Mass Media

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest influences in our lives today, is the force of mass media. Without this channel of communication, our lives and our civilizations, would be much more backward than where we are today. We definitely have a lot of growing up to do as a race, and mass media is a tool that is supposed to help us achieve the aim of fulfillment.

But unfortunately, the history of mass media also shows us that this is a power that is abusively manipulated many times as well. Negative influences use this as a channel of spreading rotten seeds in the minds of people, and we are unable to do anything about it.

What is Mass Media

Mass media is simply a section of the media that spreads to a large audience simultaneously, through the various types of media. The easiest way to understand what mass media is, is to look at a newspaper. This is a uniform collection of media related information, that is distributed to a large network of people at the same time. Everyone who reads the newspaper gathers the same information, and arrives at their own conclusion from it.

The different types of mass media started off as a means of reporting news to people, and this was what led to the birth of the conventional channels of mass media. Soon enough, these channels spread to a worldwide scale. It is well-known amongst all circles that the conventional channels of mass media are as follows.

• Newspapers
• Television channels
• Radio stations
• Magazines and Publications
• Newsletters

As time and technology progressed, and as the Internet grew, more and more avenues of mass media started arising. The reach of these channels is far more profound and deep, and there are certainly two ways of looking at this accessibility to sensitive information. Some of the new channels of electronic mass media that have taken over our lives today are as follows.

• Blogging
• Social networking websites
• News websites
• Propaganda websites
• Podcasts
• Message boards
• Video sharing

Whether this is a boon or a bane is something that is completely open to anyone's take on it. The purpose for which someone utilizes mass media influence is perhaps the single biggest factor in determining if a certain piece of information is helpful or harmful. More and more mediums of mass media will slowly arise as time goes by, and it is ultimately in our hands to decide how to use these channels.

Pros and Cons of Mass Media

Like every other form of public communication, mass media too is a double edged sword. There are positives to it, and negatives as well, but the truth is that we cannot do without the various mass media effects in our lives today. This is something that we have grown up with, and no matter how much harm it may cause us, we will never let go of this medium. Here are some advantages of mass media that serve as a consolation sometimes.

• The biggest purpose of mass media is to ensure that news and information reaches as many people as possible. This deals with millions of people, so it is the biggest communication channel.
• There are thousands of careers in mass media, and these provide the livelihood of millions of people, which is one of the biggest positive effects of the media.
• The audience is forewarned about certain events and happenings. They are also informed about something that has already occurred.
• It increases the business of millions of companies in the form of marketing and advertising, thus leading to a rise in sales figures, and hence leading to the growth of an economy.
• It serves as a uniting factor when a country, or a state, or a group is being faced with certain hardships.
• It helps spread the message of charity, peace, harmony and other positive factors required to survive as a civilization.

In spite of these advantages, there are many people who knowingly misuse this power and create disharmony in the world. The pros and cons of mass media is something that can be debated endlessly, but the truth is that they both plan an essential role in our lives. Here are some disadvantages of the mass media.

• This is an effective way of spreading discord and hatred. Other forms of propaganda too can be easily spread this way.
• It can grant one individual, or a group of individuals, too much power over the information that is communicated.
• It sometimes leads to a blatant intrusion of an individuals privacy, which is one of the biggest negative influences of media.
• It leads to the exaggeration of certain events, for the sole purpose of making more money. This is something known as sensationalism.
• Any piece of information or news can be manipulated to make the recipient believe something false.
• Misleading influences are a major worry for most families, and their actions are shown to one and all through the mass media.
• The information that is generated is at the mercy of the bias of the person reporting it, so there is very little chance of it being a neutral opinion. The various types and reasons of media bias are stated here.
• People can sometimes misinterpret news, and this can lead to a variety of problems.

The role played by mass media in a changing world is highly crucial, and it is the responsibility of the runners of these channels to ensure that the right information reaches people, in a timely manner. Certain pieces of information should not be channeled through the mass media, and these people should certainly not manipulate these channels for their selfish benefits. In light of this, media censorship pros and cons is something that we must keep in mind at all times.

With the help of the mass media we can take many progressive steps, and it is our duty to ensure that this power is not abused in any way. When our time is up, we should look back at the channels of mass media and congratulate it, and not deride it.