MASS MEDIA AND SOCIETY

MEDIA
The word media comes from the
plural of the Latin word medium and
it is used as a collective noun refer to
Television, Radio, Newspaper,
Magazines, Films, The international
network etc.
The media can be examined either in
terms of broadcast media or print
media.
 A medium is described as hot, a high
definition of channel of
communication, such as print or
radio, which focuses on SINGLE
SENSORY RECEPTOR.
It is cool meaning a low definition
channel of communication, such as
television, which stimulates SEVERAL
DIFFERENT SENSES and requires
HIGH SENSORY INVOLVEMENT.
 The word media has a wide connotation.
It aims at educating masses and creating
a socially conscious nation, through its
various facets such as newspaper,
books, radio, Tv, internet etc. Hence, It
plays a pivotal role in transforming the
society.
Today media has become the most
authentic source of information for
people. It helps in bringing considerable
changes in the existing laws as per the
prevailing social conditions, by
 Playing the role of intermediary
between the government and the
mass.
Although Media In the recent past
has left a wrong impression on
people by following some unethical
practices communication like
sensationalism yet it has not lost its
credibility and mass audience is
hungry for information.
 Media has been a platform of debate and discussion
for long time now. It is integral part of social fabric.
In world where information is power, availability of
information and accessibility of media is an
important parameter of development of a society, it is
important to weigh how significantly media is
placed in society.
Traditionally, media is thought to be mirror to the
society. But when it has started playing a more crucial
role in developing the society on the whole and even
sometimes decides the direction of the development.
Significance of mass media
Mass media become the center/
integral part of our lives. It influences
individual as well as the society in
many ways. The individual is in
constant touch with varied social
mediums . This could be the
communication with family
and friends or sharing ones
experience through means of
pictures, words and videos. Another
 Media has become important because it gives
us a sense of belongingness to a space and
the extended world around us. Social
networking sites like face book and twitter
have become so important these days social
mediums like these it also help in creating a
personal identity of an individual.
Media also plays an important role regards to
the way one gathers information. This aspect
has been revolutionized with some major
changes. media has come long way from
gathering large databases and storing it in
journals to the use of internet where all the
information is just one click away.
 Devices such as smart phones have
brought communication right at our
finger touch. One can now share and
upload any piece of information right
with realm of our houses.
According to Denis Mc Quail, the
media are significant because
of the following reasons
They are a power source
they can influence and control the society.
they can also infuse new innovations in it.
they are the primary modes of transmission
as well as the sources of all sets of
information. They produce and disseminate
such information as is needed by most of
the institutions of the social sphere.
 They are a location
Mc Quail points out that, they are an arena,
where many affairs of the public are
executed or handled; he has used both the
context
national and international, while giving the
logic of location.
They are source
the media are a chief source of definitions
and images of social reality. The dynamic
cultures and values of societies are made,
stored and expressed at the place fondly
called media.
 They are the ticket to fame
they make people celebrities due to
their amazing reach and power to
mesmerize the audience. They are
known to have catapulted the paean
to the halls of fame. They have also
earned brickbats for many known
and pious people of the yore, but Mc
Quail has not highlighted this
(negative ) aspect of the media.
 They create benchmarks
the media create what Mc quail calls
public meaning system. This system
defines what is normal in empirical
and evaluative terms. The system of
bench mark also points out the
deviations and makes comparisons in
terms, of public terms of normality.
They are the popular tools for
entertainment
Mc quail has also referred to this
element of significant, although he
has not linked it with the previous
 are the most essential modes of
entertainment now a days. Their
combined power, as entertainers, is
high today because of their
dependence upon the electronic
communication technologies and
gadgets.
 Conclusion
Mass media has become an integral
part of our lives and cannot be
separated from our life. Today the need
for information is more important than
ever. So the media is playing
significant role in making society
educated, informed, and entertained. It
has actually revolutionized the society
in many ways, by catering to masses
and classes same time..