Chapter 5: The Mass Media and the Public Sphere

The beginning of Chapter Five discusses how current arts include arts on the computer, whether it be games or work; arts in the newspaper, television, or it may be watching a movie. Mass media reaches a large number of people who share the same interests. One paragraph breaks down the meaning of mass media. Media means the way of communication or medium and mass means that it covers a large area of people. In the section titled "The mass media and democratic potential" it explains that mass media may be a great way to spread and explain democratic ideas to the world or a nation. A negative to mass media, is that it does not reach everyone and it can be expensive. Local television stations are low cost and do not reach a large audience. Instead of having the media explain to the people about what their issues are, video cameras have allowed people to have their issues expressed on television. As said above, television and other forms of mass media, such as radio, can be expensive. The people watch the television shows, but unknowingly hear the products that the advertisements are trying to sell, and they go purchase them. There are television shows and stations for all sorts of groups of people, such as, women, children, sports, music, etc.