Importance of society based on evidence from the media Essay

The media plays a very important part in the modern world. Media is any form or channel of communication that reaches out to large numbers of people. For instance, television, radio, newspapers, magazines and journals which circulate news and entertainment. Recent developments in technology have given rise to more sophisticated forms of media. In a growing society consisting of all age groups and people with different needs and interests, each mode of news would be received according to the individual receiving and understanding capacity. The attitudes and interests of an individual influence what he or she is willing to hear. Society is an entity that embodies a lot of aspects. Every human being has the need to belong to a certain society. No one can live alone and it is the nature of human beings to stay together. No one is an island and the sense of belonging is derived from being part of a society. Each society has its own values and these are respected by the society members. Communication is valued by the members of society because that is the way messages are passed from one person to the other. Given the current state where the world has become a global village, the need to receive and send information has become inevitable. Education and obtaining of new ideas is also seen as integral to the growth of any organization. This is where media comes in . Television offers information in many fields for example news, entertainment and advertising. It gives news on various occurrences and channels like Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, National Geographic, Discovery channel deliver entertainment to children and adults alike and develop learning skills for children. Television in this fast pace technology times is an effective mode of communication for multinational companies to big advertisements in order to increase sales and it is evident that people get motivated by new products. For instance a new flavor of tomato sauce, a new laptop of Acer, or a new Hollywood movie entertainment. Catching a clip of advertisement juggles the memory and motivates consumers to purchase. Radios, magazines and journals also play a huge role in advertising. Especially newspapers because they are more widely spread. Television media is a source of â€Å"All in one† which means, advertisement, entertainment, education and news are available with cable connection or dish antennae. Television is looked upon as a home entertainment box which is why television companies such as Panasonic, LG, Samsung are releasing televisions with wider and flat screens and almost every middle class home has a television to have access to entertainment and news. On one hand, television regulates business stocks, nation index and sensex, product advertisements, sales promotion, education and entertainment for children, access to global news for public and on the other hand, it is difficult to control TV channels that are transmitted. This aspect of media has a negative impact because this means that even little children can have access to unsuitable channels that show programs which are way above their level of mind. For example soap operas that promote infidelity or have explicit content certainly causes harm to young minds. Some programs also show violence and hostility which might poison young minds. In this way the media downplays the society’s attempts to uphold good morals. These negative challenges can only be prevented through certain guidelines and rules of Television and Media regulations which have to be promulgated regionally in every state keeping the view of younger generation. Apart from the above, an awareness about positive and negative impact of television must be brought before civil society, as to what messages should be accepted and messages that are to be unaccepted must be made clear. For instance, emotionally disturbing family serials or violent destructive play shows leave a deep impact on people, whose mindset would begin to change and might lead to another line of negative thinking. A healthy and upright message should be transmitted, which is seldom found in present times. It is the absolute responsibility of parents to guard children from watching any morally deviating channels or programs or better yet the TV stations should issue parental advisories before the beginning of every program. Apart from the television there are other mass media forms that can transmit negative literature. For example magazines and journals that are substandard and publish lies. This can cause uprisings in the society and disrupt the otherwise peaceful environment. Journalists should take great care to write and publish the truth only. The media has a key role in every society and if this position is misused it can work in against the society. The media should always try to work in such a way that they can uphold peace in the society and complement the society’s efforts to maintain peace and morals. According to (Perse 78), media affects how children can be more accepting of violence and anti-social behavior. It can also cultivate social attitudes and stereotypes. Thus media as an entity should be handled carefully. According to (New York Times 20) music is an integral part of the young people’s lives and the rapper Nas’ lyrics with his strong messages would definitely have an effect on the young people. Though media can also help to impart helpful and good morals to a society. For instance there are programs on the radio and television that uphold peace and unity in the community. The newspapers and briefs also produce news items that serve to bring people together. The media sometimes organizes campaigns to spread awareness. For example Youth campaigns against drug abuse, campaigns to create awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote responsible behavior. In this way the media plays an important role in uplifting the morals of the society. This is because the media can generate interest and cause debates or discussions about most social problems. So it is evident that despite the adverse aspects of the media, society cannot survive without it. Society plays a large role in influencing the media because it chooses what to promote in the media. For instance the kind of entertainment provided by media stations are tailor-made and designed to meet the needs of a particular audience. People play a great part in determining what the media shows. â€Å"It is human agency that both maintains and alters social structures. † (Croteau 22). A survey carried out to determine how much people rely on the media for news and advertising information. 8 out of 10 people get their news daily. 2 out of 10 people have subscribed to a magazine or newspaper. 7 out of 10 read or watch advertisements. 8 out of 10 have been interested to buy something they saw in an advertisement. 8 out of 10 say that it is not best to use advertisement to choose a product. Most people get news from the TV 5 out of 10 read only the headlines when they get news on the internet. 50% do not trust the news they get. The above research shows that media does play an integral role in transmitting information to the members of a society. Though half the people do not believe the news they hear, we still have to acknowledge the role the media plays in creating commonness and unity within a society. The positive effect it has on society surpasses the negative attributes. Works Cited Crouteau, David and Haynes, William. Media Society. Industries, Images and Audiences. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. 2000 Fleming, Rockey A. New Rage Music: Do explicit Lyrics Corrupt Moral Values of Children. New York Times 12 January 2003. Perse, Elizabeth M. Media Effects and Society. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2001.