Essay On Media And Media

The relationship between the media and society is regularly changingas media technologies are constantly developing, and its audiences are continuously adapting. ]Therelationship has been constant since the beginning of the 20th century, so inevitably it has certain effectson the people it has been reaching out to for so many years. The communicators of media messages can hold power over their audiences by uses of agenda setting, which is the media’s ability to raise importance of issues through repetitive news reporting (Severin and Tankard 2010) and propaganda techniques, but audiences also sometimes play an active role in its reception and selection of messages they receive. Elihu Katz says that effects of media are related to processes of selectivity, which depend on factors such as age, family history and political affiliation (Katz et al (1987) in Corner, Schlesinger and Silverstone 1997) meaning research based on such variables is necessary in obtaining valid information. These personal factors play a role in the mediums that people choose to expose themselves to, which can affect their relationship with the media. The closeness audiences feel with the media affects their connection as well. The relevance and applicability of messages is important to receivers, because usually audiences are seeking things that apply to the wants and needs in their lives. Although there is no single theory that can describe the nature of the media-audience relationship, the bullet theory, the limited-effects model, Cultivation theory and the Uses and Gratifications Method all have valid explanations of how the media has effects on audiences, because the theories are backed by numerous research studies and observations by credible media th...

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...ferent types of influence. Effects of the media depend on the role the audience takes, whether it is passive or active. Receivers of media need to distinguish “between those routine relations of influence where the subject of influences uses external guides” therefore intentionally seeking influence, and “those where an intentional, persuasive effect is exerted upon the subject” (Corner, Schlesinger and Silverstone 1997) meaning the message is being received inevitably. Like other relationships, the functionality and flow relies on interactions involving processes of giving and taking. In terms of the media-audience relationship, it is crucial to understand what the media is offering to its receivers, and vice versa. The theories mentioned help to demonstrate historical and modern examples of how the two have influenced each other in positive and negative ways.