Changes of Mass Media - Coursework Example

Introduction The differences in media are creating a change in how many are creating and viewing the mass media. When looking at the Internet, it can be seen that specific changes have occurred because of the impact of the particular programs that are online. The changes have led to new implications for empires of mass media, specifically because of the alternatives to information that are now available. The dissolving of the mass media is being led into the cottage industries, specifically because of the availability of the Internet. The plurality of legislation as well as the dissolving of mass media, as stated by Negroponte (57), can be seen specifically through the innovations and growth that are a part of the Internet. It can be seen with the emergence of the Internet that mass media is beginning to dissolve to the culture and available communication on the Internet. More importantly, there are implications of the cottage industries overpowering the empires of mass media through new cultures and trends that are a part of the growth of the Internet. Growth and Changes of Mass Media The mass media is one that has been known to occupy the average users time span with information for a given period of time each day. It is noted that most households will use the sources of mass media, including television and the newspaper, as a part of daily routines, specifically to remain updated and knowledgeable about what is occurring in a given region. On average, 40% of one individual’s time is occupied with the media, which consists of 3,499 hours per year. The impact is one which is inclusive of 34% using television, 23% looking at entertainment media, 15% referring to newspapers, 11% using the Internet, 7% referring to books, 5% looking at magazines and 5% listening to broadcast radio. For the US alone, this has created annual revenue of $454 billion, as shown in 2006. It has also been noted that the 1930s was inclusive of mass media through one source, such as the radio or TV. However, the emergence of the Internet and wireless mass media has altered it to where most users are expected to look at a variety of sources for the type of information which they are most interested in (Biagi, 6). While the trends point to the information and communication of media being readily available, it is more important to note that almost every household is more interested in receiving different forms of information and entertainment as a main proponent of their daily life, specifically because of the cultural implications of remaining updated to what is occurring around the world. The alterations in sources for mass media, while creating a sense of different types of knowledge through two main sources, is now beginning to change the trends because of the amount of information which is available to users. The emergence of the Internet has begun to change the driving forces in media and has developed a specific relationship to the media. It is noted that the several sources for mass media have created online portals to display the same information and to provide more frequent updates. However, this is becoming challenged with alternative media that is available, including an emergence of Internet media programs, TV networks that are outside of the main stream and different areas in which individuals can investigate through either trends or by looking at what is available through online sources. Most now expect to spend some amount of time not only with relevant sources from TV, but also refer to the Internet to further examine the topics that are also available through traditional sources (Nguyen, 17). The changes which are occurring with both mass media and the Internet are creating several movements in retrieving both information and entertainment. This is dependent on demographics, expectations and the way in which the Internet is emerging into different households. There are several factors that are attributing to how one looks at cottage industries and the ability to gather information from these sites. This is dependent on the understanding of how to retrieve information as well as what the trends are surrounding those that are interested in gathering the information. The Internet is able to work only to those who are interested in user friendly information while the empire of mass media continues to operate for those who have continued to depend on specific and reliable sources as a part of the main culture in which they have been introduced to. While there is a gap that is a part of the Internet and the mass media, there is also a strong impact of several turning toward the Internet for information and to look at different angles that are outside of the mass media and popular culture. Changes from the Internet There are several ways that the Internet has been able to create cottage industries that are able to question the mainstream media and the empires which have been built. The emergence of the Internet has allowed for different branches of media to be available, all which can move into in-depth sources as well as options that are available for those who are interested in investigating different options. More important, it has allowed for the mass media to be challenged with the information which is available through the alternative media sources that are available. For example, the use of documentaries and alternative media provide sources to users that are interested in in-depth information and which challenge the way that the news is relayed to individuals. As more individuals become aware of the different sources as well as the challenges that are a part of the media are also questions of how to alter this with the possibilities for information that is available. The division between mass media and the cottage industries on the Internet has led to changes and developments in economic, political and sociological factors. The economic changes are based on the free use of the Internet as well as the ability to produce information at low to no costs to allow others to see information that is alternative to the mass media empires. The political questions also allow individuals to have a main space to express different viewpoints and to provide in – depth concepts that are available in various regions. By doing this, there is the ability to create a different understanding of the political leadership and what is occurring within the various regions. Often, this isn’t covered by main stream media, which allows the Internet to be used more frequently to look at the in – depth information that is available. The sociological factors are the mot important part of this specific divide. This impacts and allows the Internet to evolve from a different level and provides an increase in developing a sense of communication between individuals. Newer components, such as social groups and areas, as well as trends that are most important to groups of individuals, are able to easily create an impact that is outside of mass media and which processes information at a different level that the mass media is unable to provide to users. These sociological trends that are available with information on the Internet then provide a loss in the mass media value while creating different levels of impact with the Internet (Guillen, Suarez, 681). The Culture of Cottage Industries The main challenges to the empires of mass media that are occurring through the Internet are coming directly from the sociological and cultural impacts that are a part of the media. The mass media is one which was directly influenced by an emergence of culture which expected to have information available through the TV, newspaper and radio stations. As this evolved, more individuals became interested in information and available news as well as through entertainment and alternative media. This created a form of culture that quickly began to occupy the number of individuals who placed this as a part of their lifestyle within the region. This was followed by specific components which were linked to the need to find more sources of information. When the Internet began to create a specific emergence, many individuals began to emerge into an alternative culture with the available resources. Today, community links, social interactions, trends on the Internet and the continuous access to new information coming out at different times of the day are able to create a superstructure of culture that is based on the cultural groups. The result is the ability to have an alternative culture and media function that is essential to everyday life (Durham, Kellner, 3). The change with culture that is occurring on the Internet is not only creating an emergence of different media that is available. More important, there is an awareness through different cultures that are beginning to be created because of the social communities that are a part of the Internet. An example of this comes from the noticed changes in demographical groups, such as younger generations that are taking part in the Internet. For instance, it has been found that age groups between the ages of 14-22 have a larger amount of awareness about politics and the emerging civic activities that follow, specifically because of Internet communication. The result is directly impacting how several look at politics as well as the participation levels that are occurring because of the awareness. While this is occurring through several cottage type industries, it is beginning to alter both information and awareness and is also forming a component known as the mass age. This is allowing cultures to form by the understood information, not only from the mass media, but also from the different resources which are directly being used through Internet sources (Kenski, Romer, 52). Another aspect that is related to the Internet and the participation is coming from the expected trends with how much one uses the Internet and their relationship to this. The TV and newspaper were directed by how much the different sources of information or entertainment were available to those that were interested in the various sources. However, the cottage industries on the Internet have dynamic websites that can continuously update information and provide different programs at various times. Users are able to freely investigate the Internet while continuously receiving the necessary information. Through current studies (Song et al, 384), it has been found that there are many who have developed a sense of Internet addiction, which allows users to continuously investigate for information. This naturally leads to individuals connecting to different trends, looking into information at various levels and creating cultures that interact with the information online. The virtual community that is developed then creates a sense of gratification through the different dimensions that are considered, all which allow the smaller communities to continue to form and provide different types of activities for individuals interested in information. For the empires of mass media that have limited and restrained time frames, are also time limits in being able to create the proper structure for those interested in the continuous information and activities (Song et al, 384). The cultural influence has not only altered because of the ability to have continuous access to communities and information, but also is building in influence because of the personal relationships that are built from the Internet. There are several who are using emerging technologies to change the way in which they are communicating with others. The different dimensions that are added onto the culture of the Internet are leading to several turning toward these sources, as opposed to the mass media, to take advantage not only of information and entertainment, but also to build different relationships that are associated with the Internet. The result is that the interpersonal communication, ability to interact, formation of opinions and components that are a part of the technologies are able to create a different culture and way of looking at the mass media (Boase, 15). Implications for Mass Media The different implications that have been placed by the Internet are creating several implications for both the traditional empires of mass media as well as the emergence of the Internet. The main change is a building of communication and power that is available in one area, as well as the need to change the communication and power that is a part of the mass media. There are several that are working into network societies to find different forms of communication and to begin working with networks, communities and culture in a different manner. This missing element in the mass media is creating new challenges that are beginning to force change in how those involved in the media are communicating as well as what information is available for those that are interested in specific topics or forms of entertainment. Concepts such as mainstream politics, corporate media and different forms of traditional communication are now changing with the emerging powers that are challenging how mass media works and what is communicated to different viewers (Castells, 238). The implications with communication are not only creating different forms of working with viewers through the Internet and challenging mainstream media. Other implications are also beginning to arise that are associated with the Internet as well as the empires of media. As more information becomes available through alternative media and sources, are several who are questioning the ethics and the legitimacy of the mass media. There are several that are now beginning to believe that the mass media is unethical because of the lack of information available, chosen stories and the approach to communication which is used. Changes that are implied are now incorporating what needs to be communicated, which pieces of information should be included and what should be considered as ethical in terms of coverage. Different legalities, such as considering payment for different news programs as illegal, are now beginning to form because of the exposure of different pieces of information and the quality of knowledge which is desired from different programs (Biagi, 224). Other implications that are beginning to arise from the knowledge which is offered are based on the displacement effects of the Internet. The traditional mass media was able to create empires because there was a central time and location where specific pieces of information were displayed. This was followed by different components which were available through the mass media, such as coverage of specific types of news or expected programs for entertainment. The Internet has displaced these different efforts with real time updates, continuous access to information and the ability to retrieve past information that is a part of the Internet. The displacement effects of the Internet are changing the concept of medium centric focuses, such as using the TV as a reliable source for information to user centric approaches. The user centric approach implies that the more in which one is able to access different forms of information and entertainment, the more they will remain aware while noting the debates and consistencies with the information available. The awareness then becomes reliant on one’s ability to access information as well as what is available through several types of functions. For the mass media to provide the same types of resources there is the need to change to a user centric approach, which provides more information to be available at a given time while creating cottage industries that are able to branch from the main empires to provide alternative information. From this standpoint, the proportion of the information and entertainment that is available from the mass media becomes irrelevant to the main functions and approaches that are available through the Internet (Lee, Leung, 145). Currently, the mass media is able to continue to thrive because of the reliability that is available, which serves a specific portion of the population. However, as trends and cultures continue to emerge on the Internet, are also other implications and questions about the changes which the mass media will be expected to take as well as how this will change the cottage industries. The result is a question of how to communicate differently while leading into different trends and cultural implications that are now leading into the growth of the Internet and the use of information from a different perspective, both which is changing the cultural and legal implications of how communication is used among various individuals. Conclusion The plurality that is a part of the empires of mass media have, in the past, created a specific and central force that has provided information and entertainment. However, the trends with newer generations moving toward the Internet are implying that different changes and forces area part of the information and entertainment available. The increase in use in the Internet, continuous social trends that are implied and the immersing parts of the Internet are creating changes in how the focus of information is changing. As information becomes available to those who are interested in community, culture, information and social trends, is the ability for cottage industries to begin emerging beyond the empires of mass media. The impact of the Internet is one which is slowly breaking down the significance of the mass media while creating a different form of communication and culture. The significance of Negroponte’s statement then becomes significant in identifying how the Internet is revolutionizing the approach to mass media. References Biagi, Shirley. Media / Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media. Thomson Wadsworth: New York, 2006. Boase, J. “Personal Relationships: On and Off the Internet.” The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships. Cambridge: London, 2006. Castells, Manuel. “Communication, Power and Counter – Power in the Network Society.” International Journal of Communication1 (2007). Durham, Meenakshi, Douglas Kellner. Media and Cultural Studies: Keyworks. John Wiley: New York, 2006. Guillen, Mauro, Sandra Suarez. “Explaining the Global Digital Divide: Economic, Political and Sociological Drivers of Cross – National Internet Use.” Social Forces 84 (2), 2005. Kenski, K, D Romer. “America’s Youth and Community Engagement: How Use of Mass Media Is Related to Civic Activity and Political Awareness in 14-22 Year Olds.” Communication Research 5 (2), 2006. Lee, Paul, Louis Leung. “Assessing the Displacement Effects of the Internet.” Telematics and Informatics. 25 (3), 2008. Nguyen, A. “The Complementary Relationship between the Internet and Traditional Mass Media: The Case of Online News and Information.” Information Research 7 (2), 2006. Song, Indeok, Robert Larose, Matthew Eastin, Carolyn Lin. “Internet Gratifications and Internet Addiction: On the Uses and Abuses of New Media.” CyberPsychology and Behavior 7 (4), 2004. Read More