Mass media denotes a section of the media specifically designed to target a large audience or market. Its any medium used to transmit mass information. It consists of either broadcast media for example the television and the radio as well as print media which may consist of books, magazines and newspapers. The internet is the latest addition to the group. However, its definition cannot be clear cut because of the emergence of the new upcoming digital communication technology every now and then. For ages media has been a key source for knowing what is happening all around us. We live in a society that relies on information for our mere existence. Our society relies on the media to access the latest news and facts on the happenings worldwide. This way, we are well equipped to handle whatever issues that may arise on our day to day endeavors. Information empowers us and acts as a bridge between our private lives and the world outside. People often think that mass media is basically news oriented but on the contrary it may also be in the form of entertainment for example in movie films as well as educational in the case where mass media is offered in public broadcasting stations which provide educational programming to a national audience. We have put our trust so much on the media as the key source of news, entertainment and education that we tend to overlook the immense effect it has on our kids, teenagers and society as a whole yet the media plays one of the greatest roles in shaping our children (Gorman & McLean 78).
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Violence has so far been the greatest result of mass media. The television has so far been proved to be the most influential and available means of accessing information. Television can be a powerful entertainment and education tool for children given the right programming; however it can also have very negative effects. We are constantly exposed to scenes dominated by images exuding violence, sexual immorality and much more. It’s a known fact that children nowadays spend ass much time with television, internet and other media daily as they do in the classroom. Media is a major socializing force and we can’t look at childhood in this current century without looking at the media. we are constantly being bombarded by advertisements ,opinion, images and stories which appear to be forcing us to conform to a specific image of how we are supposed to be and behave and as we watch our kids knowingly or unknowingly are also watching and tend to copy what they see. Children absorb what surrounds them making them easy targets for manipulation and victimization of the media hence by the time they reach adulthood they are already under its influence. The media promotes violence and immorality when they award them by massive coverage of violence and immorality stricken areas. The media doesn’t force these traits on the children but rather it sets the standard of what
Is considered normal and tolerable in our society. in the media violence is considered normal as can be proved by the content of action cartoons, sports and sitcoms raising the question whether violence and immorality are the norm to our youth who look up to the media for a sense of direction in shaping their lives. the medias portrayal of violence has led to the obsession of producing violent films, video games and cartoons that has mislead our kids into believing that violence is a key part of society and when the kids get into fights at school they see nothing wrong with their actions, hence as a result violence is a key factor in the youth culture today and has resulted in an increase in criminal activities since the youth are blinded by the imagery they are viewing resulting in them mimicking what they see displayed and emphasized by the media.
A culture of immorality has also cropped up. This has eroded the virtues we were brought up living in accordance with. A business of immorality has evolved and developed into one of the biggest entertainment success the industry is yet to witness. Here, the internet plays the greater role since it is the ultimate form of full information access among it the most pervert content. Sex has dominated the internet and sometimes children often without their parents or guardians knowledge gain access to such information hence arousing their curiosity. As far as televisions go, most countries have bans that limit television channels in what they present to their audience hence forcing them to scan their programmes for explicit content or clearly stating the age limit before turn on the from television without finding a programme with sexual undertones, moreover, magazines are filled with photos, stories and features that promote immorality in the use who find nothing wrong in wanting to imitate what their favorite celebrities are doing. In their bid to role play and fit into the set standard most youngsters end up indulging in sexual activities before they are mature enough to understand the consequences of their actions (Bachus & Glover 234).
Foul vulgar language and poor attitude have not been spared either and has developed at an alarming rate. Children from as young as when they learn to speak are exposed to vulgar language mostly from what they hear in the media. The use of vulgar language is on the rise in entertainment, television programmes and social conversations. This language is mostly hostile, disrespectful not to forget embarrassing yet the young people see nothing wrong in using this foul language since the media makes it look okay and normal. Children have also developed poor attitude from watching movies and they tend to copy what they see the movie stars they adore do. This results in them offending others unknowingly since they are under the notion that that language is proper otherwise it wouldn’t have been aired for them to see.
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The media provides contrasting options and our greatest challenge is to choose wisely what to listen to and watch surprisingly, opposite from its negative side mass media offers much that is productive and resourceful to us. The hardest thing is deciding and choosing what is good and what is not. Our moral values should not be jeopardized because we have acquired new technology. We cannot shield our children and loved ones from all the explicit content they are likely to encounter in their daily routines on the media, but we can at least try talking to them and showing them the difference between the right and the wrong. its our responsibility to prepare our children psychologically for the digital world we have created and teach them useful skills to enable them make wise decisions when they are online and finally stop blaming the media for the mistakes our children make.
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