Mass Media and Its Influence in Shaping Ideas Essay

Dramatic advances in mass communication and transportation during the past 50 years have truly created a global village; a mass society. Things occurring anywhere are now quickly known everywhere. Mass media both overwhelm us with information and help us to sort it out. The development of mass media has had a great influence on our lives. We have come to depend on it for information and so forth. In doing so, we allowed it to affect important aspects of our lives. Media, why is it has been a hot topic of discussion in our nowadays society? We find that in our country, Malaysia, the mass media plays a very crucial role in influencing and changing the thinking of our current society. Taking this one issue as an example; the issue that has been a viral recently, which is Public Resurrection Rally or also known as Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat. Apart of being famously spread through media in internet such as online news and videos, surely the main mass media including television, radio and newspaper also made a wide coverage on this issue no matter they are supporting it or not. However, for sure when they differ in their goals and interests, hence the way they report about the issues also differ. This different ways of reporting thus causes varying acceptance in society. Quoting one finding by Shanto Iyengar in his book entitle ‘Is Anyone Responsible? ’ while he was doing an evaluation on the effects brought by news on television concerning political issues, he found that the carriage of the issue through the news on the TV has developed an understanding of the general public towards the political problems occurred. Meaning to say here, it could be the media who the one creating the issue permitted, or it could be media too who provides the solution for it. We cannot deny the enormity of the power and influence of the media in shaping the flow of thinking of our society. When there is only one issue raised by the media, then the issue will also be followed by the society either through their leisure or through serious discussion, through their words, as well as through their status shared on Facebook or Twitter. And that’s why, Iyenger again mentioned together with his friend; Donald Kinder in ‘News That Matters’, â€Å"when television news focuses on a problem, the public’s priorities are altered, and altered again as television news moves on to something new. † Sometimes, the issue raised is only one. However, different ways of putting up the stories may cause different way of viewpoint. It may be that with dealing on an issue will make people have a good look toward one party or side. Meanwhile, it can also be that with another way of handling an issue may causes people to have bad sentiment at one side. Mass media, if they are honest, thus the true way of thinking can be mould among the society. Conversely, if they deviate and go off from the principle they should be, then so goes the pattern of thinking that will exist in the community. Thinking of how great is the influence of media in determining the current mindset of society; media thus should be honest and trustworthy in carrying any issue or theme into the community. Seeing the reality of nowadays media, it is not easy for them to stand as a natural institution or unequivocal to any party. When the media were in favour of any party, then the way they play with an issue or problem will always favour to the side they support. Sometimes, mistakes and glares made by the side supported no matter how big would it be are usually hidden or removed by creating offense related to the other side which have different ideology or schools of thought. Any media if it is used for the benefit of one party, surely it will be a mouthpiece of the party. Hence, all reports, news, issues taken will surely favour them. Media should act as a tool to educate the community. Media plays an important role in developing the mindset of society, whether to form a good and clean mindset or the other way around. Media should not be exploited to manipulate people to have the wrong way of thinking. The effect will lead to duping of the society itself.