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In
the past, mostly people interacted in groups having face-to- face
relationships. Today, they are continuously exposed to messages
generated from the centre.The history of mass media is comparatively
recent. The oldest form is the press which was set up first by
William Caxon 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.
In
India, after the independence, new horizons were seen by the country
in all the aspects of five year plans stressing the need to solve
some of the national problems, such as, lack of cultural identity,
absence of economic policy and so on, the development of mass media
was boosted.The need for communicating with the masses and
influencing them was felt in order 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. Over and above, 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, the Indian society overall is reacting
swiftly. The pervasive effects of the various media on the various
spheres of the Indian life- economic, social, cultural, intellectual,
religious and even moral values are transforming rapidly.Mass media
are capable of creating various kinds of impact on mankind. They 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 have become important.
Mcluham,
the Canadian writer perceives mass media in a very broad perspective.
It is his thesis that, the medium is the message; he says that the
content of a mass medium cannot be divorced from its context and from
its technology.A statement made on television will be very different
from a statement made through the press, the form and nature of the
message's dissemination actually modifies the material.The visual
image of television news involves us directly as compared to the news
reported in the newspaper. Whether or not we discuss the wheel in the
context of mass communication is a moot point, but it is obviously
true that the wheel has changed many human societies in a way which
is quite as radical as television or the press.He says that we have
been too much pre occupied with the messages, or content, of mass
media, and too little concerned with the media themselves, as they
function within human society.The mass media constitute a powerful
and pervading force in our lives. We are exposed daily to a
bombardment of media messages. Most of the information we receive
about our community, our state, the nation and the world comes to us
through newspapers, magazines, television and radio.
The
information and views communicated through these media have great
impact on our attitudes toward people, events and problems. Mass
media expose people to a flood of information almost narcotic sing
reader, listener or viewer. Due to mass media the range and amount of
information available to the people has vastly increased.Media confer
a certain social status or people's position in society is enhanced
when they appear upon television or are mentioned in the press. Mass
media like films, television and press have particular glamour, which
is enjoyed by those who are in them.Thus, mass media tend to enforce
and corroborate social norms and bring personal attitudes and public
morality closer.Mass media are common denominators. They serve the
interest of the larger groups.
Media
consumers are selective in their consumption of media output. They
accept the messages which are easy for them to understand and they do
not have to exert themselves in watching a programme or reading a
newspaper. They also accept messages which reinforce their beliefs
and reject or ignore those which have contrary views.Another
criticism about the impact of mass media is that they do not keep
pace with the changes that are taking place in society and usually
maintain stereotyped roles and values. For example, widow woman in
today's society wear dresses of all types and colors but films and
television serials show them in their stereotyped white dress with no
jwellery.Thus, mass communication process is more likely to sustain
rather than challenge the existing political and social power
structure in society.As a result, mass media look for supportive
Communication and avoid that communication which projects alternative
opinions. Mass media play a significant role in the socialization of
the young. An extensive exposure necessarily influences young, who
are always believed to be passive respondents.
Watz
and Hoffman note that: "the social potential of mass
communication has hardly been tapped". Effective use of the mass
media has the potential for increasing the public's understanding of
the goals of development programs and activities of development
workers.It can increase public support for development programs and
it can have a significant impact on the decisions of development
planners, policy makers, and legislators that affect these
programmes.It can help people function better in the community, by
providing information that can support the coping capacities of
persons under stress and consequently, it can significantly expand
the impact of the development programmes in any community.A much
wider range of target groups can be reached, not only those who might
benefit from the programmes but also persons and groups that may be
willing to provide tangible and intangible support for these
development efforts, as a result of being better informed about them
.Mass media in India are actively involved in the tasks related to
different aspects of national development and they are assisting
government and the masses in social, economic and political
development. Thus, mass media have contributed to the mobilization of
human resources for national development.The mobilizing of human
resources requires a great deal of attention of what the population
knows and thinks of national development, and especially to the
encouragement of the attitudes and social customs and the provision
of knowledge, which will be favourable to the development, the mass
media have undertaken the job quite competently.It is evident from
the tremendous changes that have taken place in the entire range of
human activity in the country. Research studies by communication
scholars also have proved that mass media have immensely aided and
assisted the rate and score of development.
The
studies conducted by Shramm, Rao and others have shown that the
interaction between the media and the society from development point
of view is 'constant and cumulative.'This helps people to set common
goals of development and arrive at sound consensus. Media have
communicated to the people about country's five year plans,
development programmes, education system etc. and this has motivated
people to become partners in the progress of the country.
The
farm technology was communicated to the rural masses through mass
communication media such as radio and films which became link between
university laboratories and farmers.
This
contributed to tremendous agricultural progress and ushered in green
revolution in the country. There have been problems and constraints
in the process of development but, on the whole, mass media in India
have immensely contributed to bringing about change and development
in India.
It
has been realized that no significant development can take place
without using mass media.
In
other words, the mass media can have impact on a variety of important
development programmes, relations, public education, and prevention
functions of the development programmes.
It
has also been observed that as the time devoted to media increases,
people's participation in an organized action decreases. As a result,
they remain away from the decision making and action for any personal
or national development activities.
Mass
media do not involve the individual directly. They bring changes
largely in the psychological domain. They capture the audience by
changing their opinions, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and value
systems.Psychological changes are considered to be more effective as
compared to the change which is introduced directly into the social
structure by means of law and government policies to which
individuals are forced to adjust.The new media have brought about
changes in the old media for example, due to the impact of
television, newspapers and magazines have become more illustrative,
radio has been trying to become more innovative in attracting the
listeners, advertising has become part of every mass medium and so
on.Moreover, due to the review of the programmes offered by every
medium, competition to offer more and more interesting programmes of
common taste has increased among the mass media.What about education?
Mass media in India such as television, radio, newspaper, try to
offer educational and enrichment messages for farmers, school
children, youth, woman, and other groups. This again may be due to
the competition among and within the media.Folk media have been very
effective in promoting the message of literacy, mobilizing women and
bringing them together to discuss issues related to their everyday
lives. Street plays have proved very effective in integrating and
mobilizing women for anti-arrack movement in Andhra Pradesh.
Sometimes
too much of exposure to information leads people to saturation. For
example, if we are exposed to the events of terrorism in Kashmir or
Punjab for a very long period, we become less sensitive to the
sufferings of people due to terrorism. Here the immediacy of visual
image is lost and media ceases to be an informant.Mass medium like
television has made great impact on the families by changing the way
of life. In the last ten years Indian family has under gone drastic
changes as far as family relations standard of living, style of
living and buying habits are concerned.
To
sum up, mass media create impact by playing their role as change
agent, reflector and reinforcer of dominant values and attitudes in
society which can have a significant impact on the decisions of
development planners, policy makers and legislators that affect
development programmes.
Article courtsey:www.studymode.com
