Affects of Mass Media Messages in Society

Effects of Mass Media Messages in Society

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XCOM/225

9/15/2012

Jessica Norman

Effects of Mass Media Messages in Society

In the past, mostly people interacted in groups having face-to- face relationships. Today, they are continuously exposed to messages generated from the center. The history of mass media is comparatively recent. The oldest form is the printing press which was set up first by William Caxton at Westminster in 1476. The first wireless communication was made between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland in 1882, the phonograph was patented in 1877. The first cinema film was made in Paris in 1895.

The development of mass media answered the need to solve some of the national problems, such as, lack of cultural identity, absence of economic policy and so on, and the development of mass media emerged. The need for communicating with the masses and influencing them was necessary to have the impact of the independence. This led to tremendous progress in the fields of print and the broadcast media. Freedom of speech and expression, along with freedom of press, was provided by the Constitution as a fundamental right. Above all, the Constitution also granted freedom of movement, right to profession and property, right to hold meetings and cultural gatherings. All these led to the unabated progress of mass media in the country. With the extending impact of media of mass communication on individuals and groups, society is reacting swiftly. The pervasive effects of the various media on the various spheres of life- economic, social, cultural, intellectual, religious and even moral values are transforming rapidly.

Mass media is capable of creating various kinds of impact on mankind. Media sources play a crucial role in the function and change of any society. A study of social change cannot be done without studying mass media. Therefore, in the present times when technology has brought about changes in the society, mass media studies...