Visual mediums of storytelling have been since the invention of visual media. Stories have always had a profound effect on people, no matter the medium but visual stories have a different kind of power. Screen and media has heavily influenced society and media in several ways. Here are a few of them.
Promotion of Certain Products
With the wide reach of screen and mass media around the globe, businesses have become heavily dependent on advertisements to promote their products. When people are subjected to continuous promotion of these products, it creates a desire in them to buy them. This benefits the businesses but in the long-term, it creates a pattern for the people to buy everything that is advertised. This type of irresistible urge can be extremely harmful as it creates a culture of consumerism.
Setting of Trends
TV shows and movies are often responsible for setting trends, be it fashion, beauty, or something else. Even though they are considered a source of entertainment, they end up changing people’s choices just through positive or negative representations of certain things. For example, if a character in a tv show or movie, who is a fashionista, called a certain type of shoes unattractive, this could potentially cause the audience to form the same opinion.
Shaping of Political Opinion
The way news is disseminated on TV can have a big effect on shaping people’s political opinions. Even though News is supposed to be bias-free, many times it can present something in a positive or negative light. This can cause people to form an opinion regarding the political party in news. Even tv shows and movies, whether based on a political topic or not, can have a huge influence in this matter.
Introduction of Different Cultures
With the wide reach of mass media, it has exposed different cultures to each other. Nowadays, movies and shows of several countries can be accessed on a single platform, so it is easier to get exposed to different cultures without going anywhere. Sometimes, people get influenced in such a way that they completely adopt a certain culture after getting information about it from the media.
An example of this could be the Korean wave that has completely enveloped the world. South Korean culture is being adopted everywhere by people of different cultures and religions.
Glorification of Criminal Behaviour
One of the most harmful effects of mass media on society is the glorification of criminal behaviour and desensitization to it. Criminal behaviour includes violence, rape, robbery, and more. Movies and TV shows which casually show excessive violence, murder, torture, etc. often either make it look appealing or something extremely normal. This creates a mindset that criminal behaviour is acceptable, or even exciting.
Cultivation of Certain Social Values
Screen and media influence the complete way of life of people, so social values are also part of that. The way fictional characters of movies and TV shows are portrayed and how they socialise with the characters around them cultivates social values in people accordingly. The audience starts believing this is how one is supposed to behave in a social setting or with their family and peers.
The Bottom Line
These were just some of the ways screen and media influence society and culture. If you wish to learn more about this field, you can check out the cua51015 diploma of screen and media.