Why study media? discussing the european verses american traditions

There are various reasons why it is important to study the media. This maybe for those who will pursue a career in the media, for some it may be acting, production, behind the camera, web page designing to litterally countless other career options. Other people may be interested in studying the media because they want to be informed users. It would be considered virtually impossible to go through a day, in the developed world, and not be in contact with the media. People are constantly surrounded by television, radio, messages on paper and online. Through the study of media it is hoped the user will become more informed and able to make decisions on how much they will allow the media to influence them.
The relationship between the media and the world is a complicated one. Media texts do not simply reflect reality. Because of this we need to be able to interpret media texts to determine what information we allow to shape our sense of the world and place in it. The media can c...