Research Paper on Media's Influence

Nadine Arbid

Carel Bou Maroun

English 204

Research paper

Media’s Influence

Professor Harmoush

March 23rd 2016

Abstract:

This research paper will show the media’s influence on our society, from children to teenagers to adults. It will also explain the evolution of the definition of the media and what is the actual meaning of the word in the 21st century, knowing the world is evolving and changing everyday.

Introduction:

The word “media” is the plural of medium; which is a means of communication. Media can be anything: newspaper, television, a classroom board, and even people. The term mass communications can be any type of correspondence that reaches a huge number of people simultaneously, including radio, TV, daily papers, magazines, bulletins, movies, record and many others… (Wimmer and Dominick, 1983.) With the rise of technology and the Internet, media has become more than that. In the 21st century, what occupies the most important place in our everyday life is the new media. In fact, new media has gained importance very quickly and has evolved really fast. Whenever you want to hear your favorite song, watch your favorite movie, or get the latest news, you go on the Internet, or turn on your television. The source that almost everyone uses to get news from is mass media. Mass media is intended to reach a huge audience, a “mass” audience. It’s with no doubt that we can say that mass media has a significant and far-reaching influence. (Croteau, David, Hoynes, and Milam, 2003.) There are many theories about mass media effects and many real-life examples on how the media affect the society. (Baran and Davis, 1995.) Media are affecting us more and more each day; this can be positive but it can also lead to many bad consequences.

(Levy, Transparency in Politics and the Media:

Accountability and Open Government, 2014)

History of Media:

Evolution of the media

In the 21st century, we live with televisions, computers, laptops, and phones like they’ve been here since forever. In reality, these are all new technologies that imposed on us a new way of life and a new way of making choices.

The diffusion of a message was very hard before all of these new technologies and before the 15th century. In order to be transmitted to another city, or another country, the message needed days and sometimes months. Then came the Printing Press in the 15th century that facilitated the transportation of information through books. Before Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, books were written by hand and they were very expensive. People who didn’t have enough money couldn’t afford buying hand-written books. Writing books became very easy and it helped to diffuse and transmit messages.

One of the consequences of the printing press is the expansion and development of newspapers. However, transportation was still an issue; people had to motion. The printing press is considered the first tool of mass communication. (Eisenstein, 1997)

At that point, the telegraph was designed. “The contemporary media age can trace its origins back to the electrical telegraph, patented in the United States by Samuel Morse in 1837.” (Jack Lule, 2012.) And the main broadcast line was sent in 1844, "What hath God wrought?" There was a shock component when people saw that they could communicate through a tool that links them even if they are countries away from each other.

The telegraph, or primary broadcast, was started from Baltimore to Washington DC. The telegraph is the primary partition in the middle of transportation and communication. Some time recently, you needed to move to convey data. Because of the telegraph, that second you communicate something specific, it touches base to the collector. This new innovation importantly affects news. Indeed, in light of the fact that messages are being shared speedier, daily papers can now expound on what is going on broadly and all-inclusive not just locally. More daily papers have risen.

At that point, radio falls off. At the point when radio falls off, it takes after the same way. In the first place, radio was utilized for military issues, and then it got to be open. Radio pulled in various gatherings of people. After the radio comes the TV. When the TV initially began, it was black and white. The TV took all the substance from the radios and daily papers so these two mediums needed to rethink themselves.

Media today:

What is new media?

The proper question to ask is “What isn’t new media?” According to the “New Media Institute,” new media is “a 21st Century catchall term used to define all that is related to the internet and the interplay between technology, images and sound.” The meaning of new media changes day by day, and will keep on doing as such. New media develops and transforms consistently. What it will be tomorrow essentially can't be predicted for the vast majority of us, however we do realize that it will keep on advancing in a quick and incensed ways. For now, new media is considered to be everything that is digital, mainly the Internet, since the Internet is the newest technology tool that helps to communicate to many people at the same time. (Campbell and Martin, 2002.)

Tensions in the digital age and digital divide

Are we using the Internet? Is the Internet using us? How must we manage these new tools in