Mass Media Power

The Powers of Mass Media Over Society

How influenced are we by the mass media? If the media does have influence over society, does that mean that it possesses significant powers? What kind of effects does such powers have over us? These are some of the questions that come to mind with the introduction of mass media which started during the 19th and early 20th century when print media such as newspapers were the most dominant form at the time. With the introduction of various new forms of mass media such as the radio, television and social media, it is not surprising that society is rapidly being enticed by the mass media which further amplifies the media’s influence over us.

In the words of Malcolm X, “The media 's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that 's power. Because they control the minds of the masses (X, 2016).” Therefore, he believed that the media has a strong influence on the minds of society and was powerful to be capable of affecting our opinions in various matters. Although it would seem that a majority of society would be more easily influenced by society such as teenagers, there is also the possibility that some groups of society would not be so easily influenced instead due to various reasons such as their level of concern or awareness on a subject.

In agreement to Malcom X’s belief, it is also my belief that society is strongly influenced by the mass media and it is