Mass Media Why are we so concerned about media impact Abhilasha Kumari

Mass Media Students of mass communication will often ask what is the need to study mass communication academically? Students of mass communication will often ask what is the need to study mass communication academically?

Mass Media The emphasis on communication asserts, people and societies are not confined to relations of power, property and production alone. The emphasis on communication asserts, people and societies are not confined to relations of power, property and production alone. Their relationship is also describing, learning, persuading and exchanging experiences and are equally fundamental. Their relationship is also describing, learning, persuading and exchanging experiences and are equally fundamental.

Mass Media Today media is all pervasive. Today media is all pervasive. It is a vital resource of information It is a vital resource of information It is a key industry – source of employment and economic profit. It is a key industry – source of employment and economic profit. It is a platform for major social, political and economic debates. It is a platform for major social, political and economic debates. It is a main source of entertainment. It is a main source of entertainment.

Mass Media But primary reason for social concern stems from a perception of the power of the media for good or evil But primary reason for social concern stems from a perception of the power of the media for good or evil Media is seen as: Media is seen as: The cause of all evil The cause of all evil Or Or As a great savior that can deliver us from all evil As a great savior that can deliver us from all evil

Mass Media Media is a great savior when it: Media is a great savior when it: Provides necessary information for the functioning of democracy Provides necessary information for the functioning of democracy Political, social and economic decision making Political, social and economic decision making It provides ‘healthy’ entertainment It provides ‘healthy’ entertainment

Mass Media Is a means of cultural expression Is a means of cultural expression Source of construction and negotiation of images of contemporary reality Source of construction and negotiation of images of contemporary reality

Mass Media Media is seen as evil when it: Media is seen as evil when it: Promotes obscenity and vulgarity Promotes obscenity and vulgarity Encourages violence and disrupts social order Encourages violence and disrupts social order Is frivolous, trivial with low aesthetic and moral value Is frivolous, trivial with low aesthetic and moral value Employs unethical practices and does not conform to accepted social norms Employs unethical practices and does not conform to accepted social norms Does not fulfill its social responsibility Does not fulfill its social responsibility

Mass Media These effects may be short-term or long term. These effects may be short-term or long term. They may be latent or manifest They may be latent or manifest They strong or weak They strong or weak They may be immediate or delayed and cumulative over a period of time They may be immediate or delayed and cumulative over a period of time They me be simple and direct or manifest itself in many complicated ways They me be simple and direct or manifest itself in many complicated ways

Mass Media Those who see media as a savior or as a source of all evil see media as a tool. Those who see media as a savior or as a source of all evil see media as a tool. Something which can be used or manipulated at will Something which can be used or manipulated at will However, both assume that media can do what it likes with its audiences However, both assume that media can do what it likes with its audiences But can they? This is an important question But can they? This is an important question

Mass Media While early experience with media specially during the World War II, made media scholars assume that mass media had enormous effects on society While early experience with media specially during the World War II, made media scholars assume that mass media had enormous effects on society But later researchers denied any such direct ‘cause –effect relationship But later researchers denied any such direct ‘cause –effect relationship

Mass Media They underlined: They underlined: Individual differences Individual differences Personal influences Personal influences On the transmission, acceptance and retention of mass media messages On the transmission, acceptance and retention of mass media messages

Communication Theory But the issue was never really resolved and research still attempts to grapple with the central concern of the impact of mass media But the issue was never really resolved and research still attempts to grapple with the central concern of the impact of mass media

Mass Media Media research followed these central concerns of society Media research followed these central concerns of society This also resulted in funding of certain kinds of research which addressed the dominant fears of society This also resulted in funding of certain kinds of research which addressed the dominant fears of society

Mass Media Why are we afraid of the media? Why are we afraid of the media? Moral panics about the exposure to obscenity, sex and violence. Moral panics about the exposure to obscenity, sex and violence. Fear or threat to national sovereignty/interest Fear or threat to national sovereignty/interest Fear or threat to national culture Fear or threat to national culture And how media represents different groups of people And how media represents different groups of people

Mass Media These public anxieties raised by ‘concerned groups’ from time to time have been the driving force for research questions These public anxieties raised by ‘concerned groups’ from time to time have been the driving force for research questions There has also been a growing concern about the dominance of commercial interests in the media There has also been a growing concern about the dominance of commercial interests in the media And the impact of consumerism And the impact of consumerism

Mass Media The fact that most people spend many hours with one or the other media rather than doing something else is an impact The fact that most people spend many hours with one or the other media rather than doing something else is an impact The fact that media are the major source of information about the world The fact that media are the major source of information about the world Play a critical role in the socialization process of children Play a critical role in the socialization process of children And life style aspirations among adults And life style aspirations among adults

Mass Media Provides symbolic fodder for personal and national identities It may not tell us what to think but it does tell us what to think about It sets agendas and prioritizes the world telling us what is more important and what is not Many images we carry in our head do not belong to the real world

Mass Media They are media images…… They are media images…… About countries and people we have not seen About countries and people we have not seen Situations we have not faced Situations we have not faced About issues we have not thought about About issues we have not thought about So media is important socially, culturally politically and economically So media is important socially, culturally politically and economically And influence our lives in complex ways And influence our lives in complex ways