media project proposal

The mass media has been blamed for instilling fear in the masses when it wasn't necessary, for taking topics far out of perspective and covering stories that do not deserve the be covered. But the media is sometimes called the fourth branch of the government for a reason. They investigate and dig for information people usually want to know but they don't want to spend the time to uncover. But there are some issues that seem to have no news value but are still covered and embraced by a majority of people, i.e. Britney Spears, Joe the Plumber. Where does Anonymous and Internet trolls fit between those? Is it important to uncover these Internet hackers so the public knows about them and can defend themselves against possible attacks? Or is it a menial task to report on an issue that has no value in a democratic society?

Neither of these seem to be the case. The media has called trolls "hackers on steroids" and questioned if Anonymous' actions against Scientology are hate crimes; they are obviously interested in this issue and want the public to know. Are these fair presumptions? Or are they taking trolling for lulz out of proportion? Is it just a bunch of kids pulling pranks on their peers and elders like the kids of the past putting cherry bombs in mailboxes or ding-dong ditching? Either way, this issue should be and will be covered by the media. My research will focus on the legitimacy and objectiveness of these media reports. I will determine which side of the issue they fall on - and how the masses respond to that.