Yes,
the study of sociology which is
defined by Max Weber in Basic Terms (The
Fundamental Concepts of Sociology) as “a science that attempts the interpretive
understanding of social action to arrive at a casual explanation of cause and
effects” is crucial for the student of the media because;
 |
| Karl Heinrich Marx |
Students of the
media are taught about how the messages they create in the course of producing
news are not meant, designed or tailored for an individual but for the society
as a whole. The main duties of the media are to inform, educate and entertain,
in performing these duties a student of the media through his study of
sociology learns to understand what type of news a particular section of
society or society as a whole might find to be informative, educative or
entertaining.
In Ghana’s
history before the coming of the Europeans and the advent of rural urban
migration most societies were isolated from each other, rarely meeting or
interacting with people from other societies. This led to various societies
which were divided on ethnic lines readily believing that their own way of life
was the best way and that other societies were strange or evil. In today’s
global world especially in the media, condemning other societies can lead to
misunderstandings and violence e.g. the Rwandan genocide between Tutsi’s and
Hutus. But through a student’s knowledge in sociology he/she will learn more about various societies and also
understand their actions better, this will lead to the student knowing more
about different ways of life and the more he/she will appreciate and educate
members of the society about how much all humans have in common. A student of
the media cannot afford to ignore the variety of the world’s societies because
in the selling of your news, during interviews and speaking to sources you will
need to deal with people from other societies. The better you understand
cultures that differ from your own, the more likely it is that you will be
successful.
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