Shaping and Reshaping Society through TV Advertising Space

Do you know that TV advertising space contributes a lot in shaping our society today? These advertisements that are shown on the television can either break or make a certain society because the broadcast media contributes a lot to shaping public opinion and changing behaviours.  Also, the use of TV advertising space if not properly utilised can create tremendous impact and repercussions on society as nearly any person regardless of age and sex can view these advertisements on the television.  As such, there are critics who opine that many television operators and advertisers are giving wrong signals and improper messages through these TV advertising space.  One of the major criticisms since time is that advertising through television promoted a materialist view of life.  This is primarily because most of the TV advertising space is utilised to promote products or services that are great unconventional and definitely those products that promote convenience, glamour in life, and lifestyle that constantly adjusts with the ever changing society.

However, one thing that most people do not realise is that TV advertising space has been potent also in many social campaigns and process that not too many people are able to appreciate.  Often times, these social campaigns do not even realise revenues for those individuals who put up these advertisements in TV advertising space.  Let us take for example awareness campaigns such as the AIDS/HIV campaigns that are over and over aired in the television to educate the viewers on the need to protect ourselves from getting these diseases as well as inculcating upon the audience how the society can help people who are suffering from these diseases and why these people should be considered as victims who should not be discriminated.  

Likewise, the TV advertising space was often utilised to change people’s perspectives about racism.  There were a number of advertisements in the past which were solely geared to change the perspectives of people about the minority groups in our respective countries.  Many concerned individuals and groups advocating for equality amongst equals availed of TV advertising space to educate people that discrimination is an inhumane thing to do against our co-equal people who may differ in race and in colour.  Also, the TV advertising space contributed a lot in conveying the message of sexual equality between men and women and even respect for the third sex or the homosexual sectors of our society.  Certainly, TV advertising space has shaped our society to become more humane.

TV advertising space is likewise utilised to educate citizens of a particular country on their right to suffrage, on how to vote, and even on what aspects to look for a candidate who seeks public office.  It has been widely used by every government to reach to the broadest number of their population especially during times when the government has to educate the people on the political process.

There are certainly advantages and disadvantages in using TV advertising space but the only thing that one should bear in mind is that it is not the media itself that changes the society but rather it is how the TV advertising space media is being properly utilised.