As a socializing force and a source of information and entertainment, the media has the

Potential to be an agent for social change or a tool to maintain hegemonic power

Structures. The ideal of the role of the media in supporting positive social change is

somewhat compromised by the transnational character of the media

industry. Deregulation and privatization of the media has created a situation in which the

media industry itself now requires a watchdog. Economic freedom of the press is clearly

essential if it is to be an effective agent of political communication, however, the market

forces often lead to the concentration of ownership and control in the hands of an elite

group, with a corresponding loss of diversity in the range of views expressed in the

media. This necessitates the creation of laws and regulatory bodies to monitor and

prevent the formation of monopolies, and to support independent media. In addition to

The issue of media ownership, the capitalist and materialist ideology that drives the

Commercial media may also work to limit the range of voices and views available.

For instance Has been acting as watch dog role for promises given by the political leaders who
are to be accountable of their words and action and also its media which has ability of updating
government activity.

The global village’ suggests that people of the world can be brought closer together by the

globalization of communication. The global village is an image of a world in which

everyone’s voice has a chance to be heard. Interactive media facilitates participation in

global communication and debates, offering entry into public space. The globalisation of

Communication enables us to share in each other’s lives (as members of Internet

Communities; by means of mediated participation in events like the World Cup or the call

For aid to tsunami victims, and so on). In this ideal communication environment, the mass
media continues to play an important role in democracy, informing people and generating

discussion about events and issues worldwide. The globalization of communication is

seen as an agent of empowerment, education and equality. The global dispersal of

knowledge facilitates a culture open to sharing responsibility for issues that affect us all

and recognizing responsibilities to people we may never meet. This utopian vision of the

Rewards of globalization has been eagerly embraced by multinational communication

Corporations, and harnessed to their branding and advertising campaigns.

With availability of new technology and development of communication techniques its much
easier for it to take place.

While the kind of ‘empowerment’ that global media products and technologies offer is

often the power of consumption, information and communication technologies (ICTs)

also have potential benefits for economic and social development. As information flow,

speed and volume increase, decreasing sensitivity to distance and diminishing production

costs lead to benefits for local media producers and rural communities ). The media can,
therefore, work to foster development and education, facilitating

access to valuable information about health care, agricultural techniques and education.

The global reach of information also has an impact on transparency and accountability

with regard to political policy and practices. Examples is there education programs are available
through the radios and television which enable student to acquire knowledge while they not in
classrooms.

In Kenya Many policymakers believed that the media could play an important role in bridging this gap by
providing some basic civic education and better coverage of public policy news. It is an important gap to fill,
because limited public understanding makes it difficult not only for policymakers to serve effectively but also
for citizens to hold them accountable for fulfilling (or not) their responsibilities.
If the public had a better understanding of the responsibilities and capacities of the legislature and
ministries, policymakers argued, they would be able to form realistic expectations—and then hold
policymakers to them. This is the rationale behind efforts to publicize public school budgets at a community
level, so that parents know what to expect, and whom to call if the school does not deliver. If the PS
[Permanent Secretary] or the Minister is able to talk to the public on topical issues like what we expect, the
amount of money they expect, when the grants will be released, …then people can react. You know it would
be able to clear out any issues that may be unclear.”
media appeared to be far more widely trusted than most government institutions, and not many
respondents reported hearing information directly from government officials on a regular basis. Among
media platforms, radio and TV were clearly the most important links to information about government
activities in both countries:); in Kenya, the reliance on media was even more widespread (the share of
respondents calling each source somewhat or very important for information on government services was 82
percent for radio, 64 percent for TV, 55 percent for newspapers, and 14 percent for the internet).
It was clear from both sets of research—at the grassroots level and among high-level policymakers—that
more information about the policy process through mass media is needed. Whether through improved
coverage by journalists (several policymakers suggested or described existing programs to train journalists
in covering policy areas like health and agriculture) or through direct engagement with the public over the
airwaves, civic education via mass media stands to benefit both policymakers and the citizens they serve.