The media and its influential effect on the masses have increased exponentially in the past five decades. Initially, the news and media channels were limited to the telegraph. The technological inventions then found many channels to spread the news to the masses such as the radio, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, and now mobile applications as well.
The mass media have become an inseparable part of society and the lives of citizens and that’s why it is necessary to understand the mass media’s influence on people. From economy to entertainment and from politics to beauty, everything is now influenced by mass media.
What is Mass Media Influence?
As per media psychology, the effect of mass media on the actions, manner, and contemplations of individuals and audiences is called mass media influence. This influence can be negative or positive.
The negative effects of mass media on society can lead people towards poverty, crime, nudity, violence, bad mental and physical health disorders, and others as such severe outcomes. For example, mob hitting innocents by getting carried away from the rumors spread on the internet has been common. These unauthorized news headlines are the biggest example of the negative impact of mass media on society. Furthermore, the cases of children killing innocents by acquiring weapons are considered as one of the major negative effects of mass media on children as they usually get carried away by provoking news stories, action movies, and games.
Does it mean the Mass Media only Influence Audiences Negatively?
No, there are also situations where positivity is the result of mass media influence. For example, the people helping each other in the situations of natural disasters encourage humanity and empathy in children and adults, so more volunteers come forward to help the needy ones. Also, the quiz-based games, educational news broadcasts, and similar programs emphasize the positive effects of mass media which increase literacy in the audiences. Also, one of the positive impacts of mass media on society is their right to information. Today’s generation is much more educated and aware of their rights and that helps them gain various personal and professional benefits.
People usually come across different pieces of information via direct or indirect sources, but in any case, the mass media influence is clearly visible in society. From educated to illiterate people are part of this wave and that’s why the responsibilities of the media people and controlling authorities increase. They have to be more careful about the timing and approach of conveying news. The positive or negative effects of mass media can be really crucial in some cases. This is one of the major reasons citizens face situations of news broadcast and internet service ban during some sensitive situations in the city or state.
Being a responsible citizen, make sure you cross verify any news coming across you before spreading that to others as it can create a serious impact on society.