Media plays a significant role in our society today. It is
all around us, from the shows we watch on television, the music we listen to on
the radio, to the books and magazines we read each day. Television more so that
any of the other medias achieves a myriad of different goals. These goals range
from entertaining to educating. Various confines of education and entertainment
are depicted in television.
For the most part the television is found to be very
entertaining. People watch television shows they enjoy and find entertaining.
Television is often looked at as a babysitter for children. The viewing of
television can entertain the young and old alike for great amounts of time.
Along with entertaining, the media is used to inform society. Days are often
started by the listening of the news on the morning television, judging the
latest updates on the local traffic jams. Days are often concluded with the watching
of the late night news on television, keeping us informed of the world and the
events occurring around us. Steven Stark, author of Glued to the Set has been
quoted as saying, "the local newscast has replaced the network news and
the newspaper alike as the average American's main source of news.”
In addition to informing the television is used to spread a
message or to campaign. Political candidates on all levels use this medium to
inform the public of their views and hopefully to convince the public to elect
them.
James B. Twitchwill author of Adcult USA: The Triumph of
Advertising in American Culture states,"The culture we live in is carried
on the back of advertising.”(405) Television is used to inform, entertain and
campaign and most significantly, it is used for advertising. In fact,
television is so centered on advertising and these advertisers play such large
sums money to advertise that advertising has taken over.
Media refers to mass media such as broadcast media, print
media and the web media. Television and radio are considered broadcast media
while newspapers, magazines and journals are known as print media and internet
news, the web media. The media is an important source of information through
its news segments, entertainment and allows for exchange of ideas, suggestions
and comments.
Consumers nowadays have a variety of media outlets compared
to a few decades ago. The advent of the Internet and services provided through
it, has enabled many of us to gain access to instant and a variety of news and
entertainment. In fact, the presence of Internet also has led to creativity
among the young consumers with the latter setting up personal websites, blogs
and others. It has inadvertently led many students to take advantage of the
prevalence of information by copying and plagiarizing writings from the
internet news. While the internet has been hailed as the most important
advances humankind has made in the 20th century, it is nevertheless open to
abuse and exploitation that presents danger to humans.
However, although most of us get our news through the media
as many of us have little time to read books or journals, the news presented to
us can be biased and one sided. During the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the
United States and its allies, casualty figures of their military personnel were
highlighted and hardly any news on the figures for Iraqi civilians and its
military personnel. News reported on websites appears more reliable and
transparent though one has to be careful about the accuracy of the facts
reported. the media news too can misrepresent information to serve the
objectives of certain people or authorities in power.
In many Asian nations, there are limits to press freedom.
Although the media is allowed to present news and its views as well as
perspectives, it is barred from providing news that can potentially create
unrest and violence. The government has instituted the Official Secrets Act and
Internal security act that allows it to detain anybody including those working
in the media for inciting racial or religious violence. However, there is still
a degree of freedom in these countries' press compared to other more
conservative countries. we have access to news from all around the world and
readers are invited to send their views and contributions to be published in
the media.
The media is not only an important source of news and
opinions but also entertainment. Most young people usually turn on the
television for movies, MTV and other entertainment programs. the adults
however, prefer news and more educational programs.
Thus, the media plays an important role in our lives as we
cannot envisage a life without the daily reporting of national, regional and
international news. It would be like returning to the Stone Ages. However,
consumers must ensure the news reported in the media is accurate and not
one-sided by looking at its contents critically and voicing their views on
certain issues.
Media has continuously pervaded and defined society and has
advanced with technology. The traditional forms of media propagation including
television, newspapers, posters and mail remain as efficient as before the
introduction of newer methods. Email, websites, e-zines and social online media
have replaced expensive media production such as magazines and photographic
paper.
Media imparts and shapes society’s opinion on the subjects
of politics, business, culture and sports. It reflects on the freedom of speech
and freedom of expression within a country. The positive aspects of free media
far outweigh the negative effects that may occur. In the case of internet based
media, control is difficult. Control of the Internet has however been imposed
in China.
Media has the ability to bring relief to disaster prone
areas while at the same time it may be responsible for nurturing prejudice
against certain regions. For example, the perception that Africa is an
extremely underdeveloped region although it is actually bustling with
megacities. In the world of social media, gossip columns have the potential to
ruin lives of individuals or boost their popularity. Advertising through modern
media has led to the rise of fortune 500 companies.
It has been argued that media has resulted in a generation
of couch potatoes who rarely engage in outdoor activities. It has become rarer
to find someone who has good handwriting since typing is now the preferred
skill. Conversely, media has brought about a positive sense of globalization
and has been a good base for education. Children of today learn languages
faster thanks to media. They may however be exposed to rated content which
overall chews on the moral fiber of society. Checks and balances therefore have
to be better enforced to protect little eyes and ears.
Conventional media speaks volumes when it comes to
sustainability and reduction of the carbon footprint. People have to print less
and travel less when information is promptly and conveniently availed at their
doorstep, mailbox, inbox, television or blog. Though media is ubiquitous, it
has created a demand for sensational coverage. Certain issues that headline
today would not have been considered newsworthy a century ago. Hype is created,
privacy is infringed on and reality is altered regularly in contemporary media.
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