the influence of the media over the peo
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA OVER THE PEOPLE
Within a social structure, there are many factors that influence how individuals view others and themselves. As an example, an individual’s social class, cultural beliefs, and commitment to religion will influence how that person functions within a social structure. While all of these factors and many more control the way we function within society, the most power influence is the media. With the ability to impact our everyday lives, the media determines how people perceive social norms, values, and morals.
Since the media’s influence is not relegated to the television set in the middle of the family room, the ability of it to influence society is far more reaching. Whether it is the morning newspaper, the radio while driving to work, or the weekend trip to the movies, the media influences almost every aspect of our lives. Subsequently, the media demonstrates its influence over social norms and values through its use of violence, the ability to dictate social needs through commercials and advertisements, and establishing unrealistic body imagery. In a single generation, communications technology has turned the planet into one small global village. Within minutes television and radio relay stories across the country and around the world. The same edition of newspapers can be printed simultaneously in cities everywhere and be on the street within hours. And, as we are all aware, the future of the mass media may not be just in the traditional forms of television, radio and newspapers but in the emerging technologies like the Internet that will shape the information highway. The Internet is an informal and rather anarchic network of computer networks spanning the globe. It has given access to the entire world for anyone possessing a computer and a modem. These new technologies and their impact on how we share information will force us to revisit fundamental issues such as freedom of expression and associated
Within a social structure, there are many factors that influence how individuals view others and themselves. As an example, an individual’s social class, cultural beliefs, and commitment to religion will influence how that person functions within a social structure. While all of these factors and many more control the way we function within society, the most power influence is the media. With the ability to impact our everyday lives, the media determines how people perceive social norms, values, and morals.
Since the media’s influence is not relegated to the television set in the middle of the family room, the ability of it to influence society is far more reaching. Whether it is the morning newspaper, the radio while driving to work, or the weekend trip to the movies, the media influences almost every aspect of our lives. Subsequently, the media demonstrates its influence over social norms and values through its use of violence, the ability to dictate social needs through commercials and advertisements, and establishing unrealistic body imagery. In a single generation, communications technology has turned the planet into one small global village. Within minutes television and radio relay stories across the country and around the world. The same edition of newspapers can be printed simultaneously in cities everywhere and be on the street within hours. And, as we are all aware, the future of the mass media may not be just in the traditional forms of television, radio and newspapers but in the emerging technologies like the Internet that will shape the information highway. The Internet is an informal and rather anarchic network of computer networks spanning the globe. It has given access to the entire world for anyone possessing a computer and a modem. These new technologies and their impact on how we share information will force us to revisit fundamental issues such as freedom of expression and associated