The Impact of Media on Business Strategies
Written by: Iman Al-Hayari
The Impact of Media on Business Strategies
Media directly influences many investors and capital owners. It saves time and effort for investors who spend long hours searching for stocks to buy and sell. Media plays an important role in short-term trading, that is, buying certain companies or assets and selling them in a short time. These buy-and-sell operations often occur within the same day or week, with the help of media outlets that highlight available companies and stocks for trading instead of holding them for a long period before reselling.
The Effect of Television on Humans
A study conducted by a media company showed that media, especially television, fulfills human emotional needs. People feel comfort, relaxation, and escape from reality, while also feeling that they gain new experiences — all simply by sitting in front of the television.
On average, people spend about seven hours a day watching TV or computer screens. Consequently, companies spend millions of dollars annually promoting their products through TV ads, striving to attract viewers’ attention and make them addicted to television to achieve their commercial goals.
The Importance of Media in Acquiring Knowledge
Media affects individuals in six main areas: cognition, beliefs, behavior, emotions, bodily functions, and attitudes.
The importance of media lies in the fact that the human brain does not merely receive information from newspapers, books, television, or websites; rather, it processes all that information into knowledge, conclusions, new meanings, and principles related to life and the surrounding world.
The Educational Influence of Media
Television can teach children many useful things, such as learning the alphabet, arithmetic, cooperation, and kindness. Some programs also encourage visiting libraries, zoos, museums, and other recreational sites.
However, recent studies have shown that watching television for one to two hours a day without supervision negatively affects academic achievement, especially reading skills.
Providing Information to Society
Media enables people to access information about national and international events through news. It plays an essential role in shaping public opinion. With the emergence of electronic media, people can now access information instantly with just one click, as photos and videos are shared through television and mobile devices.
Media and Society
Media is based on informing, delivering information to the public, shaping discussions, and maintaining engagement with the issues it presents. Society, with the individual as its foundation, is the arena where media professionals test the effectiveness of their work.
The media’s role is reflected in several key points:
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Delivering information and news: presenting it objectively and without bias.
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Creating discussions and debates: especially through talk shows featuring experts and specialists.
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Shaping public opinion: by focusing on specific issues, influencing perception, and sometimes correcting or changing people’s views.
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Anticipating events: though controversial, some argue it’s essential to uncover the motives behind political, cultural, or social phenomena.
This role appears clearly in analytical media, such as opinion columns, analytical programs, and expert discussions hosted by professional journalists.
Society’s Reactions
Individuals differ in their reactions and engagement with media content. Some analyze logically and recognize exaggeration, while others passively consume information without questioning its accuracy.
Factors influencing public trust include the outlet’s reputation, technological capabilities, global coverage, and its ability to uncover hidden truths or political realities.
The Impact of Media on Adolescents
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Raising Awareness: Media can increase awareness among adolescents about society and the world. Political and cultural awareness is crucial to building responsible citizens. This comes through news channels, social media, and magazines that enable adolescents to understand the world around them.
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Improving Reading and Writing Skills: Teens who want to participate in blogs, chat rooms, or social media are encouraged to develop their reading and writing abilities. They may even be inspired to read books promoted by celebrities.
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Exposure to Violence: The amount of violence shown in media, movies, and video games is alarming. Teens spend hours daily watching such scenes, which makes violence seem normal and blurs the line between reality and fiction.
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Obesity: Spending excessive time in front of TVs or computers, lack of outdoor activity, and poor eating habits lead many adolescents to suffer from obesity.