How The Media Influence The Family and Society (Traditional Media)

In today’s society it is almost impossible for any social structure to exist without the media. Human life has become intricately linked together to technology to the extent that it is difficult not to depend on them for survival. McLuhan observes that human beings have symbiotic relationship with mediated technology. It has become clear that man cannot escape media in his live and thus, the media permeate our very existence be it political, social, and economic lives are dependent on media.  context is even shaped by the media.

The family system in Ghana has seen a shift from extended family to nuclear family and this can be attributed to information we consume from the media on what should constitute an ideal family so, the family system have adopt information from the media on what they believe as the right family size. There's poor communication among family members due to over reliance on the media. Parents do not even have time for their kids anymore and this would worsens in years to come which would cause depression in kids and parents at old age because their children would be detached from them.

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Language used at our various homes have change due to the movies and information we consume on daily basis. Western jargons and inappropriate words such as the "F" word, nigga, bitch asshole are used in the family hitherto such languages were frown upon or was not use at all.

The food we eat, dressing and values of the family system has change due to its dependent on the media and how the media shapes the thought and perception of people. we've made to believe that foods such as wasawasa, aprapransa, tubani, ofam are not healthy and nutritious or to be more apt, eating these foods is a sign of poverty and primitive. All these thinking is as a results of the information we consume from the media especially the foreign ones.

A typical example of how the media influence the family through propaganda is; when a television news reports that Ghana is experiencing a moral degeneration, we may be watching stories on child abductions, illegal drug use, teenage pregnancies, or corruption etc. In our private conversations and family settings, we may begin to talk about the lack of morals in society, our perceptions of people, objects and events are all influenced by media.

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Another example in Ghana is when the media influence the family to jump on the bandwagon train of bone straight hair in the fashion industry some time ago. The media was able to cajole the family and the society to adopt to a certain life style through propaganda. This is why some believe that the issue of LGBTQI would be legalize in Ghana once the media start speaking about them even though it is considered as social aberration that does not conform with Ghanaian culture.

The media has influence the family and political institution in a subtle way using propaganda and media ecology method. Propaganda often (but not always) distorts the truth, selectively presents facts, or uses emotional appeals. Communication that intentionally attempts to persuade its audience for ideological and political purpose.
For example, the “incompetent” tag on former President Mahama was a Goebbelian form of propaganda fueled by the media which the people adopted and believed with time.

Another example of media propaganda on the family is the “King promise” tag on President Nana Akuffo Addo. These tags has a strong and pernicious effect on the candidates as well as how the electorates perceive them to be. This media airwaves is flooded with propaganda on daily basis which has a direct influence on democratic institutions such as political parties, voters, Civil Society Organizations etc.

In conclusion, it is obvious that the media is so powerful to the extent that it is almost impossible to escape it no matter how savvy one is in terms of media literacy. The effects of these are seen in all institutions in Ghana and it is clear that it has direct bearing on us not only on the family but the fabric of all society.