How mass media uses every means of communication

There are several media uses, from passing on the latest news and information to expressing ideas through art, and from entertaining the masses to reporting on the ups and downs of a major sporting event. The media is all around us, and affects our daily lives in so many ways. It’s also been with us for centuries, so it’s hard to imagine life without it.

The rise of the television age

In the modern era, television has been by far the most influential form of media, although in the last few years the Internet has become increasingly prevalent. From the 1950s onwards, TV ownership became more and more common, and it’s rare these days to find a home in the United Kingdom which doesn’t have a set.

Before the advent of mass TV ownership, people were informed and entertained by the radio in the home. Many performers became major celebrities, and went on to be household names. Of course, the period between the 1930s and 1950s was known as the Golden Age of Hollywood, and the most famous names on the planet were movie stars.

The media uses celebrities to get its point across

The influence of Hollywood during these years is difficult to imagine nowadays, but it was very real at the time. Fan magazines reported on the tiniest details of the daily lives of stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant and Clark Gable. The celebrity-obsessed magazines of the modern era are in many ways a throwback to those publications.