Media in my Life

The mass media plays a crucial yet often underappreciated role in modern society. Having grown up in the early 21^st century, I am one of the first generations to have grown up with new media and have witnessed the ‘boom’ of the internet.

One of the forms of media I most frequently use is social networking websites. Many of these have been made into applications therefore there are no restrictions to where I use them, for example Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Social networking sites like these are part of “Web 2.0”, more advanced websites often with user generated content. Facebook offers a messaging platform, which is free therefore I will often contact people through the application than by text, which costs. Sites like Tumblr allow me to share multimedia like images, music or videos and on Twitter I can interact with both people I know and celebrities allowing me to catch up with the news. This is why I do not often buy magazines- I can access the information for free online.

I am also influenced by the film and television industries. I watch these to entertain myself and occasionally if I am stressed because it offers a form of escapism. It also creates the opportunity for social interaction- a lot of my friends watch the show Gossip Girl so we sometimes discuss it or debate what will happen. These are both outlined in the Uses and Gratifications Theory. When I was younger I would watch these films and TV shows either on DVD or on the television however I presently use Netflix. Netflix is one of many current streaming applications that are becoming increasingly popular. This could be because the application means there is no limit to where you can watch it, the subscription fee works out cheaper than paying for hard copies of DVDs/ box sets or the user can pick what and when they want to watch something unlike on a timetabled TV channel. Viewing figures recorded by BARB show that TV audiences are going down, possibly because of sites like Netflix, On Demand services or the increasing number of digital channels.

I often listen to music, either on vinyl or on my iPod. I listen to vinyl because of the sound quality however generally prefer virtual downloads instead of buying a hard copy of the album. The cost is usually less, the music is all stored on one portable device and it is a much quicker process as I can purchase music from home in seconds. The issue with downloads is that while applications like iTunes offer the music legally, the files can be posted online for free and people illegally download them. This means the record label is making a small profit (sometimes even losing money) that is leading to the decline of the music industry.

Although I do not own a gaming console I am able to download games on my phone. This is beneficial because I am not restricted to one room in the house when I play; I can take my games out with me. I often choose free games, unlike having to pay for disks for a console, and although there are sometimes adverts and pay walls (for example on Candy Crush) the costs are much smaller.

In conclusion, the media plays a big part in my life. Although it is not vital to me, it affects me socially, keeps me informed about global events and entertains me.