Effects of Mass Media Worksheet
Write brief 250-to 300-word answers to each of the following:
Questions
Answers
What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century?
During the 20th century the first major form of mass media was the radio. The radio was cheaper than telephones and allowed everyone that had one to listen to the same program simultaneously. Radio also made it possible for advertisers to reach a wide audience to sell their products, this contributed to the Great Depression. The consumers overwhelming purchases resulted in the production of surplus products and when the depression stated the demand for products did also. The 20th century also produced the television, which became the top form of mass media. There were three major networks that controlled most of the news programs, live events, and sitcoms that were aired. Some people argued that television was influencing American culture about what normal life really looked like. However, television made it possible for people to watch important issues all over the world at a certain time, unlike newspaper and magazines that could be bought and read anytime. In the 1980s and 1990s cable television came along, which offered viewers more channels and different programs to choose from such as, people that were interested in sports, cooking, and movies each had a channel to watch only that. In the late 1990s the invention of the digital recorder made it possible and more convenient for people to record their favorite television shows and watch them at a later time. The two major developments of mass media changed the way people think and the way they live their lives today and made it possible for new technology.
How did each development influence american culture?
The radio changed American culture by being able to broadcast news, live events, music and advertisements to every household that owned a radio, instead of just