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In today’s world, mass media is everywhere, influencing how we think, feel, and act. From news to social media to TV shows, the media shapes our view of the world. But with this power comes the potential for misuse.​​ The term downside of the media is becoming more visible as shown in many movies and films. Media can also spread misinformation, reinforce harmful stereotypes, and even manipulate public opinion to benefit powerful groups. 

Media can alter the attitudes of people within societies, reflecting both positive and negative impacts.

Normalising?

Many times that Thai media allow some scenes including Violence scene which normally found in Thai dramas includes physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, and verbal violence. Examples include insulting, belittling, sarcasm, arguments, confinement, defamation, rape, molestation, or attempted acts. Other forms of violence include abandonment, destruction, property theft, and structural violence related to social, gender, economic, and political issues, which lead to segregation and discrimination.

Why is this kind of content still present and visible in today’s society? 

So, in this blog, we will dive into the hidden world of mass media to understand its true effects on our lives, reasons for such negative media and the challenges it presents in today’s complex landscape through the case studies.

1. Elite 

The one who has more power including money and dignity uses the media to serve their own benefits. And we will be focusing on the Thai government, News Agency, and media producers.  

The National Council for Peace and Order, military junta that governed Thailand from May 2014, following a coup d’état, until July 2019. They initiated a policy of producing television programs to communicate with Thai citizens to restore order and stability to the country, which had experienced a period of political unrest and protests. This demonstrates how they use mass media as a tool for propaganda to persuade and shape public opinion for their own benefits which is related to the propaganda model developed by chomsky.

Chomsky explained that the news media activity propagates the ideology and agenda of elite groups. It seeks to explain how mass media outlets, particularly in democratic societies, are influenced by various factors that shape the information they produce and disseminate.

Followlingly, Top news, a news agency in Thailand, only represents one side of political information, opinions, and ideas that align with their audience’s views, making it a biased media outlet. relating to Manufacturing Consent by this bias serves the interests of the powerful elite and government, creating an echo chamber for a passive audience.

Moving on to the next example, media producers perpetuate beliefs that have negative effects on society. According to Sociology of mass media, reality is socially constructed. Media plays an influential role in shaping social perceptions. It normally presents dominant ideologies in that time however the term of right or wrong depends on each society and each time. Thai media producers love the idea of remaking old lakorn yet those contain some problematic plot such as normalizing ideas such as beauty standard, classism, stereotyping, and patriarchy.

To prove, Development and aesthetics concept of Thai television-drama script research says that Television drama scripts still mainly focus on themes of love and familial relationships. This reflects the Thai people’s preference for “enjoying” watching television drama over “comprehending” the story. However, as the new generation starts to have more awareness on sensitive topics it appears that they turn their back to lakorn Thai.  

The consequence of this result and affect to not only the audiences, but also the moral actor.

“As an actor, it hurts. I feel a sting every time someone says, ‘I don’t watch Thai dramas; I don’t watch Thai movies.’ Sometimes, I just want to ask a small question: What did we do wrong? What’s not good? The people around me are all talented, truly talented. But there’s something you don’t know about why. If we could reach that point, we would want to.”

Thanapob Leeratanakacho

A good illustration are,

Mae Krua Kon Mhai 

The first version was made in 2007 and the remake version is in 2021. This lakorn reinforces Thai beauty standards as you have to have white skin in order to belong to the word beautiful. And the way she dresses as a housemaid is how Thai society stereotypes Isan girls. 

Wife on Duty

Wife on Duty was made in 1995 and the remake version is in 2021, supporting rape culture as they use this immoral action as a tool for revenge emphasizing rape myth on Thai society.

Yes, we are living in the postmodern world!!!

Thai media often provides incorrect information, especially when it comes to medical terms. For instance, “The Interns,” a Thai series about first-year post-graduation doctors, inaccurately depicts CPR procedures. CPR is basic knowledge that is important for everyone.

The frequency of remakes of old lakorn in Thai media reflects a profit-driven model that prioritizes maximizing profit. This demonstrates the capitalist nature of the media, aligning with Marxist theory.

2. Artists and Influencers

Artists and influences  with more than a million followers have a lot of influence  towards society because many people see and hear them. What they do and say can change how people think, start new trends, and highlight important issues. Many people pay attention to them and often copy their behavior. 

However, considering if the artists themselves are presenting something wrong or against standard morality and audiences are encouraged to believe in those terms.

Is it somehow scary?  

“Cookie” by NewJeans, a South Korean girl group, faced criticism for its lyrics, perceived by some as having sexual undertones as the use of “cookie” is slang for sex organs. The controversy was raised because all the members are underage, and the lyrics also contain some double meaning. There are many contents in the media that intend to portray these topics as normal things without even realizing the impact or how suitable the content is for occasions.

“Looking at my cookie / Do you ever smell it differently? (Taste it) / What’s with a bite, isn’t enough?”.

The situation is also reflected and emphasizes the Star Theory, which mainly discusses how the company positioned NewJeans as youthful, fresh, and innovative which can imply how company set its main target as teenage groups.

A  recent report by the American Psychological Association (APA) on the sexualization of girls in the media found that girls are depicted in a sexual manner more often than boys; dressed in revealing clothing, and with bodily postures or facial expressions that imply sexual readiness.

This has raised many concerns towards the issue According to, Unicef USA,  about an increasing number of minors being sexualized and male gaze in the entertainment industry. One of the obvious reasons is due to how the media chooses to depict women or girls in such a way through various forms of media. From this situation it really emphasizes how the media can generate and still convey and portray this content to society.

In today’s digital age, influencers hold significant sway over online communities, particularly on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Thailand has seen a remarkable rise in the number of influencers. 

As of June 2023, Statista reported approximately 21.9 thousand influencers on TikTok in Thailand, each with a following ranging from ten thousand to 50 thousand.

We can find popular drama content on TikTok centered around “Love affairs.” Teacher Tee “ครูตี๋,” a well-known life coach on the TikTok platform, serves as an example of an influencer attempting to influence the audience’s mindset by providing life coaching. This highlights the fact that in our digital era, any content has the potential to go viral, even if it goes against societal norms.

 “How to date multiple women (when women can’t negotiate).” Within the clip, “ครูตี๋” advises selecting women of lower status than men, which leads women to agree to polygamous relationships.

Influencer as an opinion leader 

Two-step Flow theory

 His actions can influence and shape the way men think about women in an exploitative manner, which is detrimental to women and exacerbates the issue. Importantly, He has over 530,000 followers on his account.

As previously mentioned, the power of influencers in today’s world and the profound impact of social media on society cannot be overstated. Viral trends that emerge from everyday individuals are a direct result of the repetition and cultivation theory of the media.

Effect on Children from trend that comes from repetition, usually on Reels, TikTok.

 Many young people have filmed themselves inappropriately dancing to the song.

พูดไปก็ไม่ค่อยเชื่อ ต้องให้ถอดเสื้อดูใจมั้ยหล่ะ” 

“If you don’t believe me when I say, ” Do I have to take off my shirt so you can see my heart?”

Double meaning 

some may not fully understand its true meaning or interpret the lyrics in different meanings. Make the content can be considered as child porn, and Instagram doesn’t restrict this content allowing people to continue access to such content.

Cultivation Theory 

When one person starts doing something and audiences see that content repeatedly until it leads to imitate behavior. Same as this content when one person starts this sexual move and then other children imitate that without consideration. Or we can say that those individuals are influenced by each other or by the media.

The way children do those actions might have meaning according to  Symbolic Interactionism. It can be interpreted as wanting to be sexy as the adults or wanting to be accepted by friends and society. And want to have a reputation from likes and views by posting that kind of content in their social media accounts.

Can the downside of mass media become a big concern for society?

The answer is Yes, the downsides of mass media can become a significant concern for society. According to, pew research center, pointing out and showing us that about two-thirds of Americans (64%) say social media has a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in their country. With that, any downside of the media shall be things to always be aware of and concerned as well as prioritize it as a top issues, 

These can harm and destroy the media industry ethics and credibility as mentioned before the time of how the downside of media is obvious nowadays.” 

Do you agree or not that the downside of mass media can impact society’s perception? Why or Why not? 

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In conclusion

The power and influence of mass media in today’s society cannot be underestimated. While it has the potential to inform, educate, and entertain, it also has the capacity to mislead, harm, and divide. As we navigate this complex media landscape, it is crucial to remain vigilant and critical of the content we consume and the messages we internalize. By understanding the true effects of mass media, we can better protect ourselves and our society from its downsides. 

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