A fundamental purpose of the media is to serve the audience. This service to the people done by the media may not always be the "best", with issues depicted in the media quickly taking place of issues not being presented in ways for the audience to form opinions. For example, the B.P. oil spill is no longer getting significant coverage as the aftermath continues to affect the people involved, but the Royal Wedding is being covered by major news stations. The gatekeepers who decide which news will be covered greatly affect the agenda of the public. Without knowledge on an issue, people can not make an informed decision.
Ethics also plays a large role in the way news is presented, with questions constantly being raised about the means of acquiring information. For example Potter's Box, a tool used to sort through ethics questions, can help journalists and reporters to contribute sufficient information to their audience, without compromising the informants etc. This is not an easy job to maintain because there are many different views on what is right and fair, and what is not. However, with most information coming from some media outlet, the public's agenda on issues like ethics or immediate news is greatly affected.
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