Technology, Mass Media and Culture: Then and Now

Technology has become more advanced and highly accessible.

Technology has always been the gateway for mass media's impact on culture. Radio transformed the way information was communicated to audiences by connecting regions through entertainment and news broadcasting (Blackwell, 2016). Television has had the most impact on culture, as it has always been the medium through which audiences could visually witness cultural shifts through the decades, by way of politics, pop culture and entertainment. Television was enhanced by cable television which pushed the boundaries of  censorship by showing rated R films and uncensored television shows. The creation of MTV(Music Television) allowed music artists to go beyond the limits of radio and influence a new generation of music fans; and news audiences were introduced to CNN, the first twenty-four hour news cable network, created by Ted Turner. 

Television would be the cornerstone of how visual displays of art, politics, and human interaction would have an impact on societal norms. Two examples would be the Beatles performing on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and the Rodney King incident in 1991. When the Beatles were introduced to America on television in 1964, their performance (seen by 73 million people) launched what was known as the British Invasion (Anest, 2015). Their popularity which created a hysteria amongst fans showcased the worlds obsession with celebrity. Police brutality was witnessed by the world when the Rodney King beating was videotaped by George Holliday, who then sent it to the news station KTLA (Ortiz, 2015). The incident would not only influence racial relations, but it would be the first of civilians capturing incidents on camera and showcasing them to the world.

Despite its challenges with mobile technology, television has had the most cultural impact on society.

Technology has become more advanced and highly accessible, and mass media communication has evolved from watching and reading to giving audiences opportunities to comment and give feedback. Facebook has influenced social connection, while YouTube and Instagram inspires creativity and individual viewpoints to be seen and heard. Technology has boosted independence as people are able to video and edit their work and showcase them on social media. New languages such as emoji's and memes have become a large part of texting and social media interaction; and lastly, citizen journalism has become a significant part of social media news viewing (Bulkley, 2012). From mobile phone uploads to blogging and YouTube channels, everyday citizens are taking it upon themselves to tell the news as it is happening. This form of news telling has made people question the validity of the news they are receiving from shared articles on their Facebook pages, even though many of these articles and videos are continuously shared between followers. 

In conclusion as technology continues to evolve, mass media will have to keep up with the ever changing behaviors and interests of the public. However, because of technology's vast accessibility mass media can always be seen, heard and shared, but their biggest challenge for cultural impact is keeping audiences engaged long enough to be influenced by their messages.

As technology evolves, mass media's biggest challenge is keeping audiences engaged.

Resources

Anest, A. (2015,6 July). The Most Revolutionary Moments in Television History. TV Guide. Retrieved from: https://www.tvguide.com/galleries/the-most-revolutionary-moments-in-tv-history/3/

Blackwell, D. (2016, November 8). When America Tuned In To Radio. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/11/when-america-tuned-into-the-radio/

Bulkley, K. (2012, June 10). The Rise Of Citizen Journalism. The Guardian. Retrieved from  https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/11/rise-of-citizen-journalism

Ortiz, E. (2015, June 9) George Holliday, Who Taped The Rodney King Beatings, Urges Others to Share Videos. NBC. Retrieved from: https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/george-holliday-who-taped-rodney-king-beating-urges-others-share-n372551