Media and Social Values

Media and Social Values

Introduction

When we talk about Media and Social Values, it is necessary that we impart Media Literacy concepts to our students. And as a teacher, I have a strong reason to recommend the same. My classes on Value Education is making me pen this essay on the topic, ‘Media and Social values’.

In today’s era, most people, especially in the urban areas are influenced by media. The rural areas are also gradually becoming media savvy. However, there are also those, who can’t afford a decent square meal a day, so media is not their concern. It is necessary to acknowledge them, as it is a natural tendency to forget the many who do not use media.

While, People have been influenced by mass media for ages through the vast impact created by the Press, books, magazines, TV Programmes, Cinema and Radio announcements they have accessed. It is the impact created by Mass Media that led to a large number of studies which catapulted research in communication and the further churning of theories and researches catering to the topic. Indeed, one cannot deny, the strong influence of Mass Media and its impacts especially when it has been massively used for propaganda and persuasion. 

While, there have been numerous theories on both the effects and the Limited effects of Mass Media, one cannot negate that today, mass media is all around us. Mass Media in the form of New Media has broken all barriers to percolate through society. Digitised technology and the whole concept of the development of the world wide web led to a revolution in the consumption of media products. It is a good thing to reflect at this juncture: Has media influenced our Social values? Are the values positive or negative?

Media and its contribution to Social Values that contribute to humanity

Mass Media like newspapers, books, magazines, journals, TV, Radio, Cinema have shown their influence on people for ages. It is rightly said that Life influences Cinema and Cinema influences life. It is also important to note that New media which includes social media, has drastically changed the way people use media today. The arrival of the Social networking platforms, and online transactions, have changed the concept of shopping, studying, learning, holding business transactions and many other activities for those who constantly use the same.

Media Effects has always been a matter of concern from the time of arrival of Mass Media. Media by itself, includes technology. However, the users use it according to their convenience to construct information or Messages that are transmitted to a large chunk of people. Media as we see it today has indeed influenced the way we think, study, dress, talk and move. 

Media has led to a massive revolution by helping people to communicate and thus bring them together. It is not surprising to see, that youth in most cities dress similar. A dress worn by an actor or an actress instantly gets aped by people and becomes a craze. A simple Indian dish can be watched by millions across the world due to YouTube and other social networking platforms.

Based on media consumption, some of the positive values that one garners through the use of media are:

Connectivity:  Communicating messages at a fast speed to a  large number of people has helped the government in issuing causes of concern, warning and information. For example, in the year 2018, Kerala, a state in India witnessed a huge amount of Rainfall. Many pockets of the state were subdued and simply battered by the deluge. Mass Media institutions relayed this information and even contributed by starting helplines, messages and other instructive and helpful phone numbers to seek help. Many Companies used Digital technology and Social Networking Forums to track the data of people saved and those who need help. The Government sought help by announcements on Mass Media. People networked together as one country facing a disaster, forgetting which caste, creed or sex people belonged to. The noble intention was to save. Mass Media, its reach and its connectivity helped a large number of people. The values of unity, sensitivity, care for the neighbour were all invoked through this noble initiative taken with the help of media.

Education and Information: Mass Media is a forum used by Institutions and Individuals to not just provide entertainment but to educate, inform and create awareness. The Government and other institutes have used Media to promulgate various Social Values.

For instance,

•        Values of cleanliness (Swacch Bharat Campaign and Anti Malaria, dengue campaigns in India)
•      Values of protecting Humanity by Save the girl Child (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaigns in India), 
•       Values of Protecting Nature by Save the Tiger (Initiative of NDTV channel)
•       Values of protecting our Children (Polio Vaccination)
•        Values of Patriotism (Rising during the National Anthem)

Respect for all: Mass Media leads to promulgation of social values that are inherent in a country and transmission of heritage and culture. There are many societies that promote Indian culture, dress and traditions using Media, thus encouraging the spirit of 'Indian-ness'. Incredible India and ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ Ads by the government roped in stars like Aamir Khan to create an awareness of reaching out and helping tourists who visit our country.

Creating Awareness: YouTube and other Social networking forums have been rampantly used to create awareness on various issues that plague society. This includes discrimination in the name of caste, religion, creed and sex. There were many videos that highlighted the cause of North east Indians and Africans being discriminated in our own country and Internet contributed to creating awareness by making videos that addressed the issues.

Mobilization for a cause: Social networking forums also brought people together. The world especially witnessed this wave of euphoria that overturned Governments due to People’s Power. People mobilized together and formed a mass movement based on messages put up on Facebook and Twitter in Tunisia and Egypt. The Jasmine Revolution made the world sit up and realise the power of Social Media and the capacity to spread a message and mobilize people.

Watchdog: It has also been observed that while Big news channels have succumbed to the pressurization from the Government and often fail to question the ruling parties, it is Social Media and Individuals who take a risk to put up awareness videos on the mal-practices in the country and how the state often covers up their mistakes. Many of these videos are very educative, informative and actually perform the ‘Watchdog’ Role that media is deigned to perform in a country.

Encouraging Talent: By displaying one’s talent on YouTube and other Social Networking forums, many youth and leaders have become globally recognized.

Media and its negative impact on Humans and Society

On one hand, Media has been a boon to reach out to others in Society, on the other hand, the fast pace of Mass media and the concept of social media has led to an immense upload of information, which has also led to promulgation of both positive and negative values. There are numerous theories on Communication which both approve or disapprove the effects of Media consumption. However, one cannot deny, that media is here to stay. Media has drastically changed the way people talk, think, analyse and interpret.  Media usage has a set of Pros and Cons. A Media Producer and Consumer can add to creating a plethora of values that uplift Society or add to negativity based on his/her Socio-geographical, mental construct and background.

Since, Media is audio- visual it has a power to influence the senses. This influence cannot be negated. While Mass Media has always created an impact, and its effects are debated, one cannot deny the continuous influence that one sees around. The arrival of Social media on the forum has further led to a massive availability of both right and wrong information. Commercialization has added to the woes as data of individuals is often at the mercy of the institutions that run these social networking forums.

Individualism and gadget addiction: The rampant use of Social Networking forums has led to many people getting addicted to their gadgets and ruining their personal sociable lives. As more often than not, especially in the urban areas where media technology has percolated many nooks and corners, people are involved in gaming, watching media content on their mobiles. This leads to a individualistic life style. Many young ones are so addicted that they prefer being in the comforts of their rooms glued to their computer or mobile screens, rather than communication with their families and friends.

Similar lifestyles and cloning of western wear: A lifestyle that is similar has spread across the world. People across the world, especially the youth tend to dress similar. So, culturally in many countries there is a decline in traditional forms of outer expressions. Cultures are being influenced by movies and other audio visual content leading to a rise in what one can call a pattern of similar state of affairs in family lives and friendships.

Tarnishing images: Mass Media and New media institutions realised that Yellow journalism brought them added revenue. The trend escalated given the huge fan craze of Popular actors, sportsmen and women and other renowned people. Writing tabloid stories or becoming part of what in India is called the ‘Page 3’ gossip seemingly looks like a regular affair. While, government owned national channels and Broadcast media did not venture into Yellow Journalism as there was strict check on its content, the same can’t be said about the numerous channels and internet content today. Lies, calumny and slander are rampant in most of Mass Media. It has become difficult to judge the truth from fake news stories. 

There are cases like that of Monika Lewinsky and President Clinton which were blown up massively in the Mass Media. Monika at a later time in her speech accepted the fact that she indeed had made a grave mistake, but that the maligning and slander was so heavy on her as a young adult that she was driven to the contemplation of suicide as everything that she spoke, texted or did was hacked open and exposed on Media. 

In India, two men were implicated by two girls in a false case of molestation in a bus in Haryana. The men lost their jobs and their respect in society. However, the case was found to be false after three years and that the girls has been crooks who had cheated many innocent men and bullied them for payments. News travels fast on media and there is the danger of tarnishing someone's name without proper research. These men lost their reputation completely dues to the viral videos.

A tiny error can be publicised to a massive extent due to the ease at which videos today can be uploaded. So, Privacy is a major cause of concern. Often videos have been morphed and uploaded to damage reputations. These also become news on Major channels of Television.

Privacy: Privacy on Social Networking forums is a thing of the past. Every click is saved in the database of different Social Networking forums to be able to generate ad revenues. There are hardly few forums that provide absolute privacy. Identity thefts are common. And so too are internet abuses like Phishing, Hacking, Cyber Bullying, Cyber Aggression, Impersonation, etc.

Trolling and Hate videos: At times, individuals who are freely permitted to comment on YouTube, Twitter or Facebook and Instagram forums, turn into trollers and haters. People fail to draw a line between freedom of speech and outright insult and Hatred. While freedom of speech is a positive value and a criticism is valid in many cases. But hatred, venomous language, drastic maligning and highly abusive and foul language derogates the purpose of opinion and diminishes the respect that any individual deserves as a human being.  Propaganda and persuasion to influence voters can take a massively negative turn on audio visual media , especially New media that includes social networking forums.

Pornography: Highly offensive sexual content is available due to Social networking forums. Research has shown and victims of Porn have confessed that watching such videos encourages promiscuous behavior and acknowledging human beings as objects of desire, rather than as human beings. The Porn industry has in a way created a need for human trafficking and the need for porn videos which has further led to harming of individuals whose videos have been shot without their knowledge and uploaded. Many children and youth become addicts of porn due to availability of Mass Media on the same subjects causing a disruption of their inherent value system of respecting every human as a person, rather than experimenting with violent sex.

Many kids and youth are innocently falling victims to sexual predators and paedophiles who pose as friends and later embroil the kids into revealing personal pictures and details. This is a matter of grave concern.

While Media is curbed in countries like South Korea, Islamic countries and some other countries, in many countries there is a curb or a rule of guard to monitor TV or Radio Content. Books too come under the scanner. However, New media, has provided a forum for all sorts of data. And is indeed becoming a cause of concern.

Rumours and Lies: Given the ease with which a news message can be communicated on Mass Media, Rumours and lies are easily circulated. The Government of India has given stern warning to many social networking sites due to many incidents of lynching to death of innocents due to false rumours spread on social networking forums like WhatsApp. A culture of lies is being created which deters human growth using media technology.

Media does influence Social values and has an effect on People. However, Media literacy is an important element and should be encouraged to create a healthy and critical consumption of Media.

Conclusion 

Technology is never good or bad. It is a human made product available for one’s use. It is how, we as individuals, as institutions or as a country use technology that creates the difference. Mass Media can be used for good and has done a great service to Society. Travelling, Shopping, Studying, Education and information has become easy due to Mass Media. On the other hand, the blatant misuse of Mass Media to spread lies and create disharmony is also a truth which has to be faced. Mass Media has also been used for greed to extract Data and cheat, which impairs the building up and growth in society.