KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN: HYDERABAD REGION
OPEN TEXT-BASED ASSESSMENT MATERIAL FOR CLASS VII (Social Science)
Theme1: MEDIA AND ITS INFLUENCE
Media has served as a boon to mankind. It has provided us with an exposure to the world outside our cozy homes. It has resulted in an exchange of views on a variety of subjects of a wide variety of people from all around the world, thereby leading to a global exchange of information and knowledge. Mass media has given each of us a platform to voice our opinions on all sorts of social and political issues and share information with one another. It has brought out easy ways of communication and provided us with easily accessible means to reach out to people in various parts of the world. Thanks to technological development, we have been able to obtain a platform that enables us to present ourselves to the rest of the world. The negative influences of media that are a result of an overexposure to it, are most often talked about. It is true to a certain extent that media has affected the society in a negative manner. But, undoubtedly, media has proved being a bliss.
The media like television, radio and the Internet increase an overall awareness of the masses. They enhance the general knowledge by providing us with information from all over the world. News broadcast through different media helps us know about the day-to-day events in the world. News, tele-films and documentaries revolving around social issues increase a social awareness in children and develop their concern towards society.
Newspapers, apart from updating us with the latest news and new information, also contribute to the enhancement of our vocabulary. Newspapers are the best beginners in developing reading habits in children. Through the print media, they provide the general public with a platform to give updates about their parts of the city, exchange their views over different issues that the society faces and share their thoughts on a larger scale.
Media serve as the best means for a speedy spread of news about important incidents or events taking place. What has happened in the remotest corner of the world can reach us within minutes, thanks to media. The speed that technology has achieved is helpful in times of crisis when media is to be used for reporting news needing immediate attention.
Research has revealed that media is responsible for influencing a major part of our daily life. Media contribute to a transformation in the cultural and social values of the masses. Media can bring about a change in the attitudes and beliefs of the common man. The persuasive nature of the content presented over media influences the thoughts and behavior of the general public. Media has a direct impact over the lifestyle of society.
The recent advent of blogging in the media world and practices like public polls and citizen journalism, have led to the achievement of a social control. These concepts have strengthened the relationship between the media and the common man. They have brought the general masses closer to their society.
Media has brought about a major transformation in the way people think. Media has given them an excellent platform to present themselves before the world and contribute in their own way to the changing world scenario. Media has been responsible for making the world a smaller place to live.
The media affects people's perspective. Too much intervention of media in everything is a matter of concern. Media can be considered as "watch dog" of political democracy. Through the ages, the emphasis of media on news has camouflaged. Media these days, tries to eye the news, which could help them to sell the information that is gathered worldwide, so that they could pave a way of success and fame of their respective channels. Fm radios, newspapers, information found on net and television are the mass Medias that serve to reduce the communication gap between the audience, viewers and the media world. For the sake of publicity and selling, important figures, their lifestyles are usually targeted. Unimportant and irrelevant news, that usually have no importance are given priority and due to a reason or the other, they get onto the minds of the viewers and in this ways many a times, important political, economical and sociological news get neglected and gradually, lose their importance!
No doubt, media has played significant role in making world a global village and to reduce the communication gaps amongst the people living in the far areas but unfortunately, media these days has become a COMMERCIALIZED SECTOR, eying the news which are hot and good at selling. The goal is to gain the television rating points.
If the media identifies its responsibility and work sincerely and honestly, then it can serve as a great force in building the nation.
1