Development of the Study of Mass Media and Communication - Report Example

Development of the Study of Mass Media and Communication Development of the Study of Mass Media and Communication Communication and the mode in which message passes through have developed in the Last twenty first century due to the influence of modern technology. The Passing of message from one person to another via a define object stimulate the intellectual mind in respect to the twenty first century. This paper seeks explain how communication and media have changed in the last century through various theoretical approaches (Harcup 2009). The first approach is the Marxism perspective. Its main argument is that there two opposing forces in the society. These forces can be reconciled by process called mediation. The struggle between the laborer and capitalist, it is labor that can be used to reconcile the two parties. The laborers have to use the efforts to overthrow the capitalists. The ideas of capitalist control other sectors in the economy because they control means of production. The two opposing forces are cultural and material realms. In media studies and communication the central mediating factor is the medium of communication. The medium is the main object of reconciliation because the information can be manipulated through the medium of transfer. In oral communication the person is the media and can convey right or wrong message depending on his understanding of the concept and interpretation (Marx & Frederick 2005). In the last century there is a shift from oral to print medium which include books, magazine and journal. The main factor is the author and his ability to think and write down the ideas. The third aspect of is the use of modern electronic such as website ,facebook ,twitter and internet .The information is given through the electronic machines such as television and computer. The shift into electronic radically alters the way has performed and operates. In the interaction with the media in s given culture affects the way the members of that community mediate between the material world and the values. Even though the new values and are introduces by the new media the old system still prevail regardless s of the reconciliation. The development is slow because the change in not complete. Besides, Communication and media development involves the use of symbols and their meanings. Cultural studies aspects seek to understand how meanings are derived and used in every day life. Cultural practices comprise the way people live and do things and the meaning they derive from them. In any given social set up and practice people use various objects which they attach different meaning. The medium for transferring the information in the modern world include: television, internet, radio and theatre films. Different channels are used to disseminate the meaning of objects to different parts in the world (Barry 2002). Globalization of the world cultures has created harmony in giving meaning to different terms used and can now be used without difficulty because of the similar meaning attributed to the terms used by different communities in the world. Communication in the modern world has become globalizes and different cultures give similar meaning to objects hence communication and the use of media have been enhanced. Despite the similar meaning to objects some cultures still stick to their old system of meaning narrowing down the communication process on the modern economy (McLuhan 2000). In addition, the feminism perspective understands communication development as the incorporation of women in the publishing arts. The contributions of women have been neglected in the past century and negative portrayed subversive character in films. The use of language is dominated by masculinity and in the religion women are not considered as compared to men. The women community through media is advocating for equal opportunity to disregard gender inequality and gender bias. Women publication are recognized and used in various institutions. The voice of women is considered different arenas as compared to in past error (Deleuze 2004). On the contrast this idea is not much embraced and women to some extent are the chance to participate in various arenas as politics and technological development. The modern technology embraces the use of similar languages that favors women fraternity The fourth perspective is structuralism approach to communication and development of media. It argues that human culture must be understood in its relationship to the larger structures in every context. Human culture is considered as a subculture of the whole society and can best be explained in relation to the larger context. The use of language by readers and writers in communication process is determined by the institution they are attached to. Transferring information through the channel of communication is determined the by larger social context in which the individual operates. The action of the individuals is strongly influenced by the environmental context in which they operate. The operation is determined by external forces which overcome the human intelligence. The ability to express ideas is determined by the overruling ideology in the environment determines by the powerful forces beyond individuals. Both print and electronic media used in the modern world has contributed in structuralism. The oral presentation has been replaced by electronic which can reach much audience in short span of time (Cohen 2008). The individual’s ideas and thought are expressed and disseminated to many parts of the world. This school of thought is over dominated by historicity of the fact that structural forces overcome the individual’s ability to act independently on their own .Some individuals disobey the larger structures. Moreover, sub cultural theory in modern society in which depends mostly on electronic media. The electronic media such as television and internet expose an individual to groups that affect their values contrary to the societies’ expectation. This theory argues that certain groups in the society have values which are conducive to criminal and violent activities. This has primarily influence juvenile delinquency in which the teenage transit to habitual criminality. The theorists believe that if this pattern can be controlled the offending pattern culture of criminal can be eradicated in the long run (Lorimer & Scannell 2007). The use of internet in communication give the teens an opportunity to interact with these social groups which affect their behavior .The use of radio as a media create awareness about such groups in the modern world has reduced the impacts in the society. The youth have learnt to comply with the forces of employment and unemployment in different economic circumstances by resisting the dominant values of the society. The substitution of print media with electronic has increased the rate at which the youth conform the groups such as the gang groups and other criminal groups in the society. This group only influence a small fraction of the society and it ca be contained by the forces in our reach (Hassan 2011). Lastly, postmodern approach to communication and media development express a complex and advanced form of communication in which the producers of the information are the consumers. Social media in the postmodern society has to greater extent deconstructed the traditional channels of media and human communication and introduced the modern type in which truth is not a single idea. The truth is assembled and constructed from many elements and components. The possible sources in which the truth can be gathered from include: sciences, theories and studies, created by the society and individual; cultural mechanism. The constellation of facts which are scientifically proved is considered to be the truth. The set of ideas that explain the existence of a phenomenon considered as truth. Both the community and individuals also can assemble facts to be considered as the truth. The truths gathered from these sources are disseminated and are universally accepted. Social media has broken down communication into simpler forms that is easy to understand. Any communication whether announcement, story, personal statement can be managed through this process. Social media has empowered everyone to contribute to the news by dividing the media into parts (Lorimer & Scannell 2007). The same standard has been set, there is no refined or popular, high and low culture instead every idea is online and can be viewed the public. Social media has embrace contradiction, ambiguity and fusion of masses which are the major principles of the post modern economy. Through social media nature has been completely torn apart where individual have power than the society. The individuals’ contribution is considered superior than the society. It is farther argued that modern social networks deconstruct human interaction (Blanchard 2008). The destruction of human interaction breaks down the conventional form of communication and personal conversation. This has been expressed in the use of facebook and twitter in industries in the world. The developments of social media in the post modern error negatively influence the society and encourage the spirit of individualism and egocentrism. Self centeredness and individual concern s weakens the culture of the community which is the major identity (Craig 2008). The ideas must be refined to have a common uniting factor that is shared by everybody to create common understanding. The social networks are necessary for the society to grow. Breaking the ties is a clear sign of the society disintegrating into parts that cannot be reunited. The clear difference between the consumer and originator of the information is critical and should not be considered at the same level. This is due to different levels of civilization in the world. Bibliography Barry, P. 2002, Structuralism, Beginning theory: an introduction to literary and cultural theory, Manchester University Press, Manchester, Blanchard, MA 2008, History of the mass media in the United States: an encyclopedia Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, New York. Cohen, P. 2008, Sub-cultural Conflict and Working Class Community. Working Papers in Cultural Studies. No.2. Birmingham: University of Birmingham. Craig, WJ 2008, "God is Not Dead Yet". Christianity Today. Retrieved 30 April 2014 Deleuze, G 2004, "How Do We Recognize Structuralism?" In Desert Islands and Other Texts 1953-1974. Trans. David Lapoujade. Ed. Hassan, I 2011, The Postmodern Turn, Essays in Postmodern Theory and Culture, Ohio University Press, Ohio. Harcup, T 2009, Journalism: Principles and Practice, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California. Lorimer, R & Scannell, P 2007, Mass communications: a comparative introduction, Manchester University Press, Manchester. Marx, K & Frederick, E. 2005, The German Ideology. International Publishers, New York. McLuhan, M. 2000, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. MIT Press, Cambridge. Read More