| Abstract [eng] |
Mass communication as a social practice could be analyzed in many different approaches. In this paper social functions of media are analyzed. The main purpose of this paper is to identify how audience perceives the social destination of media. Theoretical analysis of media functions started in the early functionalism (H.Lasswell, C. Wright) theory, where media was treated as an important structural element of a social system. These theories as well as some other theoretical perspectives including uses and gratifications theory, agenda setting function of mass media and the two-step flow model of communication are discussed in this paper. Theoretical research of media destination showed that on the one hand media covers and encourages social interaction, and on the other hand it sometimes becomes ground for interpersonal communication. Meanwhile public opinion researches indicate the reduction of trust in media institutions. In case of media, trust can be extracted basing on evaluation of such content related information aspects as: preciseness, rightness, objectivity, reliability, and telling the whole story (Tsfati, Cappella). The reduced trust in media forces us to revise some classical media theories, which were founded in the “gold age” of media trust. On the one hand mistrust in media reveals higher level of criticism in society, but on the other hand the decrease of audience satisfaction in media institutions causes the lost of one of the main media functions - informing. In this paper the results of quantitative survey of mass media audience was presented. Research questionnaire was formulated basing on classic media function model (H. Lasswell, C. Wright) and the components of media trust (Y. Tsfati, J.N. Cappella) in order to reveal the opinion of media audience regarding media’s implemented functions and fulfilled trust qualities. According to research results the information and interpretation functions were highly evaluated by the audience what corresponds to conception of classic media destination. Nevertheless these functions were also indicated by audience as the most important for the media. Analysis of cultural continuity function confirmed the presumptions of agenda setting theory. Results also revealed that entertainment function is more inherent than desired in Lithuanian media. Meanwhile analysis of media trust components emphasized the problem regarding dissatisfied needs of audience. The rightness and objectivity of information are the most required media qualities. However, in opinion of audience, the lack of these qualities is felt in Lithuanian media. |
