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Mass Media as Moulder and Reflection of Society

Mass media is a potent tool. Through it, there has been a transference of culture throughout the world. There have been many effects of globalization, and without a doubt, mass media has played a crucial influence in enabling it. This can be seen through the transfer of culture throughout the world and imparting behaviors through the information relayed (Mehraj, Bhat, and Mehraj). As such, mass media plays a major role in molding society. However, the media is also a mirror of values and behaviors that exist in society.

Media sells reality in the form of cinema. The rise of TV has been witnessed in the last three decades. Throughout this period, the world’s population has been entertained by top-rated TV. Whereas many people get enthused by science fiction, most people are attracted by TV shows that they can relate to. As such, the TV shows that reflect society’s happenings are highly appreciated by audiences throughout the world. As such, the happenings in society have often dictated the trends exhibited on TV shows.  Many have, however, blamed media is the propagation of propaganda as key in influencing society. For instance, the media was at the forefront of spreading propaganda during WWII. Through media, Adolf Hitler was exhibited as a superior human being, an image that influenced both his followers and foes and critics. Conversely, many shows were developed to portray the kind of dictatorship that characterized the man’s rule. For instance, Charles Chaplin’s movie, The Great Dictator, though a comedy, reflected the kind of rule that Hitler exercised. Another example is the type of content that was aired by media after the 9/11 US bombing. The event shook the country, and many people worldwide were alive of the threats of terrorism across the world. The majority of the content in the aftermath of the event reflected the fear harbored by people worldwide.

People’s short attention span is best mirrored in media coverage. With each passing day, there is an increase in the number of information people have to deal with hence their narrowing attention span (The Guardian). The world’s capitalist nature has kept people on toes that they can hardly afford to focus on one thing for too long. The ‘rat race’ that is our current society consists of people that are devoid of patience. This has largely dictated the mass media. The current mass media is always in a rush to report the news but cannot sustain one subject for too long as after a few days; it is considered stale. A good example of this is the news coverage about the Syrian refugees’ conflict widely broadcasted throughout global media (Magana). Whereas media houses focused on the refugees’ journey and struggle in the first days, the focus shifted to other news a couple of days before the same refugees could settle in their new location. Another example regards the Russia-Ukraine conflict that hit the headlines only as long as it provided TV ratings. Only very few media houses continued airing about the issue despite the conflict ensuing further. Perhaps, the same way the society is in a capitalism-induced rat-race is the same way the media is only concerned with airing information that affords its ratings and consequent profits.

Media raises awareness by mirroring what happens in society. Through the media, society gets to know about world happenings that would have escaped their attention. This is on top of bridging the gap between the people and their respective governments. Through the media, people’s lens is widened for them to recognize justice and injustice and policies and politically-instigated processes (The Nation). As such, the media equips people with information fetched from within the society for the same society to consume, reflect, and respond to it. Without the media, this would not be possible. “Without media, we are literally a frog in the well” (The Nation 1). Mass media’s role does not involve making a judgment on behalf of people. Its role is to mirror what happens in society without bias and let society make its own judgments and decisions.

Mass media is often a portrayal of societal expectations. Whereas the media reflects on what is on the ground, this might not always be the reality. The degree to which mass media is perceived to be part of society varies (McQuail). Firstly there is the materialistic perspective based on the Marxist theories regarding media. According to this view, the media’s representation of society is dependent on the dominant culture. The reality reflected by the mass media is per the societal, economic, and power structures. There is also the idealistic view regarding the media as the main architects of society since it has great influence. The other approach is the interdependent approach that sees media and society as consistently interacting and impacting each other. This, therefore, means that whatever the media portrays is a true reflection of how society is structured. For instance, media in dictatorial regimes will often sing to the rulers’ tune and hardly report what is considered to be contrary to the power holders. Conversely, in mature democracies, the media will exhibit autonomy in its role of being unbiased informers. Through mass media actions, one can be able to judge the kind of society, how it is structured, and how people relate.

In conclusion, mass media is instrumental in shaping society by the transference of culture and imparting various values and behaviors through its content. However, mass media also sells reality through cinema and also portrays societal expectations. Additionally, the short news life is also a reflection of society’s short attention span. In this sense, media content is tailored to people’s nature and preferences. Lastly, mass media content mirrors what society expects. For this reason, one can establish the kind of society by looking at the mass media content.

Works Cited

Magana, Noe. “Media is a reflection of society.” The City College Times 2 February 2016. https://sjcctimes.com/10584/opinion/media-is-a-reflection-of-society/.

McQuail, D. McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. London: Sage, 2005. Print.

Mehraj, Hakim Khalid, Akhtar Neyaz Bhat and Hakeem Rameez Mehraj. “Impacts OF Media on Society: A Sociological Perspective.” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (2014): 56-64. http://www.ijhssi.org/papers/v3(6)/Version-4/L0364056064.pdf.

The Gurdian. “Global attention span is narrowing and trends dont last as long, study reveals.” The Gurdian 16 April 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/16/got-a-minute-global-attention-span-is-narrowing-study-reveals.

The Nation. “Media: A Mirror of Society.” The Nation 12 December 2010. https://nation.com.pk/12-Dec-2010/media-a-mirror-of-society.