learning online

Assignment 1 (26-11-12) Within the subject Learning and communicating online, my ideas and concepts about the media have developed in a way which allows me to see the influences it can create on the public. Before I started the subject I was heavily influenced by the way the media would express particular tones, texts and images to help evoke the exact emotions they wanted from their audience. This is a great influential tool which gives meaning and understanding without being bilaterally obvious. At first I never knew the depth in which the media used all types of techniques to promote a message to the audience. I also did not realize there were numerous types of mass communications. “Mass media is communication—whether written, broadcast, or spoken—that reaches a large audience. This includes television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and so forth.”(The Role and influence of Mass Media, 2008, Cliff Notes). This is the best resource to reach the audience in every possible situation. Mass Media is the most accessible and at times sub conscious. Even while driving to work we turn on the radio and presented with numerous media influences. In modern culture, mass media has an increasing effect on our lives. Now day’s television is the most popular use of mass media, but if we take a look back in the 1960 and 1970 era it was much more difficult to target an audience. Only very few fortunate families had the privilege of owning a television. Back in the 1860 to 1930 era, the use to media was seen through still photography, radio and telephone. C. Wright Mills defines mass media as having two negative characteristics which associate with each other. Firstly, very few people can communicate to a large number of people, and secondly the audience has no effective way of responding (The Power Elite, 1956).However, now days with the introduction of the internet, mass media has modified and changed the accessibility of communication and the reaction of the audience. The use of the internet now allows the audience to voice opinions and views through chat rooms. The use of images and photography in the media today is another effective and influential way to evoke a particular emotion in the audience. As an individual, if I see advertisements with people smiling, happy and relaxed, it usually evokes a positive energy and engages me into the advertisement. I believe this tactic is the most engaging and mood setting. With the use of images, it can influence our actions, thoughts and values. An example which the media has used images to influence a trend in today society is with the use of body images. We are now seeing more and healthier food promotions and fashion models becoming thinner. If these images are constantly flaunted in front of the audience, the audience will then see it as being ‘normal’ and also follow the trend. Grogan and Wainwright (1996) argue that girls as young as 8 feel pressured to be thing and are dissatisfied with their body images because they don’t look similar to models and celebrities. This is just one type of way the media has influenced a mass amount of people very simply and quietly. Before I started this unit of Learning and Communicating, I was easily influenced by the techniques the media would use to influence the intended audience. I believe the way in which information and advertisement is assessed makes it much easier to promote the intended message. Basically, I see my skills broadened and strengthened if ever I needed to convey a particular message to my audience. With the development of interent and the way in which us as a society communicates it is almost impossible to be left in the dark. Thus, I look forward to see where we will be in the next 10 years and how advanced our media developments will be.

References
Mills, Charles Wright (1956). The Power Elite. Oxford Press

CliffsNotes.com (July 2008). The Role and Influence of Mass Media. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/topicArticleId-26957

GROGAN, SARAH AND WAINWRIGHT, NICOLA (1996), Growing Up in the Culture of Slenderness: Girls‟ Experiences of Body Dissatisfaction, Women’s Studies International Forum, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 665-673

References: Mills, Charles Wright (1956). The Power Elite. Oxford Press CliffsNotes.com (July 2008). The Role and Influence of Mass Media. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/topicArticleId-26957 GROGAN, SARAH AND WAINWRIGHT, NICOLA (1996), Growing Up in the Culture of Slenderness: Girls‟ Experiences of Body Dissatisfaction, Women’s Studies International Forum, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 665-673