Role and Influence of Media
Media involves the movement of communication to a broad audience in a short time. The development of technology impacted media in that communication could be done faster and efficiently. Media plays a crucial role in modernization, although culture has been hit with a significant blow by media. A mediated culture comes up when media develops a culture from an existing culture. Media has been vital in the creation of stereotypes as well as changing the mode of consumption. Media has a particular impact on behaviors and culture, with the effects being either negative or positive.
Media is one of the most reliable sources of information. The information provided by the media ranges from informative to educative. Also, the media is essential for entertainment. For example, media can be relied upon for information required in this study (Velasquez, Alcides, and LaRose, 900). Therefore, the main role of media and journalists is to provide information. The influence of media affects several fields, such as politics, sports, and health. In politics, media is used by politicians for campaigning, while sports news is aired through the media. On the other hand, health education could be passed effectively through media with doctors and clients being connected through media. The different forms of media are responsible for the roles of media in society.
Social media and mass media are the leading forms of media in the industry. Technology came as a savior for the media with social media and mass media, taking the more significant part of benefits (Vittrup et al. 45). Unfortunately, media has fallen under criticism for several issues, such as cultural erosion and behavioral transformations. The argument passed across is that media brings information to the people and encourages diversity, with most people choosing to ignore their cultures at the expense of modernization. Media has monopolized the communication sector and has the potential to impact behaviors and negative perceptions.
Most people find media as the only source of information. Therefore, the media has managed to monopolize the communication sector with individuals relying on any type of information supplied (Mihailidis, Paul, and Samantha Viotty, 449). Unfortunately, media has misused the benefit of monopoly to pass compromised information. Although not all media channels can be blamed, a more significant percentage of the media channels should get the blame. Social media, for example, allows for free interaction of people across the world. Such freedom has led to the spread of negative traits such as extremism.
The media is responsible for negative opinions and bias in the community. A negative opinion or bias in one individual can quickly reach a large audience if the media is involved (Carney, 181). Therefore, media is blamed in the case of influencing the spread of negative opinions and biases. For example, a negative opinion towards aging people may move fast among media users, thus impacting a larger population of aging people. Generally, the impact of media depends on the reception that an individual gives.
In sum, media has an impact on behaviors and culture, with the effects being either negative or positive. The different forms of media are responsible for the roles of media in the society with social media and mass media leading the lot. The association between media and negative opinions is attributed to the freedom of expression given by the media. The roles and influence of media, however, depending on the population targeted.
Works Cited
Carney, Nikita. “All lives matter, but so does race: Black lives matter and the evolving role of social media.” Humanity & Society 40.2 (2016): 180-199.
Mihailidis, Paul, and Samantha Viotty. “Spreadable spectacle in digital culture: Civic expression, fake news, and the role of media literacies in “post-fact” society.” American Behavioral Scientist 61.4 (2017): 441-454.
Velasquez, Alcides, and Robert LaRose. “Youth collective activism through social media: The role of collective efficacy.” New Media & Society 17.6 (2015): 899-918.
Vittrup, Brigitte, et al. “Parental perceptions of the role of media and technology in their young children’s lives.” Journal of Early Childhood Research 14.1 (2016): 43-54.
Zolkepli, Izzal Asnira, and Yusniza Kamarulzaman. “Social media adoption: The role of media needs and innovation characteristics.” Computers in Human Behavior 43 (2015): 189-209.