The Mass Media

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the mass media is one of the most dominant and pervasive elements in American culture because the citizens' very attitudes, opinions, beliefs and values are greatly affected by the various media formats such as television, the internet, radio, newspapers and magazines. The author points out the reason that the media is so centrally and inseparably affiliated with democracy in the United States is because, in order for a government to be truly governed by the people, it is a prerequisite that the minds of the people are not controlled by some overriding force. The paper relates that existing factors, such as profitability goals, ownership of the media concentrated in the hands of a few and homogenousity in the range of issues, opinions and events presented, are dangerous to democracy.

From the Paper:

"Another avenue by which the media facilitates the democratic process is by exposing individuals to the opinions, beliefs, and perspectives of others. In such a manner, individuals are made to look at a situation from a different vantage point which in turn may cause them to re-evaluate their own thinking. Be it the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, capital punishment, or abortion, the media gives us access to the thinking and reasoning of others. The media also operates and aids the democratic process by presenting issues in a concise and understandable manner. With the vast amount of information available, and the myriad number of happenings around the world, the media's ability to summarize, organize, and convey information is of utmost importance. If we were to receive raw information and data, without any media interference, most of us would be hard pressed to make sense out of the vast majority of issues at hand. Additionally, the media (or at least some avenue of the media) will tend to give virtually anyone the opportunity to speak their mind."

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