Mass media are means of communicating with the general public. These can be achieved through television, radio, telephone, internal facilities etc.
TYPES OF MASS MEDIA
- Electronic Media: these include television, radio, internet, movies etc.
- Print media: These include billboard, newspaper, magazine, postal, calendars etc.
- Traditional Media: These are gong, drum, town criers, gunshot, fire lighting etc.
MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF GENDER
The mass media usually send messages about gender that are beneficial and educational.
EXAMPLES OF SOME MEDIA PORTRAYAL
- Women in transparent clothing suggest that women need to wear this in order to attract men.
- Men have more strength than women
- Women enjoy being beaten
INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA ON VALUES AND ATTITUDE
This can be considered in two ways
- Positive
- Negative
POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA
- They help in reducing gender bias in the society
- Educate young ones about danger of pre-marital relationship
- Create more awareness about HIV/AIDS and STD
- Promote unity and tolerance
- Provide right teaching on sexuality values
NEGATIVE VALUE
- Promote indecent dressing
- It promotes pornography, which increase immorality in the society
- It promotes use of vulgar expression
- It increases violence in the society
- It promotes women as immoral object
QUALITIES OF GOOD MEDIA PROGRAMMES
- They enhance good decision making skills
- They encourages one to be good
- They discourage gender bias
- They teach appropriate moral values
- They portray value of commitment and relationship in marriage
POSITIVE MEDIA PORTRAYAL
- The families work together as one
- The children being educated and cared for
- Male and female are treated with respected
NEGATIVE MORAL PORTRAYAL
- They encourage pornography
- They encourage indecent dressing
- They encourage vulgar expression in image, painting, and music.
See also
TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN
SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR PEDESTRIANS