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The Four Aspects Of Sociology And Their View On The Media

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The four aspects in sociology and their view on the media
The media comes in many different formats ranging from the internet (new media) to newspapers (old media, which has been around for many years). The term ‘mass media’ refers to the technology, organisations and producers involved in one-way communication with large audiences without any face-to-face or personal contact. The media is mostly owned by trans-national companies (TNC). This essay explores the views of several aspects of sociology: Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism and Post-Modernism along with their views on the media, those who own it, and ultimately the role that the media plays in society.
Functionalism is a structuralist, macro, systematic theory based on the role of …show more content…

By doing so the media compliments other institutions in the socialisation process, for example the family, by further integrating the individual into society. Due to its role as a social institution, functionalists say that the media reflects and reinforces the value consensus by teaching the already established norms, values and the general agreement held by the masses. The ideology portrayed in the mass media is said to reflect society, as such acting like a mirror and ideologically neutral. This sociological theory finds no issue with TNCs controlling the media. Functionalists believe that the society in which we live is a meritocracy and that TNCs work within a fair and open market, for example any person in this society could start producing their own media on for example on Youtube or by publishing their own newspaper.
In opposition to the functionalist view is Marxism based on conflict, another macro, structuralist theory. Marxist sociologists are concerned by social class, based on one’s occupations and the power and wealth which comes with being placed in that social strata. This sociological perspective is interested in the exploitive relationship of proletariats by the bourgeoisie, which justifies the social advantage of the wealth compared to the disadvantage to the ones who are not. The bourgeoisie have the power over the proletariat, the labour force creating the wealth for the ruling class. Marxist sociologists say that the media

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