Media literally mediate our relationship with social institutions. We base most of our knowledge on the government news account, not experience. We are dependent on the media for what we know and how we relate to the world of politics because of the media-politics connection. We read or watch political debates followed by instant analysis and commentary by "experts." Politicians rely on media to communicate their message. Similar dynamics are presented in other mediated events such as televised sports and televangelism. .
The increase of mass media in our day-to-day lives has fragmented families and split family evenings. For example, within the family, in the older days around a century ago, evenings would be spent with the whole family in a room, maybe around a piano, or table, talking and singing together, basically building up the family bond by sharing special time. Nowadays, evenings will be spent in separate rooms. For example the son will be in his room playing on the new Play Station2 he received for his birthday, the sister may be in her room watching a video, while mum is in the living room watching Korean Drama; and dad is in the dining room surfing the net.
Where a society is connected to the global village through communication technology, they experience simultaneous pressures to unity and fragmentation. Nowadays, there are so many more groups within our community that youth can align themselves with. It's obvious that the mass media has played a role in encouraging the formation of subculture groups - as it has helped young people to see and identify with role models representing different groups. .
The universality of the computer-focused world, in particular, with its diversity of images, provides young people with a broader experience. But at times that can be disorienting. Joni Paige says, "The more intelligent kids exhibit more disillusion." and David Birdwell notes, "It is traumatic for kids to grow up seeing adults in the media fighting, having affairs; 'Just Do It' and 'Just Say No' on the same TV.
