Six assumptions of direct media effect theory.

Discuss
The mass society theories first arise late in the nineteenth century as
aristocratic skirmished to make sense of the rowdy consequences of
modernization. Monarchs, politicians and elites lost power to deal with the
social problems. They viewed mass media as the root cause of the problem.
The newspapers were blamed of yellow journalism and they were being
criticized for running a monopoly and not following any journalism ethics and
codes in fact according to the elites the mass media cajoled to semi-literate
mass audience. Religious leaders begrudged medias power to attract
readers using such content which was deplorable. The rise of the mass press
after 1840 posed a direct a threat to the political and business class.
Prejudice, fretfulness and arrant fear were often at the roots of mass society
theory. This theory makes several assumptions about individuals, the role of
media and the nature of social change. These assumptions are as follows.
1) The media are a malignant, cancerous force within society and must be
purged or totally restricted.
There were two different views regarding media industry one wanted to
terminate the media industry because according to them it was an evil
which could have been deleterious for the society and mass audience
whereas the opponent of the new media suggested to handover the
media to the elites. In Europe it was welcomed during 1920s and the
broadcast media was placed under the control of the government
agencies. Absurdly, these efforts had a pernicious effect and
consequences when the Nazis came to the power in Germany as the
media highlighted and projected Hitler as a great leader and icon for
the Germans and it helped in promoting the Nazis agenda. Contrary to
this in United States free enterprise broadcasting was created which
was more or less was being checked by the government agencies- the
Federal Radio Commission which later turned into Federal
Communication Commission.
This assumption has both pros and cons as we have seen in the past
that our country had been under the military rule for more than thirty
years and how the media was being controlled and faced constraints. It
was not allowed to show the ground realities, the real big issues
whether social, economic or political. The greats like Faiz and Minto
were being suppressed and our generation was not able to learn from
their work. Pakistan was shown prospering very well under the martial
laws. Similarly, when the media got freedom the results were
dramatically changed. The aspect of the commercialization changed

the whole scenario of the picture. The so called free media is in the
hands of few elites who have strong connections in the civil and
military establishment. The media needs to design such a policy which
should be accepted to all and no one could be able to blame media for
any sort of biasness, favors or coerced.
2) Media have the power to reach out and directly influence the minds of
average people.
Average citizens are portrayed as being helpless before the
manipulative power of media content. The critics have anticipated that
the immaculate have been effected the most for example the
teenagers watching the gangster movies, playing playstation, using
foul language, involved in drugs usage and many other things like
these. The movies like Scar Face, Rocky and many others like them
really effected the younger generation.
When empirical researchers tried to measure the pervasiveness of
similar effects in the 1940s and 1950s, they were surprised to discover
how difficult it was to conclusive evidence. People simply were not as
vulnerable to direct manipulation as critics wanted to assume.
3) Once peoples minds are corrupted by media, all sorts of bad, longterm consequences result-bringing not only ruin to individual lives but
also creating social problems on a vast scale.
Somehow or the other media is being blamed or held responsible for
every major social problem whether it be the drugs issue, prostitution,
or even losing a civil war and similarly many such problems. The
dramas have played a vital role in shaping up the women role in the
society especially the housewives. Media is the only form of
communication that can lead to shape up the lives. The problems are
always going to be there until and unless we find a solution to the
basic economic problem of scarcity which arises due to the limited
resources and unlimited wants. All these things are interconnected.
One cannot be achieved solely. The perception is being created
through the world of mass media. All these movies, ads, dramas,
operas, seasons add and create different pictures in consumer mind
that for example the ones who drink alcohol are the real cool people;
using Gillette looks man very attractive etc. The blackberry and iPhone
are being used by the business and elite class. These are some facts
that create sort of questions but this is how the story goes in and out.

4) Average people are vulnerable to media because they have been cut
off and isolated from traditional and social institutions that previously
protected them from manipulation.
. The early mass society theorists idealized the past and had romantic
visions of what life must have been like in medieval villages of Europe.
Older social orders were thought to have nurtured and protected
people from external manipulation. We have many examples where
governments, political and religious groups dont want to be
interrupted by any other views. North Korea is the only command
economy left in existence as the country is left in complete dictatorial
control by its supreme communist leader Kim Jong (French, p.1).
Chinese government doesnt allow any free media on their soil and
they always crush rebellions. 2600 websites are banned in china also
such as Yomiuri News, Sponichi News and Nikkei BP Japan. In 1989 the
famous Tiananmen Square crackdown was an example of restriction of
freedom of expression in which so many Chinese lost their lives. (Xu,
2014) Although these views have some validity but they neglect to
consider the severe limitations of all previous social orders including
Greece democracy. In most pre- modern social order there was no
personal freedom; people had to learn specific social roles based on
their family backgrounds. Folk communities were closed systems in
which traditional culture structured social life was established, Hindu
community is a clear example of that. They still maintain the difference
of Brahman and Dilat.
5) The social chaos initiated by media will inevitably be resolved by
establishment of a totalitarian social order.
Totalitarianism is a concept used by some political scientists to
describe a political system in which the state holds total authority over
the society and seeks to control all aspects public and private life
wherever possible. Similarly in media the theory of totalitarianism
promotes a specific ideology for example that of North Korea. The
Democratic Peoples of Korea (DPRK) is an isolated state that strives to
be acknowledged as a military power and an independent nation in the
international society. According to this assumption power is exercised
irresponsibly. Political opposition is suppressed and democratic political
institutions are undermined. Gradually, power is consolidated in the
hands of the most ruthless demagogue.
6) Mass media inevitably debase higher form of culture bringing about a
general decline in civilization.

To understand this criticism, you must understand the perspective held

by Western cultural and educational elites during the past two
centuries. In the decades following the Enlightenment, these elites saw
themselves as responsible for promoting and spreading higher forms of
culture, not only within their own societies but also around the world.
The example of this can be the Hollywood movies which have paved
their way into our culture and we have started following the western
culture, although it has damaged our values and culture but still there
is a demand of Hollywood and Bollywood movies. This is one of
technique to dump their movies, books and art into our society at a
very cheap cost. This would make us slave as we would follow their
style and try to meet their standard of living. We would be more of a
consumer rather than a citizen.