CONTEMPORARY MEDIA AND THE EFFECT

 

Date: Oct 13, 2020

Subject: Contemporary media and the effects.

COPYRIGHT BY USMAN MUSA

All rights reserved. No part of this book maybe used or reproduced in any manner. Whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodies in critical articles and reviews?

This material has been written published sorely for people purposes. The Author and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly by the information contained in the book.

FIRST EDITION

There are men and women who make the world better by being the kind of people they are. They have the gift of kindness or courage or even loyalty or integrity. It really matters very little whether are behind the wheel of a truck or running a business or bringing up a family. They teach the truth by living it.

ARTHUR'S SUGGESTION

Each person whom I selected to participate in this book is truly living his or her purpose. The stories and the wisdom being shared by these great, teachers, and friends are rich, and in my opinion are something to be considered, pondered and savored. My suggestion to you friends and families is to read two or three stories at the time, then set the book down and really consider what you've read before moving on to the next story.

FORWORD

When I first told my father I was writing a book on media, he humorously asked, so are you for it or against it? I laughed and told him that I'm against it. And that I think there's already enough literature in favour of it.

However, I was born and growth in the middle class intellectual. My family had tried all their little and possibly best to put me on the right way especially on academic line. Up course they success on this line, because I didn't failed them. Sure

my academic story is one of my best life story. Sure my academic story is one of the best thing that motivate my attention to started thinking about this book.

Up course in the process of growing, there's one agent called peer group. This agent is very dangerous in the life of human being. And it contribute much for the mental development of any given society. My book is not restricted only on media but socialization is also matters. In fact I can say uttermost people in this world, this agent called peer group have been conquer them.

ACKNOWLEDGE

I' am grateful to the following people

Ashiru, Vicky, Danjuma, Hassan, Negrido, Anas, Zoro, Adiya, Musa etc. They are incredible friends and mentors to me. Their works has touched my life in many ways, they can't even imagine. This book was built on a foundation of a strength and courage developed using them processes and they suggestions. Their orientations pulled out of the worse depression period I had ever experienced

This work is communal is not from single perception. Two people had make comprehensive explanation for the mental development of majority people influenced by Media. Therefore I can say this work is two different personalities with single perception toward media effect. What I mean is we make two hands together to provide an absolute enlightenment about the media influence, especially on children’s. ABBA Zoro and Ashiru had make much for the continuation of this book. So they gave much examples about the influence.

So let me be the first to admit that I need this book as much as or more than anyone else who will ever read it. I wrote it not because I'm conquer the media effect, and I have a foolproof plan for you to follow. I wrote it because I've experienced God's power to change. And I know he want you to experience that power too.

Two years ago, I was preparing to give message on media, when I realized that the book I wanted to consult hadn't been written.

So I don't want to west any time, let just move to the point straight forward. Especially on the effects of media in the 21st Century

Firstly media had contributed a lot of significant changes for the development of our modern society especially European sites. But despite the fact that it have more negative roles in the society but at least it played some important roles.

However, before the advancement of media as a means of communication. People were using old modern means of communication. Enlightenment period will consider to be the first advancement period of communication. Therefore this book will not only guide you on the effects of media but, the concept of media itself. Let's talk about, the concept of communication itself.

THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION

The word communication was derived from Latin word communis means common or shared understanding. The word communication is encompassing, ambiguous and pervasive. These three key words captured the universal nature of communication and make people think that they know something about communication.

There is no single definition of communication agreed upon by scholars: psychologists, sociologists, medical practitioners, philosophers and communication specialists. All defined communication based on their orientations and perspectives.

Psychologists defined communication as the process by which individual (the communicator) transmit stimuli (usually verbal symbols) to modify the behavior of other individuals (communicates).

Some people defined communication rather narrowly saying communication is the process in which one person tell another something through the use of written or spoken word. This definition from a book written by a journalist seems reasonable from those in that fields.

However there are two major forms of mass communication which includes the verbal and non-verbal communication. In addition there are two major component of verbal communication which includes the oral speech communication and the written communication.

Oral or speech communication is a kind of communication that has to do with mouth. This is a primary form of communication. Because even at the olden years this form of communication was existing. Even though the invention of book as a means of communication perfectly decrease this form of communication but yet is still exist even in the civilized Nations.

Written communication is a form of communication that has to do with written symbol either printed or handwritten. This form of communication goes back to the invention of book. The invention of book date back to the 7 to 13 centuries when the religious books were invented. This particular period of time. All the books were

publicized by hands. Manuscript and most of the book were religious texts. However from 13 to 15 centuries was also the time when the books of explaining events and phenomenon were publicized. This period most of the books were made to explain phenomenon.

Non-verbal communication is any information that is communicate without using words. This referred to as un-talk communication or silent language. Non-verbal communication is a powerful arsenal in the face to face communication encounters. Expressed consciously in the present of others either consciously or unconsciously. This means of communication is unintentional because most of the time people are not even aware that they are sending massages.

FUNCTION OF NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

1. Complementing, examples you can pat someone you offended at the back as you say sorry to him or her

2. Regulating. To regulate verbal communication. Eg kicking the car while you're still talking with someone outside shows you are ready to go.

FUNCTION OF MASS COMMUNICATION

However, there are numerous function of mass communication. But let's take few for the purpose of this book. These are only:

1) Surveillance

2) Correlation

3) Present of gatekeepers

4) Delay in feedback

5) Entertainment

When we say surveillance: we are talking about a particular function of mass communication that is otherwise known as the news function of communication. It involves scouting the environment to bring the evidence essential for information, news about major happenings in the society

1) However, surveillance the word surveillance connotes a careful monitoring of things doing in secret. The idea behind surveillance is to protect something or someone under watch fallen below public expectations or going to astray.

Moreover on surveillance, by exposing corruption, the journalist is sanitizing the society and at the same time, putting public office holders on public scale which measurement is done by members of the public. By watchdog role, the journalist owes the public duty of digging out hidden deeds and untold/unheard dealings. For instance readers understand the point here it was the press that exposed the controversial award of #628 million for the renovation of the official quarters of the Nigeria first female speaker of the federal house of Representatives, Patricia olubunmi Ettect and her deputy.

However, the surveillance or watchdog function of the press, enable the mass media to beam their searchlight on the three arms of government, and the society at large.

2) Let's move to the important function of mass communication which is known as correlation function. Correlation is otherwise known as the opinion or editorial function of the press. This refers to the process of editorial selection, interpretation and prescription through which the mass media helps their consumers to better understand the information brought to them.

By the correlation function, the media provide a background social context and critical analyzes necessary for that understanding. The press also helps to monitor the public opinion. For example through phone in radio or television programs.

3) Present of gatekeepers: in mass communication send messages do not reach to the audience in a raw forms. Messages are usually 'treated'. The implications of this is that there is usually no guarantee that what messages receivers get is exactly the message send by the source

In mass media organizations, the gatekeepers are usually the reporters, sub-editors, editors, producers, writers etc. Gatekeepers can be defined as any person or formally organized group directly involved in relaying or transferring information from one person to another through a mass medium.

4) Delayed in feedback: the feedback in mass communication is always delayed, a say for a day, a week or month. Mass communication are usually subject to additional feedback in form of criticism in other media.

5) Entertainment: one of the important function of mass communication is entertainment: As a matter of fact, higher percentage of audience prefers entertainment to information. Those in this category include students, youths, teenagers, sport lovers, kids ( cartoons) except for very serious minded individuals who turn the media for information, a quite number of people consume media

products during their leisure time, and as such see media as a tool of enjoyment and entertainment.

However, I have a good idea here so consider it well. In the contemporary world, pornographic magazines are on the increase and their targeted audience who are predominantly the youths are patronizing the print media products. So let stop about the function and quickly look at the effects. Because as regards to have four function. I think the reader will be able to know the function of communication in our given society. Let's move to the effects of communication in nowadays.

THE MASS MEDIA EFFECTS

There is no way you can spot the effects of media especially in nowadays without a comprehensive study of the media itself. That's what I did. I like advanced knowledge. Mass communication is not my field but at least I know something about it. Just because of the way and manners in which media took place in my entire life. Let me also spot two media effects

1) Violence

2) Alcohol and drugs

Violence: is also the main problem because much of the things that are motivating people to act violently is imitation. They are imitating people that are watching especially in televisions. TV, exposed people to violence acts and which make them behave violently. In other words, there is a causal relationship between televised violence and anti-social attitudes of television

-. Alcohol and drugs: the issue of alcohol and drugs is closely related to that of violence in that both blame the media for exposing people unnecessary to drugs and alcohol. And still In my country Nigeria we are experiencing this problem. People are imitating celebrities from what they are doing. Even if they are doing bad, they will not consider it. They are just after celebrities, which they are watching through media.

LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT OF MEDIA EFFECTS

Generally media effect could be assessed at many different levels. They include at

1) Individual level

2) Family level

3) Reference group

4) Community group

5) Societal group and

6) Cultural group

One need to point out that different approaches to the assessment of the impact of media can be used. At the individual level, for instance, scholars might be concerned with media effects on attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, or examination of media effects on perceptions of reality, on level of anxiety on moral judgement on predispositions to commit a crime, and on many other dimensions of the way we think, feel or act.

MAJOR NEGATIVE ROLES OF MASS COMMUNICATION IN THE SOCIETY

As I said earlier there are many negatives roles of mass communication in the society but let take few to understand the point clearly. So that the reader will be able to get the point. Beside some of my friends will soon construct their points for the continuation of this book. In respect of Zoro, Ashiru and Anas

However let me take two negative roles.

-The two major negative roles of mass communication in the society is the propagation of violence and pornography. I proved that these two have caused negative behavioral tendencies and institute false the values in the minds of people, especially children’s more often than not. The children’s who are exposed to violently act in films and on televisions tends to act violently in their day to day affairs. In Nigeria the exposed of school children’s to James bong and other related media products have made the children’s to behave negatively. In school children’s take on their fellow students in fight similar to what they have watched in Bruce Lee and hulk Hogon's on televisions.

Apart from violence, the mass media are use to expose people to illicit sex through blue films and adult films. Mass media corrupt the moral sanctity of the youths by increasing their desire to have sex even at a tender age. Also what is more worrisome is the growing number of websites devoted to sexual activities where people could watch sex films and pornographic pictures at a near zero cost? These two major have played an important roles for the negative development of modern societies.

Despite the obvious impactful nature of the mass media, at least to a layman, there exist sharp arguments and counter arguments about the presence, strength and operation of effects. In other words, school of thoughts exist as regards to the limit.

As regards to the limited or minimal effects of the mass media. The arguments and the counter arguments are presented below.

As organized by Usman Musa

1) Media content has limited impact on audiences because it is only make believe people, isn't real.

COUNTER ARGUMENTS

News is not make believe (at least it's not supposed to be) and as most people are supposed to take it seriously.

2) Media content has limited impact on audience because it's only play or just entertainment.

NEWS IS NOT PLAY OR ENTERTAINMENT

Even if media content is only play, play important to the way we develop

our knowledge of ourselves and our world.

As regards to have at least four theories of mass communication. At least the readers will understand that these theories suited in our modern societies. Also in another point, sociology use some of its theories to explain mass communication. It explained the effects of communication based on its perspectives. Let's take sociological perspectives here to elaborate mass communication in numerous aspect.

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MEDIA

However, there are three major sociological perspectives which includes,

1) Functionalism

2) Conflict

3) Symbolic interactionism

Functionalism as a perspective laid on social institutions. It believes that each social structure has some contribution for development of a given society. Social institutions like family, school, politics, health etc. Therefore mass media as a social institution provide the highest negatives for the mental development of people

especially youth. Here sociology used one of its, perspective to explained mass media.

Conflict perspective, this theory believed that even the conflict itself have some positive consequences. In sense that during conflict most of the people will be employ maybe as result of bringing solutions. I truly like this theory. Let's take Nigeria as a point of understanding this perspective. During the administration of Good luck Jonathan Ebele. There was an insurgency in the northern Nigerian. Especially in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Which led to great jobs improvement and efficiency, a lot of youths we're been employed as a result of the insurgency. So this theory focus on the positive and negative consequences of conflict as a social structure. Therefore as opposed to functionalism, conflict theories believe that mass media serves to reinforce the distance between genders, different races and ethnicities and social classes, rather than promoting social harmony.

Symbolic interaction as a perspective in sociology. Is most concerned with face to face interactions between members of a given society. This theory used symbol as a point of understanding human behavior. It focus on meanings. Any action that attached meaning to it can be regard as a symbol interaction.

All these theories explained mass communication in different ways. So I may say each discipline has it way of explaining communication.

SPELLING ERRORS

Up course, spelling errors is also matters. Because much of the people in nowadays. They have this problem of spelling errors. Because they are addicted to social chartings. Where they exchange information in a simple and easier ways. They are just using abbreviation as a point of understanding. So this problem contribute much for the failures of people in exams, especially WAEC and NECO. And even on this, people are also failed most of exams in the higher institutions as a result of this matter. In fact we came to a situation where you can see a SS3 student that he/ she cannot even know how to write his/ her name.

In conclusion, the media became one of the symbol of new society and humanity. As I introduced since from the earlier. Communication make a radical change for the mental development of any given society. There is no way a person can escape from this concept. So we just have one to two ways of prevention it. Firstly, we have to not always devote our time using maybe, WhatsApp, Facebook, instegram etc.

This is nonsensical, believed you me. There are a lot of people. That they are just waiting their time watching bad films, pornographic materials, imitating celebrities.

Constructed By Usman Musa dont forget to subscribe to my blog