The first approach is the mass society

approach which sees society as an

integrated whole, with structure and
institutions holding power and
authority and exerting control over
society.
The concept of mass arose during the 19th
Century, along with the phenomenon of
industrialization and the creation of a working
class. Personal, traditional, and communal ties
within family and community were slowly
being eroded and replaced with more
individualistic and impersonal connections.
Bennett (1982, 30) notes that the term mass
suggest more than the common sense notion of
large groups of people; instead, it implied that
the creation of media was now directed toward
an undifferentiated audience, and that the
traditional categories used in segregating
audiences (gender, class, location, and even
 Media?
powerful agent in establishing social
control in societies. (industries, social
institution, growing urban centers)
was owned by the elite classes.
(which serves interests of its owner)
 Marxist approach
particularly, the base-superstructure model.
Media institution are part of the superstructure,
along with social and cultural institutions. The
base, on the other hand, is made up of
economic institution and economic
relationships which determine the nature and
behaviour of the superstructure.
Louis Althusser (1971), admittedly, a
Marxist, concentrated not only on the
aspects of economic control and owership
but provided elaboration on how ideas are
perpetuated by members of the ruling
class.
Louis Althusser
Some strands of critical theory argue that
media provides social integration and
cohesion. On the other side of this
spectrum is the argument that media can
negotiate, contest, and resist the power
exerted by social institutions,
Subsumed under this is the functionalist
approach that sees society like an organism. It
has parts, or institutions for that matter, each
discharging a function but are linked to an
integrated whole muck like interdependent
parts of an organism. Media as an institution is
one of a societys many parts.
 Functionalism
A major theoretical strand in sociology, has
been significantly dismissed in favor of more
critical theories. However, some studies refer
back to functionalism when it tackles media or
media institution povital role in promoting
positive changes in the behavior of a sector in
society.
Rosalie Abella (1999)

Who studied the role of educational media programs in providing for

higher lesson retention among elementary students (public schools)
 Social Constructionasm
Posits the notion that individuals have the
capacity to act on their own will to produce
institutions.
In media, McQuail notes that social
construction refers to the processes by which
events, persons, values and ideas are first
defined or interpreted in a certain way and
given value and priority, largely by mass media,
leading to the (personal) construction of large
pictures of reality.
Denis McQuail (2000)
It emerged from a phenomenon that some
journalists have referred to as communications
revolution, which characterized the advent and
influx of new communication technologies. The
term information society emerge in Japan as
early as the 1960s (McQuail, 2000) and was
allied to the notion of information economy
characterized by the emergence of a thinking
class, and the rising number and significance of
information based work, mostly arising from
the development in computer technology.
 characterized by
Information Society?
increasing global connectivity
facilitated by the Internet.
Anyone can:
access data, information, and a broad array of
knowledge products.
use it to advance both personal and collective
goals.
create website and upload media in various
forms and formats.
Knowledge societies are about capabilities to
identify, produce, process, transform,
disseminate and se information to build and
apply knowledge for human development. They
require an empowering social vision the
encompasses plurality, inclusion, solidarity nd
participation. (UNESCO, 2007)
Human development is significant concept
raised by UNESCO. Beyond the benefits
generated from the excess information and
data that underpins information societies,
UNESCO argues that it should be wielded to
push the goals on human development for
all.