Role of The Media

The media has an enormous influence in the lives of many and functions as a means for establishing and maintaining established mindsets of the society. The media is a tool for communication and the ones in charge of the media has control of what they want the audience to believe. Television, radio, magazines, advertisements, etc all persuade us to consider their account of truth, their description of reality. In spite of these, the media plays certain key roles in our societal setting. The level, volume and rate of information communication in modern society are all of an unparalleled level. As a key carrier of information, the media is claiming a more imperative role in addition to its central function of information transmission. Some political, economic and social functions of the media will be discussed in this essay.

To begin with, the political function. Along with the brisk development of information communication technologies, the progress of people’s cultural alertness and the hastening of democratization, the media have been involved on different levels of politics and have brought about insightful influences on varied political aspects. The media, most significantly through its news, coverage, scrutiny and analysis, affects what and how we learn about politics and our own political view. The media is at the core of evenhanded growth in a large sense. The media can expose corruption, bribery and sleaze. They can keep a check on public policy by throwing a fuss on government action. They also let people voice various, sometimes varied opinions on governance and reform, and help build public consensus to bring about change.

Secondly, the economic functions of the media. The media help markets work healthier even in difficult economic crisis like the credit crunch fuss that enveloped the world in 2008. They smooth the progress of trade, transmitting ideas and modernization of business transactions across borders. A person’s insight and sensitivity of matters as the mining sector, transport, immigration and health related issues like the National Health Insurance Scheme which form imperative parts on an economy are affected by the manner, scope and degree of media coverage. The media also serves as an avenue for work for the unwaged.

To end with, we would take a look at the social functions of the media. The media is important for human development, bringing health and education information to remote villages and sensitizing the local folks on important issues of the society. It is also a mouthpiece of the people, that is, it’s through the media that the people get to put across their views on national issues.

Effects Of The Media On The Individual

Media effects, as defined by CommGAP, refers to “the many ways individuals and society may be influenced by both news and entertainment mass media, including film, television, radio, newspapers, books, magazines, websites, video games, and music.” The media in modern times have a major influence on the lives of individuals. This researcher wanting to know how factual the statement above is talked the effects of the media with a study group who were present at the Tema Community Library.


Nearly every teenager growing up in the Ghana is subjected to copious encounters with the media on daily basis. And this study group, being mainly teens, gave out these thoughts about the effects of the media.


The media may not affect what people think, but may affect what they think about, through the choice of which topics to cover and what to give emphasis to. Avid television viewers may drop the attitudes, beliefs or customs of their traditional heritage and cultures in favor of those they see frequently on television and hear on radio. The researcher who spoke to Desmond, leader of the study group from Creator International School, said he had unwittingly uttered his sense of dressing because he become such a big fan of the western style of dressing as he saw in the music videos were on TV and on the internet. He added that, he would spend hours reading about new clothing lines of music artist instead of normally doing his assignments.


Media consumers may become so snowed under by negative portrayals of hostility and crime that they may begin—either cynically or sadly—to believe the real world is a mean and unkind place. Jessica, probably the youngest member of the 8-member study group, gave thumbs true to this assertion. Having spent her early years in the United Kingdom, she always had a bizarre image of Africa as her eyes always met horrific and ruthless scenes of Africa on BBC, CNN and ITV2.


Media messages sometimes arouse recall of stored ideas, data, opinions, or experience associated in some way with the message content. For example, news stories about the Ghana presidential election triggered views and thoughts about the Ghanaian economy, health sector and mining industry. Nathaniel was quick to jump on this assertion when mention was made of it. He had little idea about the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) until when debates were held by the Institute of Economic Studies during the general elections in Ghana. Jessica, in an almost cheerful manner also said same.

Functions Of The Media

The media has an enormous influence in the lives of many and functions as a means for establishing and maintaining established mindsets of the society. The media is a tool for communication and the ones in charge of the media has control of what they want the audience to believe. Television, radio, magazines, advertisements, etc all persuade us to consider their account of truth, their description of reality. In spite of these, the media plays certain key roles in our societal setting. The level, volume and rate of information communication in modern society are all of an unparalleled level. As a key carrier of information, the media is claiming a more imperative role in addition to its central function of information transmission. Some political, economic and social functions of the media will be discussed in this essay.

To begin with, the political function. Along with the brisk development of information communication technologies, the progress of people’s cultural alertness and the hastening of democratization, the media have been involved on different levels of politics and have brought about insightful influences on varied political aspects. The media, most significantly through its news, coverage, scrutiny and analysis, affects what and how we learn about politics and our own political view. The media is at the core of evenhanded growth in a large sense. The media can expose corruption, bribery and sleaze. They can keep a check on public policy by throwing a fuss on government action. They also let people voice various, sometimes varied opinions on governance and reform, and help build public consensus to bring about change.

Secondly, the economic functions of the media. The media help markets work healthier even in difficult economic crisis like the credit crunch fuss that enveloped the world in 2008. They smooth the progress of trade, transmitting ideas and modernization of business transactions across borders. A person’s insight and sensitivity of matters as the mining sector, transport, immigration and health related issues like the National Health Insurance Scheme which form imperative parts on an economy are affected by the manner, scope and degree of media coverage. The media also serves as an avenue for work for the unwaged.

To end with, we would take a look at the social functions of the media. The media is important for human development, bringing health and education information to remote villages and sensitizing the local folks on important issues of the society. It is also a mouthpiece of the people, that is, it’s through the media that the people get to put across their views on national issues.