What are some mass media effects and their impact on society?

Mass media effects state that media has some type of effect on an audience. These effects can be measured by different theories. The first theory is the bullet theory or the powerful effects theory. The theory states that the media has an immediate and direct influence on an audience. Walter Lippmann believes that the world as we know it is created by pictures in our heads that are shaped by mass media. Another theory is the minimalist theory, which states that media effects are indirect. The meaning behind this theory is split into three different concepts. The first is that media affects audiences through opinion leaders. Another concept is that media just enhances attention given to people, subjects, and issues. A final concept is that people deceive themselves into believing they’re involved when they are only informed. The last theory, cumulative effect theory, created by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann concludes that medial influence is gradual over time. She states that no one can escape media or media messages. Today, most communications scholars focus on the most relevant theory to sum up the effects of the mass media on individuals.