The Media and its Function

We all know that mass communication is a process of sharing messages to a large number of audiences through some forms of technology at a time. And some forms of technology used to spread messages is the media.

Information

Sending and sharing of information is the major function of media. Since information is knowledge and knowledge is power, media offer authentic and timely facts and opinions about various event and situations to mass audience as informative items. Information provided by mass media can be opinionated, objective, subjective, primary and secondary. Informative functions of media also lets the audience knows about the happening around them and come to the truth. Media disseminates information mostly through news broadcast on radio, TV, as well as columns of the newspaper or magazines.

Education

Media provides education and information. It provides education in different subjects to people of in all levels. They try to educate people directly or indirectly using different forms of content. For example, distance education program is a direct approach. Dramas, documentaries, interviews, feature stories and many other programs are prepared to educate people indirectly. Especially in the developing country, mass media is used as effective tools for mass awareness.

Entertainment

The other important function of media is the entertainment. It is also views as the most obvious and often used function of media. Actually, entertainment is a kind of performance that provides pleasure to people. Media fulfill this function by providing amusement to people. Newspaper and magazines, radio, television and online medium offer stories, films, serials, and comics to entertain their audience. Sports, news, film review, art and fashion are other examples. It makes audience recreational and leisure time more enjoyable and fun.

Persuasion

It is another function of mass media. Persuasion involves making influence on others mind. Mass media influence audience in varieties of ways. Media content builds opinions and sets agendas in the public mind. It influences votes, changes attitudes and moderates behavior. Using editorials, articles, commentaries and among others, mass media persuades audience. However, all audiences are not well known about it. Many of them become influenced or motivated unknowingly towards it. Advertisement is the example which is designed to persuade.

Surveillance

Surveillance denotes observation. Here observation means to watch the society closely. The function of mass media is to observe the society closely and continuously and warn about threatening actions to the mass audience that are likely to happen in future in order to decrease the possible loss. Likewise, mass media also informs about the misconducts happening in the society to the concerned authority and discourage malpractices among mass audience in the society. Warning or beware surveillance occurs when the media. inform us about threats from hurricanes, erupting volcanoes, depressed economic conditions, increasing inflation or military attack. These warning can be about immediate threats or chronic threats. Similarly, news of increasing deforestation, drug abuse, girls trafficking, crimes etc. are also disseminated which may harm the peace and security of the society. News about films are plying at the local theaters, stock market prices, new products, fashion ideas, recipes, and so on are examples of instrumental surveillance.

Interpretation

The mass media do not supply just facts and data but also explanations and interpretation of events and situations. Media offer various explanations correlating and interpreting information to make the reality clear. Unlike normal reporting, interpretation functions provide knowledge. News analysis, commentaries, editorials, and columns are some examples of interpretative contents.

Linkage

The function of media is to join together different elements of society that are not directly connected. For instance: mass advertising attempts to link the needs of buyers with the products of sellers. In this way, media become bridge between different groups who may or may not have direct connection.

Socialization

Socialization is the transmission of culture. Media are the reflectors of society. They socialize people, especially children and new-comers. Socialization is a process by which, people are made to behave in ways that are acceptable in their culture or society. Though this process, we learn how to become a member of our society or human society in greater sense. Though the process of socialization media help to shape our behaviors, conducts, attitudes and beliefs. The process of socialization brings people close and ties them into single unity.