Is this becoming a trend and does the media have a role in this?

'let call a National Platinum strike" says National protest leader , which got me thinking whether this is just a trend or formation of a public opinion. Public opinion is a collective views of expression by a group of people that have the same interest or concerned at that particular time, when opinion becomes strong enough they lead to verbal or behavioural action, one could not stop to  wonder whether this is the situation in Mines, as more mine workers have joined the Lonmin Mine workers on their strike that started two months back  and in the process 45 people lost their lives, to read more... www.timeslive.com
 


miners sing and chant outside the mine as the strike continue
picture by: www.ctpost.com

The issue at mines is regarded as hot issue public because the miners started being active after media exposure, this bring us to my question whether the media is the driving force behind these continuous strikes?  this seems to be the trend in the mining industry , does the media have a role in influencing mine workers from Anglo American Platinum and Gold Field to join in the strike, or does this seem as the right thing to do at the moment?



characteristic's of Public Opinion

• It has an objective
• It last until the objective had been meet
• It has a scope
• It has a long lasting implications
• It has a structure and can influence pattern or behaviour

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel as Lonmin mine strike seems to be wrapping up.