Apart from bringing up cases of corruption into public’s eye and covering cases that require public’s attention media has also been known for an impartial contribution to peacekeeping and maintenance of order across nations. Several times media has been able to successfully bring the deficiencies of the public agencies into light and raise the level of social awareness. Social awareness has been recognized to be the best weapon to fight against crime and this role cannot be played alone by the government agencies.
Apart from the news media, the role of social media must be also recognized in this area.Social awareness means that you should know what is socially acceptable from you in society and you should act in that manner. Mass media has a prominent role to play in modern society. It can bring about radical changes and improve social situation as it influences our social, civil, cultural, political, economic and aesthetic outlook.
Modernization has converted media into an indispensable feature of human activity. However, factors like age, education, economic condition, personal needs and availability of proper components decide the quantum and frequency of media use.Government started using media as a platform for eliminating social evils and bringing positive change. Finally the people reacted positively to it and now the cases of social evils are decreasing.
The media as an unbiased informer acts as an educator, as a mentor, as the guardian with the free participation of the public. So unless in a society everyone is equal that society can’t be considered to be a democratic society. It is because equality is one of the essential features of the democracy. Promoting equality is actually making an attempt to strengthen democracy.Therefore the media plays a very significant role in strengthening democracy in India.
In the recent times, media’s image has diluted a bit and the credit goes to several factors like the rising competition in the media sphere, rise of the social media, political support to some media agencies and similar more. This has also led to a decline in media’s credibility and popularity as people have started turning towards other sources for credible information. Despite this fact media remains a source of credible information for people around the world on many issues including crime, politics and economy.
It is the backbone of a democracy. Media makes us aware of several social, political and economic activities happening around the world. It is like a glass, which reflects us or attempts to show us the bare truth and harsh realities of life.
The impact of media is really remarkable. The media reveals the drawbacks in the democratic system, which eventually helps government in eliminating the loopholes and making a system more responsible, responsive and receptive. In the age of digital media every day we are bombarded with information.
We get any information of the world with just a click. The flow of information has increased manifolds. Thanks to technology that has brought a kind of revolution in journalism.In general, the mass media is a means to deliver information from a source of information (communicator) to the recipient information (communicants).The entry of information by the mass media impact social change in society. Information thus has the power both to build and destroy.
This means that the mass media in this double-faced. Information that until society can be taken differently by each individual depending on their interests and depend of society’s ability in using information coming proportionally.Media has occupied a place of immense importance in today’s society.
Media is the difference between light and darkness. It removes the veil of darkness with the sun of information and right knowledge. By narrating the various rights and laws for the protection of rights in simple language, media acts as a mentor for laymen. It is now common fact that media is a beneficial agency in supporting or opposing any issue because it commands public opinion.No one is perfect in this world and so is the media.
Here I am not degrading the media; rather I would say there is still a lot of scope for improvement by which media can raise up to the aspirations of the people for which it is meant. I cannot think of a democracy without active and neutral media. Media is like a watchdog in a democracy that keeps government active.
From being just an informer it has become an integral part of our daily lives. With the passage of time it has become a more matured and a more responsible entity. The present media revolution has helped people in making an informed decisions and this has led to beginning of a new era in a democracy.
Priyanka Sarkar
Assistant Professor
School of Journalism & Mass Communication, SFI, Noida
Mob: 9716662558
Email: priyank.skr@gmail.com
Short film produce by SJMC students – Satyam