Analysing Media Output Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysing Media Output - Essay Example In effect, reliability of the study was affected. In another study where quantitative study was also used, the need for the researchers to rely solely on primary data prevented them from collecting secondary data that could answer statistical questions that the respondents in the primary research could not answer. Internal validity was therefore affected in the research. In effect, when the two approaches are combined, there is a better unification of the merits of undertaking content analysis than when only one of the approaches is used. 2. Media content can be used to map long-term social and cultural change. Discuss, mentioning the main challenges for this kind of research in your answer. Generally, the media is described as the eye of society, meaning that the media is an institution that is designated to reflecting on the happenings of society in a manner that entertains, educates and informs the populace (Machin, 2007). The media is also seen as a third party critic of society as the media is expected to belong to a line of argument that is devoid of subjective judgment but rather filled with objective criticism (Fairclough, 1995). Once the latter is done properly, the media should be referred to as an authoritative source for decision making on issues that affect society. Meanwhile, the media carries itself to the populace or audience through the content that it carries, and thus media content. If any reference is being made to the role of the media in society therefore, one could be referring directly to media content. In a recent study, it was identified that the media content has so much power when it comes to influencing social and cultural changes because of the generalized influence that the media has on the society (Riffe, Lacey and Fico, 1998). By this relation, it will be pointed out that society is made up of the social and cultural dynamics of people and so if media content can influence society, then it can easily influence social and cultura l change. There are indeed a number of ways that media content can influence social and cultural change but one of the commonest of these has been found to be the manner in which long term strategic changes are made based on media content. Through means and theories such as framing theory and agenda setting theory, the media can constantly use its content to champion certain key social and cultural issues that it deems as befitting for societal adherence. Once this happens, media content will be directed towards these issues that the media is seeking to champion. The ultimate effect of the application of such theories has also been that society comes to accept the issues that the media sets aboard (Humphrey, 2001). In effect for all long term social and cultural changes that are sought, the likelihood of inculcating the view points of the media content is higher. All the discussions above notwithstanding, there are a number of challenges that can met in