the cops. We have 10
minutes to airtime. How much of this can we show?
Linda : You mean, legally?
Nina : No, morally. Of course, legally.
Linda : Have they been identified?
Frank : It just happened, so you have to assume no, and that's just one of the
issues.
Linda : We can't broadcast their identities without notifying the next of kin.
Nina : We're not identifying them
Linda : You are by proxy, by showing their faces
Nina : We pixelate the face
Linda : Where did you get this?
Nina : Stringer
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:08:21 - 01:09:25)
Both of dialogues above show the part of news coverage inside the news
crime happen every day. Even though the footage should be covered with some
violence warning about the content of the news, Nina insists to air the news, no
matter how. This scene shows that Nina insists to air the news not only because it is
an important issue, but also because Nina knows that that kind of news will be big hit
- 45 -
Picture 20 Picture 21
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:06:54) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:07:04)
Picture 22
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:07:07)
In the movie, the media bias happen when Bloom and Rick get the footage
about home invasion. In the real video, Bloom accidentally shoots the face of the
gunmen, but in minute 01:07:04 Bloom cut the video and keep the real one for
himself. Bloom then hand and sale the edited video to the news station with the high
price and take the chance to promote his company. Here, it shows that the news
station choose to focus on the frame “home invasion” instead of digging on what is
the fact behind the case because they know that the frame “home invasion” will be
Picture 23 Picture 24
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:18:33) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:18:38)
- 46 -
Picture 25 Picture 26
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:18:43) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:18:51)
Even though the reaction of the society can be seen clearly in the movie, but it
is predictable about the reaction of the society about the news. It can be seen in the
full of home invasion news with the free gunmen who can be everywhere, it can
be predicted how panic and chaos the society is. People will be panic and worried
all the time. The other result to public can be seen in the scene when the police
come to Bloom's apartment because of his footage in home invasion case. Bloom
spreads the footage without waiting for the legal confirmation from the police
about the case. Bloom spreads the footage and makes the chaos to society since the
news of home invasion becomes bigger than no one can imagine. Here, the news
station decides to buy the footage without waiting the legal confirmation about the
case and create their own story, makes the news become bias.
Nina : Home invasion in Granada. He got there before the cops. We have 10
minutes to airtime. How much of this can we show?
Linda : You mean, legally?
Nina : No, morally. Of course, legally.
Linda : Have they been identified?
Frank : It just happened, so you have to assume no, and that's just one of the
issues.
- 47 -
Linda : We can't broadcast their identities without notifying the next of kin.
Nina : We're not identifying them
Linda : You are by proxy, by showing their faces
Nina : We pixelate the face
Linda : Where did you get this?
Nina : Stringer
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:08:21 - 01:09:25)
Director : Twenty seconds to back. Ben and Lisa, 20 seconds to back. Set up a
sting dig. Camera two and a two-shot.
Nina : Where's the banner?
Director : Did we decide on one?
Nina : Horror House. What did we talk about?
Director : Can you build that? Put it on CG-one. Back in 10 seconds. Nine,
eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Sting it. Mic. Dissolve.
Cue.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:13:26 – 01:13:50)
Announcer man : Hello everybody. This is KWLA with breaking news. Over
the last half-hour or so, we've now received word of an
apparent home invasion triple homicide in the Granada Hills
area of the San Fernando Valley. Now, at present, the
number of those dead…
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:13:52)
Media bias can be seen from how KWLA like in the dialogues above, the
news station where Nina works, deliver the news about home invasion case. KWLA
more focus on the situation inside the home and the condition of the victim after the
case and also the dangerous environment around the place which should be the safe
neighborhood instead of focus on revealing the identity of the gunmen and their
motive. Because of too focus on delivering the news only from one sided, KWLA
seems like they create their own story based on their interpretation of the case and
- 48 -
they forgets to be objective about an issue. As finally the case appear as the case of
drug dealer gone wrong, KWLA insists to end the case with the “proper ending for
Picture 27 Picture 28
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:15:13) (Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:47:55)
In the picture 28 when the news is aired, Nina gives some instruction to
emphasize that the news they aired is very important issue which everybody should
know. The news announcers, through Nina instruction, makes people believe that the
gunmen in home invasion case can be sit next to you without looking for or waiting
for the right information from the police. When finally this issue becomes bigger, it
becomes difficult for TV news to fix their mistaken information about the home
invasion case. In picture 28, it shows that in the end, when they know that the fact
behind home invasion case is a failed drug dealing, they decide to wrap the case as
Frank : Joel has got a source on the taskforce who says they found drugs at the
Granada Hills house. Cocaine in wrapped package hidden in
crawlspaces. Over 50 pounds. And he confirmed it with an
investigator at the scene. It wasn't a home invasion. It was a drug
robbery.
Nina : Give it to the noon crew
Frank : This is news
- 49 -
Nina : It detracts from the story
Frank : It is the story
Nina : The story is urban crime creeping into the suburbs. That's the story.
(Nightcrawler, 2014 : 01:47:55 - 01:48:22)
Overall, the agenda setting theory can be seen from the movie from how the
media cover the news. In this movie, Bloom, as the representative of media,
manipulates the news by setting up the condition of the crime scene to get the better
shoot. He also edits and cuts some part of the footage before hands it to KWLA and
the police. In the other hand, KWLA, as the news station which buy the footage from
Bloom also implements editing process before it is aired. KWLA also air a footage it
gets from Bloom before waiting from the legal confirmation from the police, which
- 50 -
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
In this thesis, “Behind the Media in America: News Coverage and Media Bias;
as Reflected in Nightcrawler” the writer analyzes the intrinsic aspects and extrinsic
aspects of the movie Nightcrawler. In analyzing the extrinsic aspect of the movie, the
writer uses agenda setting theory, Agenda setting is part of communication theory.
Agenda setting theory explains about every minds of public issue in the world are
shaped by the media. There are three focuses on discussion in this thesis which are
agenda setting theory, how media creates news coverage in America and how the
news tend to be bias of media interest. Those focuses are based on Nightcrawler
movie.
From the analysis, it can be concluded that there are many factors behind a
news before it is published. Agenda setting tells us about how an issue is used to
create public opinion by the hand of reporters and TV news crews. The news we
watch every day is not pure fact as we think before. When an issue or event is caught
by media, it will be processed by the reporters and crews to create an issue which is
suitable with the value of the company itself. In the process, it contains some editing
and adding some extra opinions from the crews or reporters which can make
ambiguity of the truth itself. This is why the theory of agenda setting which explains
about behind the scene of media cannot be separated with how media cover an issue
- 51 -
which can lead into media bias.
However, even though media has the power to create public opinion or to
spread some issues, the fact is we create the issues by ourselves unconsciously.
People tend to be more interesting in bad news than good news, which makes media
aired more bad news than good news. However, news coverage and bias media can
not be separated. They affected each other. The way media creates news coverage
somehow creates media bias. This happen because media can not be purely objective
in delivering the news. An issue or topic need to pass some stage before aired which
- 52 -
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cohen, B. C. (1963). The Press and Foreign Policy. New Jersey: Princeton University
Press.
Critcher, C. (2011). Mighty Dread: Journalist and Moral Panic. Allan, S. (Ed).
Press.
Fulton, Helen, et al. (2006). Narrative and Media. New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Undip.
Greenhaven Press.
Pustaka Pelajar.
- 53 -
McCombs, M. E, Shaw, D. L (1972). The Public Opinion Quarterly. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Nugroho, Y. et al. (2012). Media and the Vulnerable in Indonesia: Accounts from the
Hall.
Statistic Brain. (2016). Television Watching Statistic. Web. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
From http://www.statisticbrain.com/television-watching-statistics/
Taylor, P. A, Harris, J. L. (2008). Critical Theories of Mass Media: Then and Now.
Vineyard, J. (1977). Setting Up Your Shots: Great Camera Moves Every Filmmaker
- 54 -