Media in the 21st Century

Media - Enrichment Task what value do we as a society place on the evolving face of media in the 21st century?

In this day and age, media is everywhere. It is on our televisions, in our car radios, on our phones and in our ears. Media and the new way it is distributed has placed a new value on media that was never there before.

Media has such a great hold on society. Most people couldn’t function without their daily fix. They constantly need to be plugged in and alongside the instantaneous news that is broadcast every minute. As society evolves and people become smarter and wiser, technological advancements begin to hugely effect our lives. New phones, computers, TVs, laptops, digital radios and tablets are being created and sold every week! These new devices are a way of promptly sending media widespread. Within minutes of an earthquake in Mexico, people in Japan are seeing it on their iPads, people in Australia are watching coverage on their news and people of Denmark are listening to it on their radios! This new way of spreading news and stories is amazing everybody and has been a contributing factor to the rise in value that society places on media.

The new value that has been placed on media has had some benefits but it has also had some major disadvantages. Media is now becoming a source to base our morals, beliefs, vices and virtues. Gone are the days when families would go to churches or have discussions to find out the right and wrongs of life. People are now switching on their radios and listening to their favourite talkback station or tuning into A Current Affair to find a ground for their beliefs and morals. Our moral compasses are now being guided by somebody else’s agenda. This is becoming a very serious issue as media is becoming less objective and more subjective.

Opinions are now commonplace in media reports and primary sources are becoming ‘less relevant’. Where the public are aware or not, stories and articles are no longer just the blatant facts. Journalists and editors are now finding ways to weave in their own views, therefore effecting the way a story is perceived.

The rise of media is also having a huge effect on families! Gone are the days when families would sit down at the dinner table to eat and talk about what is going on in each others lives. Families are now rarely eating together, with most families eating at different times or in different rooms whilst on laptops or making conference calls. This desire to stay ‘connected’ is resulting in loosing connections with those who really should matter most.

Facebook; I believe it to now be one of humanities most valued treasures. Look at its shares on the stock market! Facebook was one of the leaders in generating the new value society places on media. Advertisements, links to websites and the ability to freely share and speak your mind are all opportunities that have been contributing factors that have hugely impacted the way we live today. Looking back, would have anyone guessed that owning a piece of a social networking site be valuable? I don’t think so!

Media Sources are highly overvalued! People feel as if they could not live without being connected and linked in, therefore handing over all control of they way they live to the dictators and head honchos of the media. Back 20, even 10 years ago, the only forms of media were through the newspaper, radio or TV. The influx of media outlets has come at such an overwhelming rate that many people have been left dazed and confused. Others have been swept away, caught up in the buzz, leaving their former selves behind.

The rise of, social in particular, media has caused many, many people to become FOMOS (Fear Of Missing Out). They need to be constantly updating, reading and retweeting so they can be ahead of the kerb and in on all of the news spreading around our networks. This condition/way of life is very stressful and can make ones head spin around. Constantly being worried that you may miss a piece of news, or gossip, that will be a major talking point around Sydney, Australia or even then world could make anyone loose a few marbles. Finding out about the news hours after everybody else is just not good enough!

Media now also offers everyone a voice. Anyone is able to tweet, update a status, write a blog post or watch and share a video and photos. They can instantly share their thoughts and opinions on any topic at any time of the day. Although this could be a good thing, it can also can be very bad. These little ‘blurts’ can be used as hurtful stabs directed at any one particular person or group. They can be detrimental and undesirable; someone’s anger and hate for someone or something can be sent widespread. If these words come from a well-known source, these thoughts can become public ‘opinion‘ and provoke anger and hatred from everyone towards the writer’s original target. The writer could have been wrong in the first place, but now that it has spread, there is no stopping talk and gossip.

The new value that has been placed on media is extreme. As it changes, becomes more accessible and viewable society is forced to change. If measures aren’t taken to help mould the way we read, use and perceive the media, the media will become the only source for life itself.