Research on news coverage of social protest and its effects is important for many reasons. First, social protest is an important sign of the vitality of a democratic system. No social system is perfect. Grievances are inevitable. In a healthy system, individuals should be free to express their grievances, seek change, and enrich the diversity of the marketplace of ideas.
Protest groups serve a variety of functions.
For the individual protesters, protest groups provide an avenue for participation, a safety valve to blow off steam, and a means for connecting with other like-minded individuals. The mass media also play an important role in democratic processes. They serve as a prime information carrier for the marketplace of ideas. They also shape which groups are deemed legitimate and which are not. The mass communication research that shows that protests groups are often treated unfavorably by the media raises cause for concern.