Positive and Negative aspects of Mass Media

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF MASS MEDIA

Mass media consists of the various means by which information reaches large numbers of people, such as television, radio, movies, newspapers, and the Internet. Sociologists study mass media especially to see how it shapes people’s values, beliefs, perceptions, and behaviour. Therefore, the following are the different aspects of positive and negative on mass media –

1. Positive effects of Media (Any two or three)

1. The common man gets the latest news within a fraction of a second. The distance is not at all a barrier now. The news they get through media helps them in their daily life.

2. The media helps common people to exchange information and it acts as a common platform. The public gets knowledge and is awake to raise questions on the news in newspapers and television.

3. The media helps to bring out people’s hidden talents, through which children learn many good things through media.

4. By reading a newspaper, the children learn many things like reading habit increases and their vocabulary enhances by learning new words. Their knowledge increases by watching geographical channels, quiz programs and speeches by famous personalities of different fields.

5. The cartoon channels make the children happy.

6. The games increase their logical thinking power and grasping of things. The attitude, approach and behaviour of the common people will also change when exposed to media.

7. The media conducts polls and let the public take part in social issues. Through blogging on the internet and writing letters to the editor in newspapers, many people voice their opinion on different political and social matters.

2. Negative effects of Media (Any two or three)

1. Some bogus news in the newspaper may raise blood pressure and create negative feelings in the mind.

2. The overexposure to media makes them behave more aggressively, which spoils their future. Children learn about violence by watching movies and television programs. They imitate superheroes they see on the screen, which may cause danger to their life.

3. The children get immense pleasure in playing video games and they spend hours together on a computer and surfing the internet.

4. The fashion shows, dance and music programs attract youngsters very much. They like to spend money on make-up, clothing and jewels on the influence of models and actors.

5. The youngsters wish to participate in these programs, which are unsuitable for many individuals.

6. Middle-aged persons are stuck with soap operas and show much interest in raising social status by wasting money.

The media has brought people all over the world very close. We have to take the positive aspects and use them for better purposes. The media and the public should help drive away the media's negative effects.