Media BOOM!!! | Namibia (2023)

According to an article by Art Silverblatt (2004), a social institution is an organization that is important to the socialization process and that acts as a support system for masses trying to integrate into a larger society.

In his article titled, "Media as social institutions," Silverblatt outlines how media institutions directly and indirectly shape the functionalities of contemporary society. He says that media institutions as social structures shape the minds and perspectives of the people in particular societies.

The media holds the power to bend public opinion and influence partisanship. Equally, by taking advantage of the echo chamber narrative, the paradigm of the human perspective is easily malleable.

In his book, John Dewey emphasizes that the existence of every society is not by communication or by transmission, but rather it exists in transmission and communication.

Simply put, communication between different social structures and how these messages are shared, framed, and finally implemented into the change that is intended is what holds every society together or breaks it. Media institutions generally target large audiences and therefore have to use bigger platforms to reach those audiences.

The media is a major definition of the expression of culture and communication. There are numerous platforms where people from various countries, regions, and businesses can interact. More importantly, the media has a greater influence on young people.

Young people use the media as a weapon of self-identification. That is, to learn and display different behaviors according to their individual preferences. As a result, they see the world from a more appropriate perspective, allowing them to fit into society. Thus, to participate in contemporary society is to make use of the modern media.

Similarly, the media more frequently replaces the small but important family discussions and the fundamental roles that church and school play by doing away with tangible and physical interaction. Of course, the media is the dominant mode of communication, promoting the areas of news consumption, entertainment, shopping, learning, marketing, and social networking.

Equally, it is important for activities like public relations and campaigning to emphasize this idea, but it also serves as a platform that caters to individualism in modern society.

Significantly, the media institutes and their counterparts promote transparency and accountability by scrutinizing state policy and their performance, exposing unethical behaviors and ultimately reporting crime in a more or less provocative way.

In addition, institutions in the media also contribute to economic progress. As previously mentioned in the introduction, media institutions generally generate profit through the means of advertising and promotion.

In fact, investors are hesitant to conduct business in countries where access to reliable and accurate sources of information is hampered.

Therefore, media outlets should be entirely free and subject to state regulations. Newspaper publishers must follow editorial guidelines. Broadcasters are required to be ethical and transparent at all times.