Mass Media and Public Perception

                                                       

  

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       The constant reinvention of mass media raises expectations as gone are the days where we were limited to how we received information.  Through the invention of television, society could now, not only hear what is being said, but they also get to put a face to the voice.  An example of this is the 1960 Presidential debate between Vice President Richard Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy where it allowed for people to not only hear what these candidate had to say but they also got to see the facial expressions, posture and the overall physical appearance of these men (Saylor Foundation, 2009).  This newest invention to the media family changed society’s expectations and helped America to decide whom to elect as the next President.  

      The growing impact of mass media created a pivotal time in American culture as the country got to witness for the first time politics through the lens of their own eyes without the limitation of only the sound in radio.  The appearance of candidates became just as important in politics as knowledge of current affairs.  Kennedy looked handsome, confident and in control where Nixon appeared to be nervous and sweaty (1960: The First Mass Media Election, 2015).  This added visual information through television created a new era where media had greater influence over society’s expectations.  The result was Senator Kennedy and his wife began the first mass media icons (Swaby, 2014).

       New media technologies both spring from and cause cultural change.  The newspaper was an essential medium for Europeans that settled in what was to be America to stay connected and develop their way of life to offer an initial expression to American culture.  Technological innovations such as the steam engine, electricity, wireless communication and the Internet have all had significant and lasting effects on American culture  (Saylor Foundation, 2009).  Electricity altered the way people thought about time because of lighting people were no longer restricted to daylight hours to accomplish tasks.  Wireless communication erased distance and the Internet changed the way information is stored and retrieved.

       Media historians Asa Briggs and Peter Burke said that every crucial invention came with “a change in historical perspectives (Saylor Foundation, 2009).”  Social theorist, Marshall McLuhan believed that media mediums are more important than any content that they carry because people and society expectations transform through the dominant media of their time.  Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg explains that the rise of social media mean that today’s culture no longer have expectations about privacy and are comfortable exchanging information (Johnson, 2010).  Mobile technologies offers everyone immediate and consistent access to Internet and its plethora of information.   
                  Recent Internet phenomenons like YouTube enables users to upload videos, television clips, and music videos seen worldwide within seconds (Saylor Foundation, 2009).  With access to so much information, society’s expectations develops a culture with convergent expectations that demands mass media to present news as it happens.  Mobile technologies created opportunities for members of society to become citizen journalist, or create their own brands into the next movie star or rising musician.  Social media establishes a medium for anyone to reach the masses with messages that can shape public perception and raise expectations of a culture.   

References

1960: The First Mass Media Election. (2015). Retrieved from The New York Times Upfront: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/features/index.asp?article=f100608_tp_jfk

Saylor Foundation (2009). Understanding media and culture: An introduction to communications. Retrieved from Saylor.org: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CD8QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saylor.org%2Fsite%2Ftextb

Johnson, B. (2010, January 10). Privacy no longer a social norm says Facebook founder. Retrieved from The Guardian: recent Internet phenomenons, few have made as big an impact as video-sharing

Swaby, S. (2014, January 13). Removing blinds through television invention. Retrieved from Marciaswaby.wordpress.com: https://marciaswaby.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/richard-nixon-vs-john-f-kennedy/