Activity 1 Transformative power of Media and Information

“Post, like, share, comment, research, chat, and others” is something what to do now in media. Media and information is very important to our everyday lives. It gives us the opportunity to be updated and to be aware in our surroundings. It gives us the opportunity to connect with our friends and love ones. It gives us the opportunity to be citizen journalism. It gives us the opportunity to share our opinions to the other. And also, it gives us the opportunity to challenge ourselves on how to be a responsible media and information user.

In general, "media" refers to the tools of mass communication. Media today consists of television, Internet, cinema, newspapers, radio, magazines, direct mail, fax, and the telephone. Viewers can see some form of pictorial representation of messages through certain types of broadcasting and advertising. Images are visual representations, pictures, graphics, and include video, movies. Images are very useful in media to help get across messages effectively. Today, our life will remain incomplete without media. Media influence has become so powerful today that they can easily influence people positively and/or negatively. We also live in a society that depends on the media as a source of entertainment and information. Media like television enhances our knowledge by providing access to information all over the world. We can also receive different news or daily events through the television. It can be such a powerful educational tool for the younger generation helping to put them on the right path. Newspapers have a positive influence on society. Newspapers not only give information or the latest news. They also help in the positive linkage between government and the people. On the other hand, mass media can at times have a negative influence. Images in the media can have a powerful influence on our behavior. Movies, another form of mass media, today may show violence in one form or another. Images of violence somehow influence individuals and especially the younger generation to think that violence is accepted by society when it is not. Movies can also be used to show sexual images. Such images have a powerful influence on the mind and soul of young people. People who watch these images may be influenced to react in a socially unacceptable or even criminal manner. “With power comes with great responsibility.” Cyberbullying is an issue that unfortunately society has seemed to turn its cheek on. On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media outlet, it requires little effort to harass someone. While many of these sites were created for harmless networking and fun, they have instead turned into some of the greatest tools to harm others with. We should all be responsible social media users. Derisive comments ought to never discover their way into spots that were made to be valuable wellsprings of data and fun leisure activities. Everybody should think before we click.

The role of the media in the contemporary society is difficult to overestimate. They have become a considerable part of our life. They report about various aspects of life, form and affect public opinion.