Mass Media: Impact on the World Apparent and Indisputable

By: Ben Doupé


In a world where much is up to debate and speculation, one thing that stands as undeniable is the impact that the mass media (television, newspaper, internet, etc.) has had on the youth of countries around the world. Especially in the United States, the television, first introduced in 1928, has not only affected, but utterly shaped the lifestyles of younger audiences and has truly played a significant role in the developing virtues and ideals of children and teens growing up. No period of history serves as a better example of the media’s impact in the world than today’s ever-changing generation. The news industry alone continues to expand its influence, as people are able to see events taking place halfway around the world in detail, a concept that presents both good and bed consequences. For parents trying to shield their young children’s eyes from certain programming and certain images on TV, the struggle to do so is more difficult than ever. Especially for teens, the TV world has essentially become their reality. Reality shows that parents and the adult world as a whole believe only damage the young mind are now in an almost endless supply. Perhaps even more concerning than television for parents is the vast, dangerous, but at the same time sometimes beneficial invention known as the World Wide Web. The internet, essentially a combination of television, newspaper, and radio, has truly lived up to such a name, becoming the connecting tie of almost every square inch of the globe. Quite needless to say, the internet has had an uncontestable affect on the world’s youth. Beneficial to users in areas such as education and current international information but damaging and corrupting in others, the global connection of computers around the world, as well as other forms of media and communication, remains an unsettled and ever-debatable issue for parents, national governments, and even religions.