Blog Post #7: sociological textbook study question

Question #3: Do you think people today use the mass media differently compared with how people used media 10 or 20 years ago? Whatever your position, justify it.

When you analyze mass media and how it differs based on time period, you can see a very clear shift in focus of content. Arguably, in some aspects, mass media hasn’t changed—the same persuasion tactics and hypersexualization of women are seen in advertisements, for example. But with the rapid evolution of technology, the mass media industries simply cannot survive without running alongside, if not ahead of, the tide of consumers wanting more things and better things.

An important concept that plays a significant part in this apparent change with the times is the uses and gratifications theory, which helps to understand why people to seek out certain media in order to satisfy their needs. On a Friday night, we want to relax, so we’ll choose something off Netflix to watch. When we need to budget groceries or other day-to-day necessities, we look through ads so that we can price match and save money. Because we now have access to unlimited opportunities and the expanse of availability is nearly infinite, we can use mass media in ways that we couldn’t have before. And since our wants and needs have shifted, the industries that market goods and services to us have changed the way they appeal to us, as a result.

In terms of the news and reporting realm of mass media, information reaches audiences and then becomes ‘old news’ a lot faster than it did before. With social media platforms incorporating news stories in their apps and news companies always connected on social media, it is easier for people to stay in the loop and easier for reporters to interact with users rather than merely present them with information. As more time passes and we become a more complex and advanced society, it may not even take 10 or 20 years for there to be a change in media use. The way people use media and the way it affects our lives is changing every single day.