The Media’s Role in Modernization
Module 5: Summary chapter 8 and 9
The media is a major concern in the society. This is because of its content and control and functions. The media plays an important role in the society. First, the media informs the public about important world events. In addition, the media reflects the cultural values in the society. This enables people know the different cultural values in the society. Also, the media plays an important role in a democratic society as it gives voices to various groups with different interests. It helps prevent the formation of authoritarian government in the society (Johnson, 2003).
On the other side, the media plays an important role in modernization. It also helps spread modern cultural values and beliefs to the traditional society. The media can become a major concern in the society if it becomes dysfunctional. For example, if the media distorts the content to fit the political system or its interest.
People argue that the media can help liberate the society and unit the society. This is because the media helps modernize the society. The media helps change cultural beliefs and values in the society. This helps eliminate oppressing beliefs and values. For example, the media helped modernized the Indian society. The society did not have access to modern technology like television. The society relied on stories to educate the members in the society (Johnson, 2003).
The incorporation of television in the society helped improve education in the society. People in the society were informed through the television, but not traditional stories. Though the media helps educate the society, it can also hinder people from bringing change to the society. It can also fragment the society. The study carried out in Rural India showed that there is a strong correlation between media like television and social change. Television has influenced several things in the Indian society. It has affected consumerism in the rural Indian as people have started advertising commodities on the television. This has changed how people in this community organize their lives and relationships.
The normative structure and relationship parameters have experienced rapid change. The elements could have taken decades to change if the television was not available. Television has encouraged urban modeling and migration in the area. The residents have migrated from the village to urban areas to look for better jobs and improve their lives. Though, the media has changed life in the rural India, it has brought negative effects. For example, television has led to fragmentation of the society through migration. Only women, children and elderly people are left in the villages as other people migrate to the cities (Johnson, 2003).
There are various sources of media bias. The media bias results from powerful government positions and also cultural factors. Top officials in the government or politicians are capable of influencing the content displayed by the media. This leads to biasness as the media is biased on the content delivered. Some of the journalists are influenced by powerful officials to give biased information. Some of the journalists are conservative and this affects the content of the media as they twist stories to fit their interests. The view on world events has been influenced by media biasness in one way or another.
This is because the media distort the information on some world events to suit their interests or the interests of economists or politicians. This also influences the message being delivered to the public. The message is only aimed at protecting the politicians , economists ,but not the public. Journalists always distort terrorism news and war news to fit their interests. This misleads the viewers as they have hard time identifying if the information given is true or not. Journalists always have different views on a story. This is because the journalists have different worldviews so they are likely to give different explanations (Johnson, 2003).
Hynds article on balance bias with critical questions has helped viewers understand the news aired in the media. For example, viewers have been able to understand why media biasness is common. Journalists are always selective on the sources of the news. This makes the news presented to be biased. The article has helped me understand the news as it has helped judge the creditability of the sources used. News coverage are supposed to have enough background so as to help the viewer understand.
The article has helped me understand why some questions are left unanswered. Most journalists do not answer questions involving government officials. This makes it hard to understand the news. The guidelines have not changed my perspective on the news as the critical questions in the article are not answered in the news (Johnson, 2003).
The forces of globalization have affected indigenous people in different ways. For example, globalization has affected the cultural values in the society. It also led to erosion of cultural values and beliefs among the indigenous people. The indigenous people are displaced by other people in the world to give way for economic development. Globalization has led to integration of various cultures using the latest economic factors. This has led to loss of cultural values in the society. Other forces affecting indigenous people are political and economic forces. The political leaders in the country have displaced indigenous groups in the world.
This has led to loose of indigenous groups in the world. Also, economic forces in the world have led to loose of indigenous groups in the society. Many countries have established economic measures to promote development in the countries. This has in turn affected the indigenous groups as they have to adopt to the modern methods of living and live their way of life. The organization discussed by LaDuke is different from the organizations discussed by Bordewich. The organizations discussed by Bordewich are ideal than those discussed by LaDuke. The organizations are not common in the United States and in other countries as peopled have not worked hard to make them successful (Johnson, 2001).
Reflection
The media bias is a common problem in many countries. This is shown by the media news presented in different countries. The stories in the media are not clear and this makes it difficulty for the viewer to understand .The stories are not true as they reflect the views of the journalist and other top officials in the country. The sources of the information and the background of the information are left out. The stories do not reflect the viewpoints of various citizens in the country. Hence, media bias is common in the world (Johnson, 2003).
Reflection
Indigenous peoples are considered the original inhabitants of the regions that been incorporated by economically and politically powerful people in the world. The indigenous people include people who were conquered and colonized by the capatilalist countries 500 years ago. There are various problems that indigenous people face. For example, indigenous people face cultural extinction. The people have lost their cultural beliefs and values due to globalization. The indigenous people are affected by development as they are removed from their ancestral land to other places to pave way for development (Johnson, 2001)
The United Nations has development several measures to help protect indigenous groups. For example, the United Nations has established an organization to fight for the sovereign rights of indigenous groups. For example, the United Nations established the U.N Year of World’s indigenous People to fight for the rights of indigenous groups in the world. The organization has helped raise money to fund community programs to help indigenous people. It has also helped countries and leaders understand the rights of the indigenous people. Also, the United States president Clinton fought hard to protect native American Indians. Also, the indigenous groups have also fought for their rights and resources using campaigns and court solutions (Johnson, 2001).
Reference
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