Does Mass Media Shape American Values?

Does The Mass Media Shape American Values ?

The mass media has changed drastically over the years and it’s starting to take an effect on our values and how we see the world as a society. Before we had the internet and social media the world was used to many different forms of communication. In the 1830’s they had the telegraph, fast forward a little and the radio was invented. After that the newspaper was the main source that people would go to to find out what was happening around the world. Later the television was born and soon every family had a television set in their living room ready to watch the news at a moments notice. Now we have the internet and various forms to access it including cell phones, laptops, tv’s, and even our own

However the influence of the mass media on our kids and teenagers are so big that we as a society should understand how it all works. The media makes billions and billions of dollars by advertising things to sell and it is affecting the teens the most because they are the primary target to companies and corporations. These big companies know that teenagers will be more attracted to an item if their favorite celebrity or athlete is representing that item and therefore that makes the audience, in this instance teens, more susceptible to buying that item. Social media also plays a grand role, for instance, say someone is scrolling through their facebook feed and they see many ads relating to clothing, that person will eventually see something that peaks their interest and thus will click on it, leading to them eventually buying something and boom they have just been victim to social media influence. This is just some of the many different tactics that the mass media uses to influence our views and

The main form of entertainment being television and movies. Many would consider these to be the main form of entertainment due to their impactfulness in society. As said in an email interview by Michelle C. Pautz, an associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton, suggests that films act as an influence because “Younger people, particularly teens, are more likely to be impacted than older adults because they are still developing and shaping their worldviews….and thus are more likely to absorb all sorts of influences either good or bad, including influences from film.” Films like “American Sniper” are the exceptions when talking about negative influences because it is movies like those that bring us together as a society and impact us in a positive way. Dr. Pautz sums it up in a clearer and more simpler way stating that “(movies) can be a great mechanism for conversation and reflection....They can also help us understand societal opinions, help us understand institutions, and even demystifly aspects of society.” This, along with numerous other forms of evidence, allow me to reach a conclusion that films and the entertainment genre has just as an impact than the news or social media are allowed to have in society and on our