October 13, 2016

Impact of Media on Society

The media, be it social media, print media or the mainstream media has various impacts on the society. There are the negative and the positive impacts that are associated with the media. One of the positive impacts is that of informing the society on the world developments (Burton, 2010). People are informed on the news cutting across business and politics among other issues making headlines. In the case of business news, for example, the business people can be able to make their plans depending on the forces that are there in the market. Secondly, it informs people on healthy living. Through the various programmes and the posts that are made on social media by the health professionals, people can practice healthy living having had more information about the same. Finally, it highlights the plight of the poor and attracts charitable organizations in supporting the poor (Couldry, 2012).


On the other hand, the media has negative impacts as well. For example, the social media has been an avenue where cyberbullying and online harassment has been propagated, and the harassment continues to date (Healey, 2011). Some consequences are associated with such vices such as dropping out of school by the children who are bullied by their schoolmates online. Another negative impact is the erosion of morals through the watching certain programmes on television. Although there are regulations classifying programmes as either suitable for children or not, the follow up is not done. Children end up picking up bad traits such as drug abuse as they aim at copying some of their television celebrities. Unless the media is regulated, there are bound to be many negative impacts going forward.

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