Effects of media on communication

Full Effects of Media on Communication Communication is an important aspect in life and as the world virtually becomes smaller each day, it becomes more and more essential. Through technological advancements, media became improved, delivering faster information throughout the world in just a matter of minutes or even seconds. Indeed, communication became very easy through media. People in the East an now know what important events are happening in the West at the very same time they are happening. This is perhaps the best effect of media on communication. It has accelerated information dissemination and made it more accessible to more people around the world. On a smaller picture, friends and families can get in touch with each other in a more frequent manner. Before the internet, families separated by lands and seas contact each other through telephone which could be very expensive. Now, there are social media that enable families who are away from each other to communicate more often, at longer periods of time and at cheaper rates. This makes communication more effective and keeps relationships strong as communication becomes more frequent.
Another important effect of media on communication, on a larger picture, is the planting of ideas on the minds of people about a particular incident or person which can affect future communication. For instance, a prominent politician can be reported to have been spotted with a woman walking to a room in a hotel. This suggests things to viewers and can affect the effectiveness of the politician’s speech if he tries to explain himself. Therefore, the media does not only buffer communication, it could also hinder it or destroy it. The media could either create or destroy people through what they present and they could affect positively or negatively how they communicate themselves to other people.
The social media brought people together but it also broke relationships. There are many angles to which one could look to about such incidents. For example, Americans can find virtual friends online from other countries who eventually become their real friends. As communication with the virtual friends become more frequent, communication with real friends and family take an opposite direction. This is true not only in social networking sites but with the effects of other media as well such as the television. While one family member spends his time on the computer, another is in front of the television while still another is speaking on the phone. This causes families to be there but not ‘ really being there’ for each other. It could also be similar to a family who may all be in front of the television whose communications become problematic as well because each one is concentrating on what is being shown on TV. Members could speak with each other but their communication is not too involved compared to when they have nothing else to do but communicate. This is because their attention is divided.
In conclusion, media affects communication in so many ways, positively and negatively. However, people should bear in mind that the things we use to improve our communication do not simply improve or destroy communication on their own but it will take people to do those. Therefore, it is the decision of a person if media will destroy his communication or improve it. After all, everything that is good always have something bad it brings along but it will always depend on the people how they will let these things affect them