Objectivity - How technology’s advancement in mass media has changed society’s expectation and culture

 

This expansion of mass media at a rapid rate is influencing our expectations and perceptions, and thus the society is accepting new social norms and appropriate behaviours, as learned from the mass media.

Mass media has a huge impact on the society. The society expects that the most, if not all, of the information, that they receive from the mass media is objective. But in recent times the distinction between the news and opinion has vanished. The mass media could broadcast an opinion and the society would accept that as a fact or a new norm. Unfortunately the mass media has the ability to not only broadcast news but also to create news. Whatever the featured story is chosen by the mass media organizations, becomes the topic of discussion. Technological advancement in the mass media has created an issue of objectivity. (The method to create a news story could be objective but not the journalist.) 

Anyone could share anything through the mass media, and it could potentially impact millions of lives and influence them to form that opinion. Fortunately, the society, as it is adopting to these changes, is also becoming more objective and critical, of the information that they receive from mass media. The society has started fighting back on the lack of objective reporting and fake news. Social media giants have also accepted this as an issue. The social media giants are also trying to correct its course and are now trying to provide tools to the society with which they can highlight/tag a piece of information/story as biased or fake.

Moreover, this issue of lack of objectivity in mass media is highlighted by Brian Graham in an article, on Conatus News website. Another comprehensive literature review on this issue is available on weebly.com by the author Carrington Kelso. More informative articles regarding this topic are also available on Time website and a blog website.