Does media directly influence individuals?

Regardless of which media become less or more popular, they are a direct tool for influencing the public.

If earlier the media appeared in order to inform - as a news product, appeared at the time when people carved advertising texts on stones and trees - then over time, society began to understand that information can manipulate, and began to create news in form of newspapers, and later - on TV, shaping news for a specific purpose and displacing information resources with manipulative ones.

A little later, they were joined by the advertising and PR “maestros” - Leo Barnett and James Ogilvy, who re-invented ways to use information - combining textual, visuals, sounds in a system of persuasion.

During eras, the media have undergone such evolution:

• announcement format
• information and advertising format
• advertising / propaganda influential format.

Today the media do not just convey information that is already relevant, unique and evocative - their important purpose is to create the kind of information that will control the minds.

As people became more well-read and demanding for individualism, the direct influence of the media gave way to the indirect and deeper affect. People have become more demanding and picky about information, they filter everything they hear or see, that is why media channels have become more interactive and inventive.

Today the media prefer indirect attention. In which way they do so?

• transforming news into special events
• using veiled advertising slogans (instead of “we are the best” ads show the benefits of the brand)
• using third parties (influencers, experts, opinion leaders).

It is important to consider that the form of influence - either direct or indirect - depends on the chosen communication channel.

For example, a press release that announces a new product will likely not draw attention to it. But the publication of the same news on Facebook will provoke a live discussion in the comments.

II. What determines what media an individual will use?

• Age - age dictates the complexity and interest of the materials consumed. Thus, young people are inclined towards visual content (photos, videos) that reduces the need to read text - preferring social networks and interactive media - blogs, vlogs, Youtube channels, TikTok, video games, special events, etc.
• Gender - depending on the gender we select the media of our interest, sorting them by topic (women's magazines or programs about cars, etc.)
• Social status and level of intellectual development - for example, politicians are more inclined to go through politically, highly intellectual print media that convey complex issues and problems of society, conveying complex and informative topics, as well as topics that are difficult for an ordinary citizen to understand; similarly with researchers and scientists who easily turn to scientific publications, the essence of which is clear mostly to them only.

While representatives of the lower social classes are more inclined to read the “yellow papers” and watch scandalous talk shows.

• Accessibility - whether there is a physical or financial access to television, advertising space in this demographic zone; whether a particular social group has available time, etc.

But do individuals actually choose the media?

It is important to take into account that often it is not we who choose the media, but the media choose us, forming the format, content and themes for the target audience in advance. When entering the market with a new TV show, magazine or telegram channel, the media knows in advance which audience is choosing it, thus the audience is actually limited in choice - the choice is made for it.

The reason is that a competent media channel knows that prior inspection of the TA will allow maximum coverage of the audience and ensure high engagement and readiness of the audience to receive messages.

Therefore, the choice of communication channels for advertising, news and other messages is one of the key tasks in developing a media planning strategy.

How involved should the government be in protecting us from media effects? Where do you draw the line between free speech and indecency? Is censorship ever warranted?

Everyone has the right to express their thoughts and points of view, while adhering to ethical norms and standards.

On the one hand, we have the right to use the media as a form of expressing our opinion, on the other, we must respect the nature of the media and not try to influence the opinion of other people using manipulation techniques or statements that are offensive, discrediting and demeaning to other opinions or other people.

People forget that democracy is not equal to foul language, but has morality and respect under it.

In this matter, the role of the state - in the regulation of ethical norms and standards - exists, and this role is high.

The role of the government

The state, having in its hands the “reins of the law” and the ability to govern them, can balance the issue of understanding democracy and censorship in the media, as well as create an information filter for information coming into the media.

Today the nature of the purpose of the media has changed, and the corruption of the media space has grown. Therefore, the state can and should influence the education of people in terms of media consumption: explaining what is good and what is a hollow or low-grade media resource, how to distinguish news from lies, prevent the appearance of corrupted information on the pages of earlier good publications. And yes, explain, explain, explain - to people.

The less demand for low-grade news is, the cleaner the media field will become.