1. EFFECTS OF MASS COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION:
How much we are realizing about the effects of mass media today? I do not think that
we are realizing much, I mean we know some points but we are just ignoring that because it has
already been part of our life. You can often see a world where media can control and alter
human life.
With the rise of mass society and the rapid growth of the mass media starting in the
nineteenth century, the public, media critics, and scholars have raised questions about the
effects various media might have on society and individuals. Whether the issue is online hate
groups, televised violence, the absence of minority characters in prime-time television
programming, or a decline in the quality of political discourse, the topic of the effects of mass
communication is – and has always been – hotly debated.
Lively controversy centers on the effect of mass communication upon audiences, not
only in matters concerning public opinion on political issues but in matters of personal lifestyles
and tastes, consumer behavior, the sensibilities and dispositions of children, and possible
inducements to violence. Feelings regarding these matters vary greatly. Some people construe
the overall effects of mass communication as generally harmless to both young and old. Many
sociologists follow the theory that mass communication seems to influence attitudes and
behavior only insofar as it confirms the status quo—i.e., it influences values already accepted
and operating in the culture. We chiefly watch and read what we already like; we interpret it to
fit our existing beliefs; and we will more quickly forget the bits we do not enjoy.
To assume that public communication is predominantly reflective of current values,
morals, and attitudes denies much common experience. Fashions, fads, and small talk are too
obviously and directly influenced by material in the press, in films, and in television to support
this view. Present evidence indicates that various instruments of mass communication produce
varying effects upon different segments of the audience. These effects seem too numerous and
short-lived to be measured effectively with currently available instruments.
Understanding the effects of media on individuals and society requires that we examine
the messages being sent, the medium transmitting them, the owners of the media, and the
audience members themselves. The effects can be cognitive, attitudinal, behavioral, and
psychological.

2. DISCUSSION:
The effects of mass communication– media impact on violence, the use of drugs
and alcohol, the nature of our political process, and stereotyping. Why was violent crime rising?
It must be the fault of the media. Why was politics being "trivialized"? Because the growth of
political television personalized it. Why did the working class refuse to ditch reformist
governments? Because of the bourgeois media.
VIOLENCE:
No media effects issue has captured public legislative and industry attention as has the
relationship between media portrayal of violence and subsequent aggressive behavior.
Prolonged exposure to gratuitous violence in the media can escalate subsequent hostile
behaviors and, among some viewers, foster greater acceptance of violence as a means of
conflict resolution.
Many children today spend more time consuming media than they spend attending
school, or in any other activity except for sleeping. By “media” we mean any form of mass
communication such as → television, → Internet, video and computer games, comic books, and
→ radio. Violence is a dominant theme in most forms of media. By “violence” we mean an
extreme act of physical aggression, such as assaulting another person.
The correlation between media violence and aggression is only slightly smaller than that
between smoking and lung cancer. Not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer, and not
everyone who gets lung cancer is a smoker. But even the tobacco industry agrees that smoking
causes lung cancer. Smoking is not the only factor that causes lung cancer, but it is an important
factor. Similarly, not everyone who watches violent media becomes aggressive, and not
everyone who is aggressive watches violent media. Watching violent media is not the only
factor that causes aggression, but it is an important factor.
The smoking analogy is useful in other respects. Like a first cigarette, the first violent
movie seen can make a person nauseous. Later, however, one craves more and more. The
effects of smoking and viewing violence are both cumulative. Smoking one cigarette probably
will not cause lung cancer. Likewise, seeing one violent movie probably will not turn a person
into a psychopathic killer. However, repeated exposure to both cigarettes and violent media
can have harmful consequences.
Catharsis is the notion that we can dampen our negative emotions by acting them out or
witnessing them in our arts and entertainment—and that this is a healthy thing to do. Indeed
there is evidence that indulging our anger and aggression can increase—not decrease—those

3. destructive emotions. Even so, a lot of people still believe in catharsis. They believe that
pummeling punching bags and watching Fight Club and cursing at the universe is cleansing.
Does catharsis cleanse our souls as Aristotle suggests? That’s a debatable point that sits
at the heart of today’s arguments on whether watching violent television begets violent
behavior. Platonic thought suggested we had to be careful since extreme emotional
experiences might prompt extreme emotional living, including behaving in immoral or unethical
ways. Aristotle instead argued that through catharsis, we emerged purified and less likely to act
extremely or immorally. It’s interesting to note that this debate, which is so ancient, is still
being fought on many levels in modern society. Many researches show that belief in catharsis
increased the appeal of violent games in angry people. People’s mistaken beliefs about
catharsis may really be a problem. If people seek out violent video games as a way of letting out
their anger, their actions may have the opposite effect from the one they expected. In this case,
then, ignorance is not bliss.
Our children are enormously influenced by the media, not only in their decisions and
actions, but also in their behaviors. Unfortunately the large amount of exposure to media has
negative effects towards our society, especially towards children and teenagers; one of the
most serious effects is desensitization to violence.
The media violence does affect children’s behavior, attitudes and values. As we all know
today, children’s desensitization to violence has increased numerously, especially in the past
few years.Desensitization refers to reduced responsiveness to actual violence caused by
exposure to violence in the media. Desensitization may arise from different sources of media
including TV, video games and movies. Violence can prime thoughts of hostility with the
possibility of affecting the way we perceive others and interpret their actions. Research shows
that initial exposure to violence in the media produces a number of aversive responses such as
increased heart rate, fear, discomfort, perspiration and disgust. However, studies conducted
show that prolonged and repeated exposure to violence in the media reduces or habituates the
initial psychological impact until violent images do not elicit these negative responses.
Eventually the observer becomes emotionally and cognitively desensitized to media violence.
Children not only learn by observing and imitating what is in the media, but they also
come to terms with violence as an acceptable way to settle conflicts and desire to watch even
more violent movie and play even more dreadful video game, where players are rewarded for
the amount of people killed.
On December 30th, 2006 just about anyone was sitting in front of the computer screen
watching the execution of Saddam Hussein’s Video, where his own death was recorded and
posted all over the world for people to see, not only adults, but also children were possible to

4. see a death of a human being just by a click away. Our media makes us so desensitized, that it
not only no more troubles us to see a dead body, but also we immediately try to look for them
on the internet so we have something to talk about over lunch with friends. Unfortunately, the
internet is limitless and anyone can post, publish and visit practically anything. Of course there
are websites that make you put your birth date to be able to enter, but people are not stupid,
they can figure out what year makes them legal.
And what about the Virginia Shooting Massacre, can people say it not only troubled them
to see images of tens of students being dragged death but everyday increasingly people wanted
more information about the shootings, and student’s killer. Isn’t it enough to see it once? No,
people want increasingly more violence!
Still people today, try to blame something; usually it is violent videogames that are
blamed for everything, “If the killer didn’t play video games…” is what we usually hear from
people. Sadly, violent video games are just a small percentage of the whole reality that makes
us desensitized. Violent video games may be the reason for the Virginia Shooting Massacre in
2007 or the Columbia High School tragedy in 1999. In reality, the thing, which is to blame for
everything is the media, which makes us desensitized to violence.
The everyday images of dead bodies in the movies, newspapers, magazines, on video
games, television, radio and even more to mention, those are the real reasons for the violent
tragedies. Our society becomes so over mediated, that it no more troubles us to see a dead
human body on the television. Due to the Hollywood over-emphasis of violence on regular basis
we are so desensitized, it is no longer wrong to kill others. In movies we are even sorry and
make excuses for the killer not the victims. And violent video games make us feel glorified and
excited, when human blood is splashed all over the wall. Or am I the only one who wasn’t
excited, when watching the Lord of the Rings movie, where hundreds of viewers were clapping
when an actor cut off the head of a horrible monster, where the blood splashed all over the
place?
So why only blame video games? Yes, of course we score points for the most deadbodies,
but in the movies and on television, we no longer cry because an actor has been killed and we
no longer believe it is wrong. We only sit and watch, sometimes even laugh. Today our children
are not only desensitized by seeing violence on television and on the Internet, but violence has
become popularity, we could maybe imagine the word violence as a hero and model towards
our children.
Popular Wrestling matches are another source of violence in the media, which
desensitize our society. Children and teenagers not only watch horrible matches, where
opponents are risking their life, but they are also entertained by the most awful moves seen.

5. Our media needs to be changed; media violence needs to be limited not only in violent
video games but also in movies and television.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOLS:
Concern about media effects reaches beyond the issue of violence. The claims and
counterclaims surrounding media portrayals of drugs and alcohol parallel those of the violence
debate.
How drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are portrayed on television, in movies, in songs, and in
other forms of media?Media containing scenes or conversations about these substances can
affect drinking, smoking, and illicit drug use, especially among children and young adults. Some
organizations are trying to reduce or eliminate the appearance of these substances in the
media. They also encourage actors, musicians, writers, and producers to portray substance use
in a realistic—not a glamorous—way.
Alcohol portrayals are relatively common on television, in film, and in music videos.
These portrayals are largely positive or neutral, often associating drinking with positive
consequences or desirable attributes. Negative consequences of drinking are rarely portrayed.
Only a few studies have investigated the effects of exposure to alcohol portrayals in popular
media. Generally, the findings from these studies are mixed and inconclusive.
Overall, the research on the effects of alcohol advertising also presents mixed and
inconclusive findings. With some notable exceptions, experimental and ecological studies have
produced little or no evidence that alcohol advertising affects drinking beliefs, behaviors, or
problems among young people. Alcohol advertising and young people consistently indicate that
there are small, but significant, correlations between awareness of and affect toward alcohol
advertising and drinking beliefs and behaviors among young people. Children and adolescents
who are more aware of and favorably disposed to alcohol advertisements hold more favorable
beliefs about drinking, intend to drink more frequently as adults, and drink more frequently and
in larger quantities than other young people.
Alcohol advertising may predispose young people to drink or the opposite may be true
instead. That is, young people who are favorable toward drinking may seek out information
about alcohol and thus be more attentive to alcohol advertisements.
Central to the concept of credibility is whetherthe mass media are seen to be unbiased
in theirpresentation of issues. There are several aspectsworth exploring that could call into
question theneutrality of mass media when reporting alcoholrelated issues. These are the
following:

6. (1) Acceptance of alcohol advertising, which is asource of considerable income for newspapers
andtelevision, may have a profound influence on theportrayal of alcohol-related stories;
(2) The possibility that media conglomerates have a financialstake in companies operating in
the beveragealcohol industry or vice versa;
(3) The drinkingpatterns of journalists.
Taking these points into consideration, it wouldseem possible that the mass media
might play animportant role in portraying alcohol in a biased fashion.
The one single factor that will influence whether kids use alcohol and tobacco is their
parents. And the less role parents have the more impact other influences have, like the media.
Don’t people have fun in alcohol ads? And they make a big impression on your kids. Alcohol ads
have become entertainment in their own right. One of the most popular plot lines for teen
movies is scoring alcohol for a party. There are even mobile apps centered on drinking. It’s
nearly impossible to undo all this influence, but you can try to balance it with honest
discussions about drinking and by keeping an eye on what’s influencing your kids.
GENDER AND RACIAL/ETHNIC STEREOTYPING:
Stereotyping is the application of a standardized image or concept to members of
certain groups, usually based on limited information. Because media cannot show all realities of
all things, the choices media practioners make whenpresenting specific people and groups may
well facilitate or encourage stereotyping.
"There are three characteristics of stereotypes:
1. People are categorized on the basis of very visible characteristics e.g. race, nationality,
sex, dress and bodily appearance
2. All members of a particular group are assumed to have the same characteristics
3. Anybody who is seen to belong to a particular group will therefore automatically be
assumed to have the same characteristics of the group."
Stereotypes are usually negative attitudes which people use to justify discrimination of
conflict against others. Stereotyping acts as a barrier to communication because people make
pre-conceived judgment about people which are unfounded if their character does not relate to
their appearance. Ethnic stereotypes encourage racism.
Mass communication is very important towards understanding stereotypes. Mass
communication has been defined as a symbolic transmission. The mass media today forms a

7. major source of material for our stereotypical images of different groups of people. In drama
and fiction, the stereotype is a valuable tool of communication because it arouses certain
expectations. We can predict how a character will behave and feel satisfied when our
predictions are fulfilled. We can also be surprised when a character behaves in a way which
totally differs from what we expect. In advertising stereotyping is a powerful weapon used to
sell products. Perhaps the image reminds us of an ideal lifestyle and suggests that we can
achieve that lifestyle by buying the product. Or the advert contains a stereotype which we can
identify and implies that we must purchase the product in order to conform to type. Use of
such an image allows the advertiser to communicate a large amount of material in condensed
form. Stereotypes give power to mass communicators who can sustain differences between
groups for their own gain.
When a television program is shown, different people with different ideas watch, so the
mass communicators may use stereotypical images so people can define and associate with the
character.
Stereotypes and interpersonal communication are important to mass communication,
particularly television. There have been concerns about the way in which television inflicts a
class bias on our perception of the world and reality. But it is also claimed that television
represents genre of artistic performance. They structure a viewer’s way of perceiving, of
making a connection and following a television story line.
The impact of new models can be seen as icons can lead to liberation, conversions and
rebellious attitudes. I believe that some people are strong minded enough to make their own
decisions and do not let the mass media influence them. While there are weak minded people
who will follow fads and believe in the mass media and the stereotypical images that they
represent.
Stereotypes can easily lead to prejudice. Some prejudice is inevitable in a multi group
society. Some prejudices present real dangers, feeding bitter struggles between races,
economic groups, sexes and religions. It is important to combat prejudice, there are a number
of ways in which this can be achieved e.g. negative stereotypes in mass communication can be
eliminated and bringing people together. Put the people together in situations where they can
learn more about each other and develop lasting relations.
Ever since the emergence of mass communication, the media has been facing a problem of
stereotyping in sending information across. Although stereotyping has its origin from ordinary
human communication and the chronic problem which mankind is finding difficult to ward off,
it has been strengthened particularly by the media of mass communication over the years.

8. Media stereotypes are some time inevitable, especially in the advertising, entertainment
and news industries, which need as wide an audience as possible to quickly understand
information. Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of
a person or group of people--usually relating to their class, ethnicity or race, gender, social role
or occupation ¬ true or false is left on the people who receive the information.As we get close
to understanding the mass communication in its various forms, it is pertinent to mark this
peculiar area which is widely in practice in news, views, scripts, TV/ radio shows and, honestly,
in common remarks on mass media.
The stereotyping in communication, which has its origin in printing process, is a global
phenomenon and hurting the mass media alike all over. The preconceived assumption about
people or group of people in the form of nationality, ethnicity and cast and in business matters
is holding strong ground in communication and the experts are still striving to get out of this
menace. One solution is to make media people aware of it so that its usage may be reduced.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND VOTING:
Media impact on political campaigns and voting was at the center of some of mass
communication’s earliest research. The conclusion drawn from the early work was that media
had little direct impact on campaigns and voting and, when and if they did, that the impact was
in the form of reinforcement. An important development in contemporary thinking about
media and campaigns was agenda setting. Agenda setting was used to explain how media can
influence campaigns and voting. Media helped set the issue agenda for the campaign, and that
agenda dictated the issues on which many people ultimately based their voting decisions.
Content-free political campaigns, coupled with the increase in negative campaign
commercials created an apathetic and alienated public, rather than the involved and informed
citizens necessary for democracy. The public often complaints about shoddy campaign
coverage and negative ads, yet thegreat majority identify television – often seen as the prime
culprit in encouraging both phenomena – as its primary source of public affairs information.
Media critics blame contemporary news for increasing levels of apathy and ignorance
among the electorate. The amount of policy-oriented information in news coverage of
presidential campaigns has declined and the level of news consumption has fallen.
Many citizens have a visceral reaction to political attack advertisements on television:
Nothing will prompt a faster change of channel. But they are difficult to escape during election
season.From a historical perspective, it is worth considering, too, that increased news media
focus on negative advertising itself has helped accelerate this trend, creating a vicious cycle of
attack politics driven by political consultants and journalists.

9. Although people consider negative campaign advertising unethical, uninformative,
deceptive, ad lacking in credibility, research indicates that negative campaigns are more
memorable than positive one, and voters’ decision making is influenced to a greater degree by
negative than by positive campaign information. Negative campaign might ultimately damage
democracy, and voters declare they want better from their candidates, but candidates want to
win.
This situation has given rise to a number of proposals for improvement.Primary among
them is campaign reform. Because the media have become essential to modern campaigning,
raising money to buy media time and space is a full-time obsession for many politicians. A
second suggestion is that broadcasters should make free time available to candidates and
campaigns, reducing the influence of money and increasing the length of time candidates have
to present full, cogent explanations of their positions. A third suggestion is that to limit all
campaigning – personal and mediated – to a specified period before Election Day. Campaigning
outside this “run up” to the election would be illegal.
Neither negative campaigning is an effective means of winning votes, even though it tends
to be more memorable and stimulate knowledge about the campaign. Nor is there any reliable
evidence that negative campaigning depresses voter turnout, though it does slightly lower
feelings of political efficacy, trust in government and possibly overall public mood.
PROSOCIAL EFFECTS:
Virtually every argument that can be made for the harmful or negative effects of media
can also be applied to the ability of media to do well.In our increasingly complex technological
media environment, children are exposed to a sweeping array of role models and messages.
Some of these portrayals and messages are positive ones, teaching children to become more
helpful, more curious, and even more tolerant. A sizeable body of science exists that clearly
demonstrates that people, especially children, can and will model the good or prosocial
behaviors they see in the media, often to a greater extent than they will the negative behaviors.
Links between attitudes and media portrayal have been demonstrated. None of this,
however, is meant to imply that media content cannot have good or prosocial effects.
POSITIVE EFFECTS NEGATIVE EFFECTS
1. Media provide news and information 1. The traditional culture of a country is
required by the people. adversely affected by mass media.
2. Media can educate the public. 2. Entertainment has become the main
3. Media helps a democracy component of mass media. This affects
functioneffectively. They inform the the primary objectives of media to
public about government policies and inform and educate the people.
programmes and how these

10. programmes can be useful to them. 3. Media promote violence. Studies have
This helps the people voice proved that violence shown on
theirfeelings and helps the television and cinema has negative
governmentto make necessary effects on children.
changes in their policies or 4. Mass media promote the desire in
programmes. people to buy and own products that
4. Media can entertain people. are advertised through the media but
5. Media can act as an agent of change
which may not be essential for them.
in development.
6. Media has brought people of the
world closer to each other.
7. Media promote trade and industry
through advertisements
8. Media can help the political and
democratic processes of a country.
9. Media can bring in positive social
changes.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the media can be used to promote social growth and thinking skills.
Television and the newer electronic media, is used wisely, have great positive potential for
learning and development. Television is a better medium than the printed word for conveying
certain types of information, and it makes learning available to group of children who do not do
well in traditional school situations and even to people who cannot read.
Media is an integral part of our society, but that’s also a fact that its too much
intervention in everything is a matter of concern. Sometimes, just for making money,
insignificant news is given so much priority that the real news is not even brought into notice.
Yes, it does also entertain but again it’s a debatable issue because by ’entertainment’ we mean
healthy entertainment and not those nonsense TV serials. So at last, like science it is a tool,
which we have to use by our judgment to provide maximum satisfaction side by side without
harming ourselves. Sometimes, some channels also broadcast and publish the messages in such
situation that the real messages are left beyond our hands. The other disadvantage is that
sometimes they also publish or broadcast some vulgar news, and sometimes unessential
activities are served as very important news and broadcasted again and again. This does not
broaden the reach of media.
In spite of being sensational and biased, the significant of media cannot be ignored,
especially in an age, in which globalization and liberalization have become the order of the day.

11. In this globalized world, task and duties of media are increasing day by day. There is still a lot to
be done by the media for the betterment of the society.
I believe that mass media has affected our society both positively and negatively. It has
programmed our thoughts, how we dress and how we relate to one another. Certain images
shown on television influence kids to misbehave, disobeying parents under the impression that
it’s cool. Disobedience leads to distraction, which leads to teenage pregnancy, drug abuse etc.
On the other hand mass media can persuade young kids positively: if you tune to programmes
that motivate positive force.