When it comes to sources of mass media, everybody is a little different. Some people consume there media from books, magazines, news websites, social media, or most commonly television. In my case, I consume much of, if not all of my mass media from a variety of YouTube channels. These channels can range from technology and gaming news, to discussions of social/political issues, to educational “how-to” videos, or just plain entertainment. This is what can sometimes be called “user generated content”, because it is content that is generated by a single user, (or in some cases a small group of people) outside the regulation or influence of corporations.
Because everybody is different when it comes to mass media sources, it is inevitable that people will then evaluate their media differently. For example, my grandfather without a doubt consumes all of his mass media from a few television news networks; his favorite being CNN. These news networks have a responsibility to bring news and current events to the people with an objective viewpoint. In contrast, user generated content that can be found on sites like YouTube or other social medias will inevitably carry with them more subjective deliverance methods because anybody can voice their opinions on a subject. So while my grandfather and I might hear the same story, it’s possible that I may hear only what one person wants me to hear; I might run the risk of not getting the full story, and consequently form an uneducated opinion.
As more and more people begin consuming more mass media from these social media platforms, it is incredibly important that we as consumers are critical thinkers, and are not too quick to form an opinion without the proper knowledge or perspectives. It is important that people hearing about a new topic for the first time look in more than one place to fully understand the situation. Chances are if the topic is important, many people will be discussing it. So consumers should go out of their way to watch different news stories, see more than one networks coverage, and to hear multiple people’s opinions to become properly educated about the topic.
In conclusion, because people consume their media from many different sources, there are differences in how people will evaluate their media.
Matthew's Blog 