Importance of Media Today

Importance of Media Today Today, media has become almost as necessary as food and clothing. It is true that media is playing an outstanding role in strengthening the society; it is a mirror of the society. Its duty is to inform, educate and entertain the people. They help us to know what is going on around the world. They put their lives in danger during attacks or a natural disaster, just to inform us of the situation. It is partly because of them that awareness is spreading in the society. It is the media who shape our lives. Our lives would be incomplete without the media.

Media is the watchdog of the political democracy. If it plays its role honestly, it will be a great force in building the nation but now a days, media has become a commersialised sector eying only for news that is hot and sells. Instead of giving important information and educative programmes, all that one gets on television is sensational depiction of all news stories, their only goal being gaining television rating points.

Every issue is hyped for a day or two, so much so that you switch to any channel, they all will be flashing the same story but then when the heat is over there is no following of the case. The news then vanishes for other stories that are carrying the heat then. However, we cannot think of a world without them. Media has become so much a part of us that to recognise its impact, we need to step back and consciously think about how they shape our lives and what they are saying.

The media affects people’s perspective not only through television, but also through radio and newspapers. In this way, even messages with which we cannot agree inevitably come to us from diverse constellations of media. They can even be turned to our benefit by whetting our understanding and articulation of what we believe. Today news channels and even some newspapers are mouthpieces of some political parties. Their work then, limits only to spread the ideology of the party rather than give correct news. People have to judge on their own by looking and listening to different channels for the same news and then form a conclusion.

Media is an integral part of our society, but that is also a fact that its too much intervention in everything is a matter of concern. Sometimes, just for making money, an insignificant news is given so much priority that the real news is not even brought into notice. Yes, it does also entertain but again it is a debatable issue because by ‘entertainment’ we mean healthy entertainment and not those nonsense TV serials. So at last, like science it is a tool, which we have to use by our judgment to provide maximum satisfaction side by side without harming ourselves. Sometimes, some channels also broadcast and publish the messages in such situation that the real messages are left beyond our hands. The other disadvantage is that some times, they also publish or broadcast some vulgar news, and sometimes unessential activities are served as very important news and broadcasted again and again. This does not broaden the reach of media.

In spite of being sensational and biased, the significance of media cannot be ignored, especially in an age, in which globalisation and liberalisation have become the order of the day. In this globalised world, task and duties of media are increasing day by day. There is still a lot to be done by the media for the betterment of the society.