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grown over the last years is obesity. There are millions of adolescents
fighting obesity, but at the same time they are exposed to thousands of
advertisements of junk food, while the ideal image of a successful
person is told to be thin and wealthy.

The media has a huge impact on society in shaping the public
opinion of the masses. They can form or modify the public opinion in
different ways depending of what is the objective. For example,

Pakistani media influenced the public opinion against the Taliban in
Swat by repeated telecast of a video clip showing whipping of a woman
by a Taliban. Before that the public opinion over the military action
against the Taliban in Swat was divided, but repeated telecast of this

short video clip changed the public opinion over night in the favour of
the government to take action. Other ways to influence are with polls
and trends, especially in political campaigns. The candidates that can

pay for more tv and media exposure have more influence on public
opinion and thus can receive more votes.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. What are the main functions of mass media?
2. Do you agree that basic functions of mass media can be divided into

three broad classes: informing, persuading and entertaining? Explain.
3. Which of the following three functions of the media is the most
important: (1) the knowledge gap, (2) agenda setting, and (3)
cultivation of shared public perceptions?

4. Why do most people in the society depend on information and
communication in present era of globalization?
5. Why do we put our trust on the media as an authority to give us

news, entertainment and education?
6. What is a positive influence of ad campaigns?
7. Comment the following statement: “The media has a huge impact on
society in shaping the public opinion of the masses”.

8. How can media make billions of dollars?
9. Do you agree with the statement: “Our kids that are starting to grow
and are shaping their personality values and beliefs can become

aggressive or they can lose a sense of distinction between reality and
fiction”?
10. Summarize the text.