Media Criticism Examples

Suamiku, seorang CEO, mengidap penyakit aneh. Hatinya memilihku, namun tubuhnya justru memilih seorang anak magang di kantornya. Karena itu, setiap bulan suamiku menghilang selama sepuluh hari, dia pergi menemui si anak magang untuk "berobat". “Vera, dokter bilang ketergantunganku pada Sinta itu bersifat fisiologis. Tubuhku yang memilihnya. Tapi orang yang paling kucintai di hatiku adalah kamu, dan akan selalu kamu,” kata suamiku. Untuk meyakinkanku, ia sumpah mati, bahkan rela mengambil daging dari tubuhnya sendiri demi membuktikan cintanya. Mataku memerah. Pada akhirnya, aku tetap melunak. Hingga suatu hari, di usia kehamilanku yang sudah tua, sebuah papan reklame yang diterjang angin kencang jatuh menimpaku. Aku pun keguguran. Aku menelepon suamiku berkali-kali, namun tak satu pun dijawab. Tak lama kemudian, aku justru melihat unggahan pamer dari akun sosial media anak magang itu. [Membuka identitas baru sebagai seorang ibu. Mulai sekarang, kami bertiga adalah keluarga kecil yang bahagia!] Di foto itu, suamiku menatapnya dengan lembut, telapak tangannya mengusap perut anak magang itu. Di tangannya yang lain, tergenggam hasil pemeriksaan kehamilan. Baru saat itu aku sadar, sejak dulu sampai sekarang, baik hati maupun tubuhnya, yang ia pilih bukanlah aku. Pada detik itu juga, aku mengerti bahwa pernikahan kami telah mencapai ujungnya ....

Belinda dituntut keluarga angkatnya menikah secepatnya karena kakak tiri dan semua saudara sepupu telah menikah, walaupun dirinya masih kuliah. Selain itu, alasan utama tuntutan itu adalah keluarga angkatnya sangat membencinya dan tidak ingin merawatnya lagi. Di hari pertama kuliah semester lima, Belinda membuat masalah pada Brandon yang bertemperamen buruk, sehingga membuat hubungan mereka di kampus sebagai dosen dan mahasiswi musuh bebuyutan. Namun, siapa sangka Brandon akhirnya ingin menikahi Belinda karena nyawa sang ibu kandung Brandon dalam bahaya, yang selama bertahun-tahun disembunyikan di rumah sakit terpencil dan hanya orang tertentu yang bisa mengakses rumah sakit itu. Kebetulan selama ini yang sukarela merawat ibu Brandon adalah Belinda. Mengetahui mahasiswinya sendiri sekaligus gadis yang paling dibencinya adalah penyelamat ibunya, Brandon memutuskan menikahi Belinda. Selain itu, tujuannya ingin menikah Belinda karena ingin menghindari perjodohan tidak diinginkannya. Awalnya Belinda tidak ingin menikahi Brandon karena sikap Brandon keterlaluan, kini terpaksa melakukannya demi mendapatkan keuntungan yang diberikan Brandon. Namun, Belinda tidak ingin pernikahan mereka tersebar luas di kampus maupun media sosial. Baik Belinda maupun Brandon terpaksa melakukan pernikahan sandiwara. Hubungan mereka yang penuh rasa benci sejak pertemuan pertama mereka, bagaimana caranya agar mereka saling jatuh cinta satu sama lain? Siapakah orang yang mengincar nyawa ibu Brandon?

Kyla Adams is a workaholic. I mean, who wouldn't be when you're working your dream job? She is one of the many writers for a startup business in North Carolina called "Clicked," where the focus is writing about hot gossip, new trends, and out of the ordinary experiences. Think of this social media app as an online magazine, where the workers are gossip hungry millennials and Gen Z'ers all trying to top one another. And the best part- Dakota Kramer; the hot young CEO at the top floor of the office building. Kyla is the job. She thrives on gossip and is a phenomenal writer, but lately her articles have been dryer than her dating life. After Dakota threatens to fire her if she doesn't step out of her comfort zone, Kyla and her friends drunkenly email Dakota an exciting new article proposal titled "EleDATE." What does the hell does this mean? Kyla must ride the elevator every morning, starting from floor 1 up to floor 50-the top floor- with a hand picked single guy from the office. The catch? She's blindfolded. She must rely on her instincts about the "bachelors" and the impressions they make during their limited time riding together- and they must remain anonymous. With over 100 employees in the building, 50 floors, and 20 single men willing to participate, this will sure make for an intriguing article and a literal make or break career moment. And let's face it... there's just something about elevators.

Limang taon. Limang taon na ang nakalipas at heto si Therese, isang sumisikat na scriptwriter ng GL Media, ay muling nagbabalik sa Manila — isang lugar kung saan maraming alaala ng nakaraan ang ayaw na niyang balikan pa. Si Luna Therese Aquino ay isang dalagang matapang at may sariling prinsipyo, na sa kabila ng kanyang kabataan ay natutong ipaglaban ang sarili at harapin ang katotohanan. Matapos ang limang taon ng pagtatangkang kalimutan ang nakaraan, muling nagtagpo ang kanilang landas ni Emilio Madrigal, isang bilyonaryong lalaki na may malamig ngunit mapanukso na puso, at lihim na pagnanasa sa kanya. Sa bawat titig at haplos, muling bumabalik ang alaala ng kanilang nakaraan, ang tamis at sakit, ang init ng damdamin at ang matinding tensyon sa pagitan nila. Ngayon, hindi lang damdamin ang nakataya kundi ang kanilang buhay, reputasyon, at kalayaan ay nakasalalay sa mga desisyon nilang gagawin. Habang si Therese ay nagtatangka na manatiling matatag at protektahan ang sarili, unti-unti niyang nadidiskubre kung ang pagmamahal kay Emilio ay isang pagkakataon para sa kanyang kalayaan, o isang bitag ng pagnanasa at kapangyarihan na hindi basta malalampasan. Sa mundong puno ng yaman, lihim, at tukso, paano niya mapipili ang tama— ang puso o ang sarili?

"Hi there, I'd like to emigrate." Christina stood at the counter and handed over the neatly prepared documents to the clerk on the other side of the glass. The clerk quickly stamped each page. The red ink spread like tiny ripples on still water. Then, without looking up, he pulled out another form and passed it back to her. "Ma'am, your paperwork will be processed in fifteen days." Christina nodded, turned on her heel, and headed for the exit. But before she could step outside, whispers trailed after her. "Did I see that right? Mrs. Waldorf is applying for emigration? Did she have a squabble with Mr. Waldorf?" "Even if they argued, would it go this far? Mr. Waldorf practically worships her. What could possibly make her leave so decisively?" "Exactly. Five years ago, their wedding was the event of the century. Even someone like me, who barely goes online, heard about it. And three years ago, after her car accident, the blood bank ran out of stock. Mr. Waldorf ignored everyone's objections and nearly drained himself to save her. Then, just last year, when she disappeared for an hour, he mobilized every media outlet worldwide to find her. Now she's leaving without a word—won't that drive him insane?" The murmurs swirled and lingered, but Christina only smiled faintly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes darkened with a bitterness that deepened with every step. Yes, she thought. Everyone knew just how much Lucien Waldorf loved her.

My name becomes the sensational topic on the trending list thanks to my company's employees, who have cyberbullied me relentlessly. It all started when an intern named Cecily Plinkton posted a complaint on her social media feed, claiming that the seafood thermidor, a new food item that had just gotten released in the company's cafeteria, was sold for 14 dollars, which was four dollars more expensive than before. "What a scum company! Are the higher-ups that crazy over money? They're just leeching from us white-collar peeps repeatedly!" The entire Internet doesn't hesitate to curse me out. They claim that I'm a cold-blooded capitalist who's greedy enough to charge her own employees for lunch. No one cares about the fact that I've been shelling out my own money in order to upgrade the cafeteria's food choices just so I could make the employees happier. Every day, they get to eat over hundreds of dishes to their fill for free. Every week, the expensive dishes, such as lobsters and crabs, are charged at the net price. Thanks to these free benefits, the administrative department has been suffering from almost a one-million-dollar loss every year. So, I announce that the food prices in the cafeteria will be changed to reflect the current market's prices. At the same time, I've fired the head chef and the kitchen staff and left the meal preparation to another company that produces instant meals. As soon as the announcement is made, the entire company goes into a frenzy. The employees all crowd outside my office while begging me to bring back the benefits with tears streaking down their cheeks.

On the day my wife, Abigail Jefferson, and Dominic Gorman, the university student she has been sponsoring, post their pre-wedding photos on their social media feed, I don't lash out at them crazily as I usually do. Instead, I leave a like and a comment on their posts. "You two make a great couple. Everyone, let's give our blessings to the newlyweds." Everyone in elite society thinks of me as the most cowardly husband ever, who lets the side piece make a doormat out of him. One week later, Abigail comes home and explains, "This is just an act. Dominic's grandma is ill, and she wishes to see him get married before she passes away." I just nod calmly in return. "I didn't take it seriously. Of course, I believe you." In my previous life, I showed up at Abigail and Dominic's wedding to cause chaos for them. Naturally, their wedding couldn't go on because of me. Abigail began targeting my parents' company in order to punish me. My parents ended up going bankrupt and were forced to jump off a building. She had me admitted into a mental asylum, where I was tortured to insanity. Now that I'm given a second chance in life, I no longer yearn for Abigail's love. I just want her money this time. Every time she cheats on me, I'll transfer some of her assets to my name. Abigail now has three more chances before she ends up losing everything.

Pada ulang tahun pernikahan kami, wanita yang disukai oleh suamiku menunjukkan foto USG di status media sosialnya. Dia juga menuliskan ucapan terima kasih untuk suamiku. "Laki-laki baik yang sudah menjagaku selama sepuluh tahun memberiku seorang anak. Terima kasih." Aku sempat melotot dan berkomentar, "Sudah tahu cuma selingkuhan, tapi masih berani begini?" Aku langsung menelepon suamiku dan memarahinya. "Jangan punya pikiran aneh-aneh! Aku cuma kasih tabung reaksi buat memenuhi keinginannya menjadi ibu tunggal." "Oh ya, Erika saja sudah hamil, kamu yang sudah melakukannya hingga tiga kali masih saja belum hamil. Dasar nggak berguna." Tiga hari yang lalu dia bilang padaku kalau dia harus pergi ke luar negeri untuk urusan bisnis, tidak menjawab telepon atau membalas pesanku. Aku pikir dia sibuk, tetapi tidak disangka dia malah menemani orang lain untuk melakukan pemeriksaan kehamilan. Setengah jam kemudian, Erika memamerkan hidangan mewah di atas meja makan. "Aku bosan sama makan makanan barat, jadi Regha memasak semua makanan kesukaanku." Aku melihat slip kehamilan yang ada di tanganku. Seketika, kegembiraan yang memenuhi hatiku langsung membeku menjadi es. Aku jatuh cinta kepadanya selama delapan tahun, berkomitmen dengannya selama enam tahun dalam ikatan pernikahan. Kali ini, aku akan melepaskan semuanya.

* On Alice's wedding day, she receives a message from her hacker friend which contains videos of her fiancee and Sister. She goes to room 305 not ready to believe but is met with the shock of her life, she takes pictures and videos of them there and posts them on social media with the caption "Cheaters forever." She locks them in the room and goes to the hall to call off the wedding. The guests bash her for making them waste money but the filial and quiet Alice was gone already. * Alice and Arnold both share a sexual relationship on the night of the wedding, Alice escapes from there the next morning and places a 50-dollar note on the table for him thinking he is a nobody. Arnold wakes up and finds the money he was given, he looks around for Alice but can't find her. He decided to find her and teach the pathetic bride a lesson for messing with him. * Alice goes to Fishes River, ready to drown herself and die. She could not take the betrayal of her fiancee and sister to her, she couldn't even show her face to her family after spending a nightstand with a man she didn't know. She continues crying till various cars surround her, the men try to convince her to go with them but she refuses to threaten to kill herself there. * The man calls Arnold and reports to him the situation and he tells them to hold on, after five minutes he arrives there with his assistant ready to drag the pathetic bride to his house. Alice is stunned by seeing and mistaking losses her step falling into the river.

Helsa dan Aryo adalah sepasang suami-istri yang baru saja membina rumah tangga, tapi saat keduanya menikah terjadi perselisihan dan adanya kejanggalan yang membuat hubungan mereka rentan. Perkara kamar terlarang yang berada di pojok rumahnya menjadi awal mula Helsa bertanya-tanya pada suaminya. Aryo selalu menutup diri, tidak ingin membicarakan kehidupannya pada siapa pun, termasuk istrinya sendiri. Bahkan Helsa sebagai publik figur yang mengharuskan dirinya untuk terus memperlihatkan kehidupannya di sosial media, ditegaskan suaminya agar tidak menghidupkan kameranya saat berada di rumah. Kejanggalan yang membuat Helsa semakin stress karena dia seolah terkekang, terlebih lagi kamar terlarang itu saat terbuka sendiri dan menampakkan boneka serupa bayi yang membuatnya semakin bertanya-tanya. Aryo memang sempat menikah dengan perempuan bernama Maira, tapi dia sudah meninggal dunia. Kepergiannya sempat membuatnya tidak bersemangat. Meski begitu, pria tersebut harus berusaha bangkit dengan menikahi Helsa meski dalam keadaan terpaksa. Helsa tidak tahu apa yang sebenarnya terjadi, dan dia juga seperti orang bodoh karena tak mengetahui perasaan suaminya sendiri, yang ditahunya pria itu sangat mencintainya. Tanpa diketahui olehnya, Aryo hanya menginginkan dirinya untuk memenuhi harapannya sendiri. Apakah Aryo melakukan pesugihan? Atau ada hal lain yang membuatnya menutup diri untuk tidak membicarakan pada istrinya sendiri.