how does media influence us?

Answer 1

What you buy, what you eat, what you drink, what you think, how you view the world, what you consider normal, what you consider classy or tramp, what you know, how you react, the ways you react, the horizons of your world - media influences us in so many ways it's hard to say just *how*.

Advertising - we're bombarded by it everywhere we go, as much as we say we aren't affected by it subconsciously we always will be. Who doesn't take note of a catchy ad jingle or a well done poster - or the millions of flyers, pop up ads, bus stop posters, billboards, telescreens, scrolling marquees, radio shorts...

News - affects how much we know about the world and the spin that every media station puts on a story makes us look at a situation in completely different ways than what we might've had we approached it on our own.

The spoken word - there's got to be a reason why we quote everything from Shakespeare to presidential speeches, from Mastercard ads to fast food jingles...

The written word - books, magazines, flyers, fanfiction.net (whoops!), posters, tabloids, newspapers...

The list goes ever on and on?

Answer 2

This is possibly the biggest open ended question I've seen on Yahoo! answers yet, and sadly I don't have the material to hand to answer it in the depth I'd like (certainly not with references).

Modern Media forms are omnipresent, Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazine, Comic book and Internet are digested regularly by millions across the globe. It's no secret that in many countries the major newspapers have their own politcial agendas, and can make or break a politician's career through their portrayal of that politician.

For people to form an opinion, they need information and is the average joe on the street going to look much further if half the paper's on the stand are telling him something.

What we hear and see from the media governs much of our perception of the world around us. In the UK we are lucky, The BBC's mandate gives them pretty strict rules over how they present the news, I've also lived in China, which has pretty much the opposite approach.

The greatest influence of all though is exerted through the big media houses.

American television, for example, will sell it's programming around the world. In France, England, Canada et al the TV stations will pay sizeable amounts of money for the rights to show the hit programmes. In poorer countries, these shows are sold at knock-down prices, usually with a condition that the broadcaster also takes that channels news and current affairs shows, broadcasting UScentric opinions around the globe.

The list of effects is very long indeed, but Cultural Imperialism is on of the more notable examples. Also think of the power wielded by certain individuals and companies. Murdoch's News International being the most notable - take a look at how many newspapers and TV stations that company owns, if they decide they want to get a message across, then they will.

Answer 3

The media can influence us in many was, most people believe that it doesn't, but if you get a child to watch someone being violent to a toy and then give them the toy they will react in the way they saw fit. with adults its not to different, you see things on the tv or in films and it works so in the back of your mind its always there even if your not thinking about that... and that certain situation arises and you don't know what to do, you follow your unconscious instinct. However the media can also influese us to buy certain products and stuff because you see it in a good light and then think it looks good therefore you want to buy it!

Answer 4

In too many ways to mention: no company would pay the massive money they do to advertise their goods on television if no one was influenced by TV. Newspapers aim to increase their readership by printing the most salacious story they can find so that the headline makes people buy that paper. You choose which film/movie you want to watch by how you want to feel - if you want to feel romantic, you pick a lovey type film, if you want to be excited, you want to watch a fast moving action movie and so on.. And then theres the internet...Media influences everybody and it is difficult to know what the real truth is in anything these days. An interesting subject, I always think. Thanks.

Answer 5

If u think back to when u were a child, u watch the wrestling (Big Daddy when I was a child), my brothers and sister and I would be wrestling, when we watched Rocky, we would be boxing, when we watched karate Kid, we would be doing the Karate moves, during summer if tennis was on, we would be playing it with our friends, if it was olympics, we would be playing that. As a teenager, its fashion, makeup, hairstyles etc. As an adult its just the same, only it's subliminal messages i.e. you can't live without this product or the other, your not with it if u don't drive a certain type of car, u need,,, need,,,need,,, most of us fall into this unfortunately

Answer 6

The way in which news reporters in all fields present the news make us believe everything they say because in some cases it could be the only source of news, so people have to believe them even if they were wrong, they have the power to control us. Additionally, teenagers are strongly influnced by the way celebrities act or dress and in some cases this could be very harmful and damaging.

Answer 7

They gives us headaches, no offense to you media people out there.

Answer 8

are you refering to advertising? Yeah there good at making us think we really want to buy it by making it look desirable