Popular Culture and Electronic Media Paper

In the past 50 years the influence of the media has been increasing at a very rapid pace, this is all because of the advancement of technology. It all started with a telegram, and then came the radio followed closely by newspapers and magazines then television and finally with the introduction of internet the influence of media has become much stronger and constant. As we know that our society is only dependent on information and communication, we need both so that we able to move forward but in the right direction.

We also need information and communication so that we able to conduct our daily activities for example, work, receive education, have personal relationships, travel and other thing etc. and this is all made possible with the help of media. For example, this is how much media influences an individual’s life from waking up to going to work, meet friends and family. The person checks the newspaper or hears news on the radio or views it on TV to make their financial decisions, what to wear or what to eat or even what to buy.

As viewed above media has positive influences on the public media but it also has negative influences as well. But it mostly has negative effects and influences on people, which causes them to do rash and harmful things like violence (when they view it constantly on TV and movies). (Bryant & Zillmann, 2002) The American people who are mostly influenced are young people from the ages on 12 years to their mid-twenties. With the help of advertisements the media makes somewhere around billions of dollars annually only with the help of ads and the information they expose to the general public.

This is how it works, after seeing an advertisement for a millions of time on the TV or newspapers and magazines or hearing about it on the radio, we eventually end up buying it whether we need it or not because we are convinced that our lives will not be complete without it or it is the best thing that is happened; the decision about buying the product is already made by the media because the convince an individual in such a way that he or she eventually buys the product, to see what it was all about.

The effects of media on general public, especially the young adults is that they see a product, which is being advertised by their favorite celebrity, they end up buying it because it is a part of fashion which has been imposed on them by the media. Media as we know leaves positive as well as negative effects on a young adult (who are very impressionable), but it leaves more negative effects. (Bryant & Zillmann, 2002) Trends of Media Trend is something that is predictable and durable; it basically helps to reveal the shape of the future.

There are different trends that have been propagated by the electronic media, they are as follows:- Social Networking When we talk about Social networking internet always comes to mind. Internet is now going to play a bigger role in the media, because it is something that everyone has an access to. And it also brings social networking to mind as well like Facebook. com or Twitter. com etc. Consumerism: when we talk about consumerism we need to remember that media and consumerism always go hand to hand, because one thing without the other is not possible.

For example, companies like Coca Cola can direct market their products online. The internet as we know is a global web, which connects somewhere around 45,000 networks and this interconnection has made global communication possible. Coca Cola is one of those companies who have setup online information (about their company and products) and marketing services (like advertising). Social Responsibly: with the help of internet technology individuals realize their social responsibilities.

For example, with the help of tech media social change can be moved forward and at a very fast pace, here Twitter. com or Facebook. com can be used by creating a blog and through this a great of people can be involved. (Selnow, 1998) Violence: with the help of tech technology violence has increased ten-fold. For example, social media sometimes plays a very disruptive role and creates violence. For example, a blog on facebook. com can lead to violence between individuals and this creates hatred among people. (Selnow, 1998)

The Television Trend The television trends are another trend which has been created by the electronic media. The videos now a day play a very major role in an individual’s life especially in a young adult’s life. Consumerism: The media uses direct influence in the form of videos to persuade the individual towards their point of view, or it persuades an individual’s to buy the product. For example, in the past decade or so, people especially young adults are trying to fight obesity and anorexia, but it has become very hard.

What happens is that an ideal image is created by the media of very beautiful men and women and how successful they are and it is constantly showed in advertisements, movies and music videos. And the hidden message of these videos or ads is that if you’re not like the ideal image of the perfect man and women shown in those ads then you are not cool or even worse ugly. And as we know that young girls and women are very obsessive about losing weight, even when they are not fat.

When they look up to their favorite celebrity or super models and see how thin they are, these women engage in eating disorders that is they stop eating altogether and this leads to sever health consequences for them. (Selnow, 1998) Social Responsibility: with the help of videos and advertisements on the television people become aware of their social responsibility. For example, Intel has launched their ad on television about going green, and how that they are helping the environment, this makes the customers understand that the company they rely upon does care about the environment.

This leaves a positive impact on the company’s consumers. Violence: For example, violence in preteens and teens. They keep on seeing violence on TV and videos and then they believe that it is acceptable in the society that is such kind of behavior. (Selnow, 1998) The Mobile Trend The cell phone trend is increasing day by day, why, because every individual carries a cell phone because it is very handy and with it they can get any information they want and it also helps with communication. Consumerism: consumerism has increased with the help of cell phones.

Cell phones now come with the option of connecting with the web. People can use cell phones to get connected online because they want 24/7 access to information for this companies like Nokia and Apple are taking advantage of this trend. For example, Apple sold nearly 4. 5 million i-Phones in the first part of this year. (Dotter, 2004) Social Responsibility: social responsibility becomes more convenient with the help of this trend. It helps with globalization and communication and it increase cultural awareness throughout the globe. Violence: violence has increased more due to the mobile trend.

For example, if there is a fight between students in a school they can call for more reinforcements and this can get out of control. Cell phones are like weapons which can cause a great deal of harm. (Dotter, 2004) References 1. Bryant, J & Zillmann, D (2002), Media Effects: advances in theory and research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pg 634 2. Dotter, D L (2004), Creating deviance: an interactionist approach. Rowman Altamira, pg 153 3. Selnow, G W (1998), Electronic whistle-stops: the impact of the internet on American politics. Greenwood Publishing Group, pg 7

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