Mass Media Effects
Have you ever given any serious thought to the mass media? How it influences your life and the lives of those around? Or have you ever wondered how the media has the power to some of the things that it does? Many people do not give these questions any thought or much less even care. The field of Mass Media is one of large speculation. Full of scholars who have strongly opposing views of the effectiveness the mass media has.Technically mass media refers to the instruments by which mass communication is achieved (mass communication being the transfer of messages, information, texts, and the like from a sender of some kind, often a person in some large media organization, to a mass audience). These instruments may be classified as print (newspapers, books, magazines, billboards, newsletters), electronic (radio, television, computers, CD-ROM, Internet), and photographic (photographs, film, video)It is the media that decides what is conveyed in the form of news to the people. This gives them great power over our lives and the decisions we make. Since there are so many different events going on in the world, the media deciphers what it thinks will interest its consumers. The media tends to do this with a bia
s though. Individuals and private institutions primarily own mass media in America, not the government. Which includes large corporations, who are shoving their way into the media field more and more. In a study done by Ben Bagdikian, it is shown that fifty corporations owned half or more of the mass media outlets, and the number of owners continues to shrink.1) This study was reported in 1985, so obviously these numbers have changed a great deal, especially with all the great merges of companies over last few years. Today there is over 4,000 magazines, 1,500 daily newspapers (not including weekly publishings), the availability of close to 500 television channels, and the ever-expanding cyberworld. These numbers of media outlets allow great leeway for companies to expand into the media fields with ease.Corporations become involved in the media for numerous and selfish reasons. Once a corporation owns a media outlet, they have power over what news is transmitted through it. Major corporate leaders have the ability to promote their own products or actions. This also plays true to their own political interests. The ownership of the media gives them a form of control over the politicians. This ownership also allows them to sell airtime to which ever they choose. Even though there are laws meant to keep the use of media fair and in the public's best interest, one must wonder if these lenient laws are being followed to the fullest degree. The handful of media owners all share similar interests and agendas. I find it hard to believe that these few business tycoons are more interested in what is best for the public over what is on their own personal agenda.How the media effects one can depend on their political standings. For instance a popular democrat may criticize the media for being to flashy and concentrating more on entertaining viewers rather than informing them. An elite democrat may worry that the media tears down morals and defies the established authority of the elite's.No matter how one sees the media, Americans still rely on the media for information. This has not always been the case. Where politics are concerned, before radio and television were popular, Americans depended on such things as their church, families, political parties, and on actual campaigning for political information and directioning. Anymore political campaigns rely largely on the media for gaining familiarity, confidence, and the liking of the voters. Which indefinitel
Some common words found in the essay are:
Ben Bagdikian, Chaim Eyal, Western European, Mass Media, CD-ROM Internet, Bill Mahr, Vietnam War, Communist Party, West German, North Korea, mass media, media control, mass communication, media effects, authoritarian system, soviet union, radio television, system found, communist countries, rely media,
Approximate Word count = 1671
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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