Essay Sample on The Social Responsibility Theory on Mass Communication

Introduction

The social responsibility theory on mass communication has several and great impacts on the youth of the present day.

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The social responsibility theory that is based on mass communication is the theory that bears several provisions that to a large extent affect and or influence what the media and all mass communication agencies do. It is the theory that provides the specific and or general regulations that govern the media houses, reporting personnel and the data which they provide to the general public. The theory was formulated and put in place for reasons of making sure that media and mass communication bodies despite the big role they play in the society to inform the people on what is trending get to give the people the best of information from their news centers. It involves several regulations of the mass communication firms by special groups of other agencies that provide the media houses with the codes of conduct that are expected to be followed by them to the latter. These are the basis on which the social responsibility theory of mass communication was founded;

Authoritarian Basis

In terms of the authoritarian basis, the mass the theory provides for the way that the media groups have to honor a few things in the society. There are those particular authority groups which are put in place to play the role of setting the standards for the mass media communication personnel. This is in terms of the information they can send or even communicate to the public. In this regard, there are those kinds of reported information which when reported by the mass communication agencies, the authoritarian groups must go deep to investigate them and prove that they are in line with the standards that have been put in place. Actually, the basic thing here is that the authoritarian groups just have to ensure that there is no content that is shared by the media groups that deviate the law that dictates the conduct of the people in the society (Tsukamoto, 2011). This is as far as the moral behavior and ethical behavior of the particular society in scope is concerned. Therefore, there are some kinds of information which the authoritarian groups will not allow to be shared and reported to the public since the standard is low or even the content in those reports is against the expected and set up morals and ethics. For example, despite the fact that it is their responsibility to report news and keep the people informed, the media houses do not have the rights to share very personal information of some particular individuals that concern their lives to the public. According to the provisions in the theory of responsibility of mass communication, this would be risking the lives of those individuals by giving the view of the personal lives to the public (Tsukamoto, 2011). For instance, the media houses and mass communication organizations do not have to reports to do with sexual lives of the persons under scope not unless with authority from the persons themselves or from the authority groups and if so is done, then serious actions must be taken on these media groups. It is and remains the core responsibility of the mass communications to make sure they always report that which is in line with the regulations of the concerned bodies.

The Libertarian Basis

Liberty of the media houses and mass communication organizations as well as that of the individuals who are concerned with all these is key. Liberty, in this case, refers to the rights of the mass communication firms to do and practice their work under any circumstances which cannot be curtailed or rather denied by any other body in any way. The theory on mass communication responsibility provides for and states clearly that the media has got its own rights which it has to follow for the effective execution of their duties (Richards, 2012). The liberty in the first place involves the freedom of speech by media houses and the reporting or broadcasting personnel. Regardless of the truth that there are those regulatory boards that regulate the information that is reported and given to the public by media houses, there are those boundaries which they cannot still cross. These are the boundaries that restrict the freedom of the media groups. The authority should not curtail the freedom of these bodies and if any case it happens that they are violated, the media groups will need to report the authority groups and actions or the necessary measures have to be taken to ensure that the media remains free to do their work with efficiency while at the same time respecting and following the code of conduct and ethics provided by the regulatory firms.

These two that is authoritarian and libertarian provisions work hand in hand as long as the media and mass communication bodies are concerned. So the theory of the responsibility of mass communication works to make it clear and ensure that the necessary guidelines are followed strictly.

The Core Role of the Mass Communications Theory

The mass communications theory and all that it provides in regard to the news and social media has got several aims which include making sure that the standard of mass communication is improved in a great way, ensuring that the rights of individual persons are strictly observed and upheld by the authorities as well as the media(Richards, 2012). It was also for making sure that the media plays their role of informing the society with minimal or simply no interference from other groups and lastly ensuring that the morals and ethics of the society remain observed.

The Effects of the Social Responsibility Theory on Mass Communications Youth

There are several ways in which the social responsibility theory on mass communications gets to affect the youths. The youths of today like interacting with the various social media platforms. The reason as to why they are so much into interacting with the social media and mass communication platforms is because they want to remain up to date and informed and again they always give their views or opinions on issues that matter (Richards, 2012). The theory discussed above has played a big role in ensuring this for the youth and this is how it has affected the youth of the present day;

Giving Freedom to Share Opinions and Views

The youths with this theory have put in place all the regulations and expectations of all the diverse groups involved in mass communication are getting a chance to give opinions regarding several issues. The provision in this theory that dictates that the mass communications bodies have the freedom which cannot be curtailed trickles down to the individual rights of the youths. This is where the theory argues that the individual persons be given the right to take part in reporting and sharing the information on mass media as long as the information they are sharing or giving a report on is a legitimate case (Gunaratne & Hasim, 2012). This is a privilege to the youths in that at the time they are reporting the information, they get chances to air out their opinions about the subject matter.

Opening up Opportunities for the Youth

The mass communications responsibility theory has made way for a peaceful working environment for the people who are responsible for reporting and broadcasting the news to the public. Most of the youths are so much interested in doing media jobs. The theory has made the media and communications field a better field by strengthening the rights of individuals. This is what is actually drawing more youths to the media panel having the thoughts in mind that the big problems that would have affected them negatively have been worked on and solved. Through all this, the youths are seizing an opportunity to get into the media and nurture their talents (Gunaratne & Hasim, 2012). For example, some youths are talented in broadcasting work but because of the fear that they would face problems in their field of work, most of them would not be concerned with venturing into the jobs even when opportunities were there. However, at the present the theory on mass communications having taken care of everything, they are getting more attached to the media works.

Fostered Creativity and Confidence Among the Youth

The social responsibility theory on mass communications has triggered more youths to become more confident and begin to trust in themselves. This is happening now with the theory providing for the security and freedom of individual persons in the media platforms. They are now not under fear of them being arrested or even their works being brought down by authorities as long as they are sure that the works that they are doing in mass communication remain legitimate(Richards, 2012). Therefore with this confidence fostered in them by the mass communication theory, the youths are getting more creative to come up with ideas that will in a great and positive way help in advancing the mass communications arena and solving future problems within their societies.

It Has Changed the Behaviors of Most Youths

All that the theory on mass communications is embracing for the individual persons, media houses, and the entire society at large is having ethical behaviors and morals. Therefore, the youths of the present day are finding themselves willing to live by the ethics and the behaviors that are stipulated in this theory and this is happening especially if these youths are interested in joining the mass communications arena and do work there(Richards, 2012)... The general change of behavior and morals among the youths in mass communications is transforming the society of today and of the future.

It Is Making Youths Aware and Educating Them

From the mass communications theory on social responsibility, the youths are getting to learn more on quite a number of issues from morals, rights and freedoms, expected code of conduct in mass media and so. This is helping the youths to stay informed on the several social issues that matter and affect them. Keeping them aware is, in turn, making sure that they get up to defend what they can defend about themselves and the entire society thus creating a good society which everyone enjoys living in (Gunaratne & Hasim, 2012. The youths through this are finding themselves having the power to rise up and give certain views on the various trending issues that would have negative impacts on them. They are then in turn in a good position to give very efficient and valid solutions to the existing and future problems. It can just simply be said that the theory with what it has provided, has revived the youth in a big way and opened up chances for them to get involved in mass communication and the nation-building in different ways.

The Negative Effect of the Theory

However, nothing comes with such many advantages and positive impacts without some little percentage of negative impacts. Some of the provisions of the theory that relates to the content that one in mass communication can share with the public seems to restrict the freedom of the youths in a way in relation to the kind of information the youths are fond of and like sharing(Richards, 2012). Most of the youths feel that the theory is in a way countering their rights to confine them in certain ways such that the information they share as far as mass communication is concerned should be investigated and regulated.

However, the theory has had a great impact on the mass media and the effectiveness of mass communications has hiked to a great extent with the standards improving greatly. This is out of the people in mass communications following all the regulations that govern them.

References

Tsukamoto, S. (2011). Social Responsibility Theory and the Study of Journalism Ethics in Japan. Journal Of Mass Media Ethics, 21(1), 55-69. doi: 10.1207/s153277...