Introduction
The media is a fundamental characteristic of human existence and significantly impacts society. Due to the great extent of relatedness that occurs globally, the relevance of the press is broadening by the day. As a result, each individual must become mindful of the media’s domination. This enables people to assess all of the information they acquire frequently. Furthermore, it is essential to remember that the press communicates and offers its viewpoint on every event that occurs. It is the responsibility of the general population to assess the information they are given and generate their own opinions. This essay aims to analyze the importance of mass media in providing information and entertaining the general public.
Second Best Argument
Entertainment Role of Mass Media
For example, the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star keep citizens informed on the everyday activities of their favorite superstars. People utilize technology daily to watch sporting events, go to theaters, play video games, view YouTube clips, and play music. The majority of public communication entertains as well as informs. People resort to media in their spare time to escape monotony and the routine of their daily lives. Individuals depend on the media to transport them to locations they could not otherwise afford to see or imagine, educate them about culture, and make them laugh, contemplate, or lament (Brym, 2020). Through the material they consume, entertainment can have the additional function of providing friendship and closure.
The Internet has many applications and poses both opportunities and constraints. Blogs and podcasts can incorporate news, songs, pre-recorded audio, videos, and mobile phones, which can be employed for breaking news and short entertainment segments like comedy, astrology, notifications, games, songs, and commercials, are examples. Since cutting-edge gadgets like the Xbox and PlayStation expanded their use, video games have progressed into a mainstream form of media. Every day, thousands of newspapers are printed and sold at newsstands. Many people subscribe to two or more newspapers since most newspapers provide news, in-depth pieces on domestic and international issues, and sporting events.
Transmission Role of Mass Media
The mass media are essential broadcasters of cultural information and substantially influence society. The messages acknowledged by various customers, how they are received, and whether or not they are used vary extensively. Furthermore, cultures with conflicting messages are more prone to unintentionally support unorthodox paths to socially valued goals. For the most part, television shows portray the environment in which they are broadcasting and assist individuals to understand their cultural legacy. Youngsters’ television shows are designed to model positive conduct and moral ideals for children to learn (Taras, 2019). The media informs the public about what is deemed acceptable behavior. On the other hand, cultural transmission evolves as what was formerly forbidden can become the standard when a large number of individuals accept it and the media reports on it.
Mass Media in Mobilization of The Public
Mass media contributes significantly to mobilizing the general population during periods of crisis. The recent disasters in the world include environmental pollution, the COVID-19 pandemic, racial discrimination, and the war between Russia and Ukraine. The press can play a crucial role in mobilizing the public against situations that catalyze crises. In Canada, the mass media is an essential tool in environmental education, and it may even be thought of as a kind of school. Canadians are educated on activities to engage in that would protect the environment (Hansen, 2018). Mass communication rallies the public across the globe to plant trees and adopt various ways of preserving the environment.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the mass media had the function of marshaling individuals on protective ways of minimizing the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization used media outlets to spread information on the deadly virus and advise citizens to take serious caution. People were mobilized to wash their hands thoroughly, observe social distancing and stay at home to counter the spread of COVID-19 (Poirier et al., 2021). Media coverage of the murder of George Floyd mobilized individuals worldwide to join the movement against racial discrimination. The war between Ukraine and Russia has affected the livelihoods of many people in the region. Mass media mobilizes well-wishers to provide monetary support to citizens in the affected regions.
Best Argument
Surveillance Role of Mass Media
Surveillance refers to the monitoring of a wide range of critical social issues. The principal task of mass media is to act as the ears and eyes of individuals who are searching for information. Environmental surveillance is a more complicated way of explaining that one of mass media’s responsibilities is to notify people about what is going on across the world and dispatch that information. Television, the Internet, and newspapers are the primary sources of information on whatever is happening in a person’s immediate environment (Taras, 2019). For news and analysis about daily life, society depends on mass communication as it broadcasts the weather, current events, entertainment news, and even sports start times.
The press establishes content depending on whatever they want to communicate to the public or fancy the audience desires to consume. The popularity of specific media material, like a television show, depends on how long it lasts. That involves if a musical talent program is a success and makes a lot of income, it will be accompanied by a myriad of other shows. As a result, many persons will desire to participate in these exercises, and they will serve as an encouragement to those who pursue to be famous. A new paradigm has developed where engaging in a broadcast talent competition is the fastest method to become an instant celebrity.
Mass Media in Education
Due to technological advancements in scholarly communication, education may now be transferred to far-flung locations without being hindered by geography. Individuals worldwide can profit from a lecture given in Canada, as it saves them money, effort, and time. With the advancement of technology, education may now be delivered in real-time over a computer display from far away locations (Brym, 2020). The mass media has shrunk the planet and brought people closer together. Education should be universal, and the media has dramatically aided in bridging that gap, and it is now within everyone’s reach and is improving the globe.
Information can be stored in mass media and retrieved from any place. It is literally at our fingertips, saving us a great deal of time and effort. As a result, it is a vital tool in the education field. Physical constriction was one of the primary drawbacks before the advent of mass media, but this is no longer the case (Brym, 2020). For the better, mass media has shortened distances and made the country smaller. For example, it is no longer required to be physically available at a location to obtain knowledge. Previously, the information medium was disorganized. Information is being delivered in a much more organized and sophisticated manner through mass media. Furthermore, the accuracy of the content being disseminated may be easily verified.
Mass Media in Democracy
Thanks to the media, political parties can now contact a considerable population and enlighten them on important matters ranging from legislation to campaigns. In theory, media must be considered a facilitator for democracy; having better-educated citizens would contribute to a more respectable government. As the fourth estate, the press serves as democracy watchdogs, and their diversity and independence are indications of a society’s democratic health. For example, the mainstream press is responsible for reporting political news to inform the public accurately, yet those messages may serve a dual function, making journalists’ jobs more difficult (Hackett & Zhao, 2019). The liberty of all individuals to be sufficiently informed on matters of public interest is protected by press freedom, independence, and pluralism of information.
The target of media advancement in promoting democratic progressions must be to move the mainstream press away from being directed or even openly managed by government or private corporations. The press should be more transparent and have journalistic sovereignty that serves the general populace’s involvement (Taras, 2019). For the press to play a significant function in a democracy, it should build a wide variety of reasonable means and voices and construct and enhance a sector that supports them. Citizens can get the material they require to make informed verdicts and partake in society through credible sources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mass media and communication have played essential roles in entertainment and in addressing various societal issues. Providing education, surveillance, and entertainment are some functions of mass media in everyday life. Moreover, the press is crucial in maintaining democracy, mobilization, and transmission of cultural information to citizens. The roles of media messages are not only necessary but also relevant. Due to the internet, the responsibilities are being magnified, paving the way for advancement and expanding their importance in society.
References
Brym, R. (2020). New Society (Canadian) (9th ed.). Nelson Thompson Learning.
Hackett, R. A., & Zhao, Y. Sustaining democracy. The University of Toronto Press. Web.
Hansen, A. (2018). Environment, media and communication (2nd ed.). Routledge. Web.
Poirier, W., Ouellet, C., Rancourt, M., Bechard, J., & Dufresne, Y. (2020). (Un)Covering the COVID-19 pandemic: A framing analysis of the crisis in Canada. Canadian Journal of Political Science, 53(2), 365-371. Web.
Taras, D. (2019). Power and betrayal in the Canadian media. The University of Toronto Press.