Effects of Media in the Society - Essay Example

Effects of media in the societyMedia is regarded to be one of the main developmental pillars in this current generation. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, there have been rapid growth in mass media, and since then, there have been questions on the effects of media to the society. After the First World War, media was for political campaigns as it had direct impact on the voters. It was thought that media could help the political aspirants communicate to millions of people and sell their policies. Media could then be used to entertain and pass important information or news to the society. Currently, media as evolved to an extent that the society will never be complete without it. Despite the good roles media plays in the society, could it have some negative impacts? Access to media has improved due to increased media platforms in the society. Currently, there are over a million media platforms ranging from the internet, news papers, TV and radio broadcasting stations among others. Starting with the positive impacts, Media has really opened the current generation eyes. Media has enabled us be aware of our rights. From historical perspective, in the 1850s, the rich could take advantage of the poor’s ignorant and make them toil in the fields for longer hours then pay them peasants. During such era, only the rich could access the media and know what is happening around the world. However, this came to a stop when the media came in place and enabled even the poor to know their rights. Currently, media has like the people’s advocate for instance, there have been cases where the rich wish to deprive the poor of their land among other possessions but the media will capture the story and make it a public domain and poor will always win. We have seen media covering live court hearings to keep the society or public on light. This means that the responsible professional will do the right thing as the whole public is under their watch and this has greatly improved the judiciary. Increased access to media has enabled increased revenue to the government and this has stabilized the local and international economy (Slaughter, 34). When some one buys a television set or a radio, there is a tax that goes to both the federal and national government. Through the taxes, the state could have good roads, public schools and health care facilities among others. Furthermore, the media houses or companies also pay some taxes to the government which could be channeled to development. Furthermore, media has created a huge pool of employment to both the locals and professionals from foreign nations. However, increase access to media has also created some negative impacts to the society. Media is believed to contribute to diseases like obesity and high blood pressure among others (Wortham, 104). Currently, one can simply know everything happening in both the local and international vicinity. This is unlike during the 17th century when people were forced to commute to certain destinations to be addressed by the local leaders on the current happenings in the society. People could exercise and shed some weight in the process of moving to such destinations. Our forefathers had a reduced access to media, if anything, they had none since one had to put some good efforts to pass or receive information. The efforts included walking long distances and this was thought to be healthy. The situation has changed in this current generation. At least every home stead has a television set or radio, both in developed and developing nations and this means there is no need of moving around to seek information. That kind of lifestyle is likely to contribute to obesity. Despite all the negatives attributed to media, one would still say it is a good thing in the society. Media plays million roles in the current generation lives. It has impacted education in greater ways. Through the television and radio adverts one can easily choose the best learning institution suited to him or her. Media simply brings education home or to our comfort. Talk of virtual learning or online learning. One would simply log in to respective accounts and get educated without necessarily commuting to the actual or traditional class rooms. Media has played great roles in current generations’ health care. A radio or TV broadcasting station can discuss a certain disease and later inform the public on both preventive and curative measures. For instance, there is no media channel that has not tackled the issue of HIV-Aids virus (Marotz, 45). The public are very well informed about the disease, courtesy of the online blogs, websites, newspapers, radio and television broadcasting stations among others. Still on our health care, the media is always ken to learn of a new disease breakout and advice the public on the rights steps, of course after consulting the relevant authorities or professionals. Media has enhanced the governance in this current generation. Media is the ordinary peoples watch dog. The media ensures the government resources and used in the right legal and ethical manner. We have seen political and top government officials alleged of any corruption being interviewed or investigated as the media ensures the public is not kept in the dark (Mcguire, 50). Majority of corrupt deals both in the local and national government would go unnoticed if the media was blind was deaf. The nation should thank the constitution a great deal for protecting the media even as it pokes the very eyes of the top influential men and women in the society (Brook). There have been scenarios where some governmental officials resign on hearing the media has learnt their dirty deals. It would be embarrassing or even unethical to cling in the office yet the public have learnt of unpleasant, courtesy of the media. Media offers entertainment to the society. One can catch his or her favorite movies, comedies and documentaries among other media elements on the local and international TV broadcasting channels. Media has evolved a great deal that everyone’s choice is considered. Media has remained a constant friend to the sports lunatics as it ensure every detail reaches them, this ranges from the sport news, rumors, transfers, live matches coverage, results and fixtures among other features. Media act as a bridge between the sport fans and the actual sporting venue, for instance, someone in Africa can comfortable catch his favorite match played in Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford among other avenues (Wickham, 324). Furthermore media informs the public on the latest updates in the entertainment companies like new music releases, new movies and series among others. Media has played great roles in companies and business marketing, which in turn contribute to stable economy. Both local and international company contracts various media companies to pass relevant information with regard to their operations, new products and offers to the public. Such information is meant to attract more customers and retain the existing ones and increase the companies’ revenue (Underhill, 321). The public too benefit from the adverts as they get to learn the new and most effective products or services in the market. Marketing researches indicate that a good advert would enable the consumers walk into the local stores knowing exactly what they want and this reduces chances of impulse buying or being shopaholic (Wilkins, 79). A marketing study conducted in both UK and central part of Africa indicated that both the developed and developing nations had same response to the adverts. People who were keen on adverts ever bought the best products while those who did not fumbled in the markets and majority admitted of buying unnecessary products or even not purchasing anything at all. From the adverts, one can learn of foreign products or services and such information would be helpful when they visit such destinations. From the same research, one African praised the advert of Dubai Emirates being helpful when he once visited the country. He further applauded the documentary dubbed ‘Dubai super airway’ which made her learn the basic procedures expected in the facility. It could have been rough if he had no single clue how the Dubai super airport operates. Media tend to have sort of power to the society. The media is addictive and this means that it presents us a certain comfort or contentment that we feel incomplete without the media. For instance, the fans of the latest soap operas admit that they cannot do without the programs. Various media researches more so in developing continents reveal that majority of people leave their workplaces to watch their favorite games, attend their favorite shows and watch their favorite series soap operas. This culture cuts to both women and men and it has adverse effects on the economy. Media also tend to make majority sycophants and this is common in the political arena. Majority of people control the minds of the public through the media platforms. There have been cases where the politicians control the minds of his or her followers by simply uttering some lies or unproven facts to convince the subjects. The subjects may not bother to inquire more and instead believe on the voices heard from the televisions or radios among other media platforms. Such people become nothing but sycophants as they can never think for themselves. This issue is also common in the religion arena where some famous religious leaders spread wrong information for their public interests. People have joined wrong and evil cults for following the advices or lifestyle of some famous personalities in the media. Media has contributed to conflicts and even wars when it passes wrong and provoking information to the parties involved. Researches on post election violence in war prone areas like Africa indicate that media plays role in 89% of such wars (Jean, 311). Sycophancy powers are controlled by the influential people like the politicians, religious leaders and celebrities among others. They do anything to ensure they use the media to earn respect and favor from the public. The power of addiction is a result of the public lifestyle and general perceptions. We tend to pay much attention to the media because of several reasons. First, it our main sources of information, no one want to remain uninformed. For instance we tend to be updated on the governance, sports, national structures, new appointments, new fashion, new movies and songs among others. Secondly, we ever surrounded by media to an extent that we have no choice but to remain attentive. The TVs and radios are all over, from our residential structures, offices, trains and buses among others. To conclude, increase access of media has both negative and positive impacts in this current generation. It has also come with some powers like the addictions and sycophancy among others. These powers are controlled by the influential people in the society who take advantage of the media platforms to control the minds of the public. Despite all the media limitations or disadvantages, it still remains the public ‘eye’. Works cited Brooke, Michael. Screen Online, (2003–07), online, ‘The Newson Report’. October 17, 2007 Jean, Claus. Media ethics and accountability system. New Jersey: Transaction publishing,2000. Print. Marotz, Laura. Health, Safety and Nutrition for the young child. USA: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Mcguire, Jean. Understanding psycology and crime:Perspective on theory and action. New York: Open university press.2004.print Slaughter, Slayer. Academic capitalism and new economy. London: JHU press.2004.print. Underhill, Paco. Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping--Updated and Revised for the Internet, the Global Consumer, and Beyond. New York, U.S: Simon & Schuster, 2008. Print. Wilkins, Leen. Handbook of media ethics. USA: Taylor & Francis, 2009. Print. Wickham, Paul. Understanding television texts, London: BFI Publishing, 2009. Print. Wortham, Samsons. Assesment in early childhood education (6th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc,2012.print Read More