EOTO: MSM | Mainstream Media

Today we live in a world that is saturated with numerous ways to reach people. MSN or mainstream media is the major source of communication and describes large mass news sources found in print, TV, radio, but also news on the internet, podcasts, film, satellite radio, and social media. These media outlets are owned by a small number of conglomerates like Disney, At&T, CBS, Comcast, Newscorp, and Viacom. The delivery of the news was once contained to either print, television, or radio but today the internets sophisticated technology allows for multiple news outlets, each with their own agenda, audience, confirmation bias, and slant. A recent report stated that, "the idea is that when six corporations, whose primary motivations are to ultimately profit as much as possible, are in charge of what we consume, the narratives do not challenge the status quo in the ways that could inspire large-scale change." (Pathfinder, 2022) Like most things in life, there are both good and bad implications to mainstream media. 

Mainstream media comes with many positive benefits. Mainstream media outlets help to keep us connected. Before such conveniences, knowing what happened in the other part of the world was impossible. For example, today we can find out about major weather events taking place thousands of miles away. This type of connectivity is very convenient and certainly makes our transmission of knowledge and information instant. MSM is also good for business. Marketing and advertising has helped to make business easier for communicating with customers. MSM is also beneficial in educating us about other cultures. The internet allows for instant discovery of new places all around the world. Mainstream media also provides a voice for those who can teach and inform who otherwise may not have such an opportunity.

Mainstream media influences every single person on the planet and every society that has access to it. If you look at television alone, you will find the wealthiest and poorest among us all have televisions. Programming is aimed at all ages, backgrounds, and socioeconomic status. The negatives of mainstream media do exist and one of the biggest problems is that great influence exists for those in power. Celebrities, large corporations and those in positions of leadership control what media is transmitted to us. No surprise that MSM can also be used to spread hate and disinformation. What greater resource to spread lies and promote propaganda than through mainstream media. I believe one of the biggest problems is that with all the mainstream media outlets, we are being bombarded with round the clock access. When our focus is on non stop media then we are no longer engaging in personal connections. The next time you are at dinner, stop and look around at how many people are on their phones. Mainstream media is right at your fingertips and this instant access allows for instant influence-whether good or bad. Television alone reaches millions of people. With younger adults being the target audience for television programming, marketing products and ideas can be very powerful. 

Trust in our news sources is at an all time low. In a research study conducted by Pew Research, "Fewer than half of U.S. adults (45%) say the public has at least a “fair amount” of confidence in journalists, including a mere 6% who think Americans trust the media “a great deal.” A slim majority says the public has either “not too much” confidence (43%) or no confidence at all (11%) in the news media." (Pew, 2020) The study went on to indicate that overall Americans feel more negative about the news media's role in society. 

The amount of media available and the mass consumption rates of people in the United States has grown exponentially but trust in the media has been on a gradual decline since the 1970's. In a Gallup survey done during the pandemic year of 2020, distrust in mass media was extremely high with three key findings:

1. 9% in US trust mass media "a great deal" and 31% "a fair amount"
2. 27% have "not very much" trust and 33% "none at all"
3. The percentage with no trust at all is a record high, up five points since 2019.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/321116/americans-remain-distrustful-mass-media.aspx

Mainstream media can affect different segments of the population differently. When looking at male versus female segments, women are disproportionately represented. Women are less likely to be seen in mainstream media. Women are less likely to be featured as experts in news stories, less likely to be a reporter and under represented as serious characters in children's film. These truths create harmful stereotypes. 

Age is yet another factor to consider. Children spend an enormous amount of time in front of the television and it has the ability to either help (as in educational opportunities) or harm (as in being exposed to content that is not age appropriate). Teenagers are also affected both positively and negatively. The positive aspects are improved reading skills and motor skills but the negative aspects are risk of increased obesity (from non-activity), being exposed to violence on TV, or depressive episodes due to anxiety over things like exaggerated body image or targeted narratives that only tells half truths.

When looking at those of wealth versus those without, mainstream media may affect these two segments differently. Those with wealth would naturally have more access to additional media outlets like film, newspapers, magazines, or satellite radio than those who may not be able to financially afford resources like satellite radio. Access to these types of mainstream media allows those with greater incomes, greater resources for information. This disparity to access has a negative affect on those in the lower income levels because their information and access is limited.  

When examining how mainstream mass media may affect those who are gay or straight, various outlets serve in the role to inform, advocate, and transform public opinion. In a recent article titled, LGBTQ Politics in Media and Culture, it was noted that media sources like newspapers, network and cable television, were the primary outlets that informed the mass public whereas the entertainment media like television and film help to "cultivate our culture's shared values and ideas, which infuse into the public's political beliefs and attitudes." (Oxford, 2020)

My own mainstream media access is tremendous. Living in a time and in a world where connecting globally is a real possibility, there is no shortage of input from such sources. I think I probably have all forms of access. Mainstream media affects our daily life, the choices we make, the political views we hold, how we vote, what our mental health is like, or how we feel about ourselves. There are other issues for my generation that should be considered. Time management is often lost because of the access we all have to mass media. Checking our phones or online news several times a day takes away from our productivity at school and work and not to mention our lack of relationship building. The spread of untruths largely stems from sources in the mass media through disinformation and misinformation. My generation is especially susceptible to it because our belief systems are still maturing.

Because of such influences, both positive and negative, it is crucial for my generation to thoroughly investigate all information and not take the easy route of believing everything we hear/see. For me, I believe it is all about taking responsibility and accountability and to stop being sheep. Parents taking responsibility for how many hours their children are in front of screens, voters are responsible for holding their elected accountable, and citizens are responsible for holding mainstream media outlets accountable for the stories they report and for what narrative they choose to uphold.