The Link between Mass Communication Media and Culture

Abstract

The media, as a highly influential social structure, significantly contributes to the formation of an individual's worldview (Gergen, 1999). In a broader cultural context, it bolstered the view that the media tended to reinforce the values and standards that had already attained widespread consensus. Supportive and impartial media are crucial to the success of democracies (Bajohr, 2006). People's ideas about public opinion are strongly influenced by what they see in the media, as shown by the compelling press inference (Gunther & Chia, 2001). Culture is something that is learnt and passed down from one generation to the next. It acts as the social or normative glue that binds together a potentially heterogeneous set of organisation members (Geertz, 1973; Schein, 1983). There are three primary manifestations of culture that are useful for identifying a community's character: (a) outward artefacts, (b) intangible values, and (c) fundamental assumptions that underlie it (Schein, 1984). Culture is acquired rather than innate. One civilization may borrow cultural features from another. Diffusion describes the transfer of cultural practises from one society to another. Diffusion and acculturation both cause a shift or modification of culture. Sometimes the presence of a third person causes dispersion to occur via interaction with them. The mass media influence our politics and our beliefs. Mass societies are vulnerable to the influence of the media. The media's alleged ability to influence public opinion via political propaganda, advertising, and other means has long been a source of controversy. The media greatly influences the social conduct that is a significant component of our society. The research examined the cognitive, attitude, behavioural, and psychological effects of media exposure on a cultural context. The purpose of the research was to shed light on the significance of media, culture, and the interaction between the two.