Sunday, February 5, 2012

 How would Functionalists and Conflict theorists differ in their analysis of socialization by the mass media?


Mass Media: Mass media is media which is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in the case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers and magazines. Internet media can also attain mass media status, and many mass media outlets maintain a web presence to take advantage of the ready availability of Internet in many regions of the world. Some people also refer to the mass media as the “mainstream media”. Many people around the world rely on the mass media for news and entertainment, and globally, mass media is a huge industry.
v  Functionalists view about Mass Media:
Ø  Mass Media contributes to a stable society Influence on Socialization Network programs “encourage” social integration by exposing the entire society to shared beliefs, values, and norms.
Ø  Mass Media Communication designed to reach the general population. Examples: T.V., magazines, news papers, radio, movies, internet, tapes, discs Images of achievement and success, activity and work, equality and democracy.
Ø  Mass Media also entertains us in our free time and provides an escape from everyday life.
Ø  The Mass Media serves many functions for our society. Media provides news and information to us after they select, interpret, and criticize it.
Ø  The knowledge is universal and it is one truth that Mass Media is a part of our society.  It is a main source of surveillance, entertainment, correlation, transmission, and mobilization.
Ø  We can know about our society rules and regulations from the Mass Media by watching many programs in TV, Radio, and the Internet. It also aware us about our social norms and sanctions.
Ø  Mass Media play an important role for promoting society's interest especially in times of crisis.
Ø  Mass Media socialize the children and the young through words, pictures, children’s book we expose the young to the meaning of manners, love, parenthood.
v  Conflicts View about the Mass Media:
Ø  Television programs and motion pictures have come quite a way in taking on controversial topics. Because many Hindi series, and Bangla series like-Gulshan Avenue and the motion pictures of the last ten years have attempted to come to grips with some of the major social, political, and economic issues of advanced industrial capitalism: class, racial and sexual conflict, corporate irresponsibility
Ø  Mass Media developing sensitivity to ideological issues but criticizes the issues' conventional, sensationalistic treatment which ultimately misrepresents real social and political conflicts.
Ø  Television programs and even commercials can introduce it applies to family life.
Ø  Mass Media always try to telecast the correct news. But sometimes they telecast incorrect news or information, so it fell the bad impact in a country.
Ø  The programs which telecast in Mass Media are not always social. So these unsocial programs fell a great influence in our young generation and children.
Ø  Mass Media is a way for the powerful to keep things the same influence on socialization newspapers owners and editors exercise power by setting the political agenda for a community.
Ø  Sometimes Mass Media helps to increase crimes. Terrorist easily communicate by mobile phones or by internet. Hacker can easily hack any bank or any secret files from any organization by the Internet.
Ø  Some unreal programs, movies, cartoons are telecast in many television channels which had bad impact to our children. If any children watch any ghost movie he/she may be afraid which can create ant psychological problems. There are some movies like- Superman, Spiderman, Batman etc, which may be bad for children because they often try to act like then which dangerous for them. For example: one of my cousin broke his hand by jumping like Spiderman.
v  There is nothing which has no disadvantages. Here the same case is for Mass Media. If it has some disadvantages but it is very important for our society. We can not live without Mass Media. So Mass Media play an important role to change our society.

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