The Sociological and Psychological Effect of Media Content on Ghanaian Journalists and Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This paper explores the role of the media in shaping the perceptions and attitude of their audience. Media institutions weather traditional or new construct content in the form of messages and interpret them within the context of those messages. Whatever content is portrayed through media should be interpreted correctly by the audience. Modern audience are active participants in the meaning making process. That understanding is formed based on how individual constructs meanings for the symbols, images or events that they see through media and this happens only when their culture gives shared interpretations to those media content. In the global context and most recently in Africa, the backlash against how media portrayals have reached a fever pitch. Studies have shown that in developed countries, youths and the business community are high consumers of media products both for information and entertainment purposes. However, little is known about the Ghanaian situation. Therefore, this research did seek to empirically investigate the perception of Ghanaian journalists and entrepreneurs on media portrayals and their effect on society. The purpose was to provide scholarly information to put speculations on the subject matter to rest.