The impact of media on society
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The impact of media on society

The impact of media can also be realized with the changes witnessed in the education system. Gone are the days of conventional schooling as more and more online education services are being made available

Post by on Wednesday, August 18, 2021

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With the emergence of new media platforms in the present digital age, almost every aspect of life has changed. There has been a complete shift in the way people communicate, interact and perform other daily activities. Some of the superfast technologies have further increased the pace of life and people are finding it difficult to go slow. With a video call to friend or family member who is thousands of miles away, the distance has been literally reduced and the concept of global village has been reinforced.
With new media, the message also has become important as social and behavioural changes are sought with specially crafted messages. Different studies either carried out to assess the impact of media on lifestyle changes or impact of violence projected by media have confirmed their efficacy. Today, from election campaigns to building brand images, the impact of advertising and new media cannot be ignored. Whether it is a multinational corporation or a small business unit in the locality, new media has a variety of sophisticated tools to target the audience.
The impact of media can also be realized with the changes witnessed in the education system. Gone are the days of conventional schooling as more and more online education services are being made available. People now learn almost everything on tutorial and video sites, be it cooking a new dish or fixing a machine at home. It is because of this reason that we see a long list of self-taught professionals in different fields today. They are at par and even better than their contemporaries who learn in conventional schools. So once again the impact of new media manifests as bringing a visible change in the society.
Time, laws and people are subjected to change. The only thing that remains constant is the change itself. There are many factors responsible for bringing about the changes in people and society at large. However, in the last 50 or more years, the most important factor as well as the agent of change has been the media. Media has played a pivotal role in transforming the outlook of the society, sometimes the changes being cover and yet at other times quite noticeable.
Media enriches our lives and without the rich experiences provided by media, life would be dull and quaint. A century ago, society was more conservative. Emphasis was on traditions, customs and even superstitions, which covered the daily events. People lived in cloistered societies. However, all this had to change and in just fifty years the global society witnessed so many changes that it was hard to believe the evolution. Media was the central force that changed trends and all aspects of human lives. People were more open to ideas and visions, and many new bold ideologies became acceptable. The effects of media started becoming visible.
In the last fifty years changes brought by media were even remarkable. Media also has evolved into a dynamic force, which is even capable of bringing revolutions in modern states and societies. It has completely changed perspectives of people. The impacts of media is witnessed by every institution – whether it is government, democracies, general administration, fashion, food habits, cultures, etc.,  everything has been transformed. So it is no wonder that media and social change are interrelated. The effects of media on society have been both positive as well as detrimental.
Media has helped in busting superstitions and myths. Also, contemporary media has dispersed knowledge and information widely. People have become more aware about their environment, about issues and about other people.  For a common man, media offers many tools to analyse problems, find solutions and highlight plight of the people.
At the same time media also has negative effects on society. Wrong portrayal, sensual content, glorified events, too much focus on false trials, stereotyping, etc., have a bad effect on our society. However, it all depends on what people expect and the way they consume the media content. In virtual world our actions are as much ours and human as in real world, which can be a boon or a bane. While interacting in the new space we can share our views, express ourselves and communicate with others. 
At the same time, we can hurt others by acting irresponsibly. In real world human interactions happen to be more controlled by proximity and presence. In a hall where people have difference in opinions very few awkward and embarrassing situations happen when someone without any constraint would try to hurt someone else. But in virtual world, devoid of human presence, people often write first and think later. These situations put lives of many in jeopardy as judgments traverse the medium, with more profiles and humans representing them.  Generally, we buy whatever media sells, which is not right. It is up to us whether we use media to bring about a positive social change or a bane unto ourselves.
 
(Author is a Teacher and Freelancer. He can be mailed at: abamin0037@gmail.com)