The Media's Role in Society

>> View Teacher's Notes for Section 5:The Media's Role in Society

The media refers to channels of mass communications such as the radio, newspapers, television and the internet.

The media has power over all of us to a greater or lesser extent.

Today the media is highly sophisticated and relies on modern digital technology.  In this section, we will consider how it is manipulated in a fascist society.

During the 1930s, when the Nazis gained popular support in Germany, the technology was less advanced than it is today.  The Nazis recognised the power of technology, however, and used the resources available to them to their advantage. 

Those who control channels of mass communication can strongly influence what the people believe.  The Nazis had total control of their media and persuaded people to believe their lies.

In this section, we will learn about the power of the media then and now.

• Activity 1 – Historical Background
• Activity 2 – What the Nazis offered Germany
• Activity 3 – How did they communicate their message of hate?
• Activity 4 – Mass Communications 1930s style
• Activity 5 – Rallies – Analysing the Image
• Activity 6 – Rallies – Eye Witness Accounts
• Activity 7 – Creating Peer Pressure
• Activity 8 – Creating Peer Pressure – Thinking about what they said…
• Activity 9 – Peer Pressure and the Hitler Youth
• Activity 10 – Peer Pressure: Then and Now
• Activity 11 - Peer Pressure - Conformity and Participation
• Activity 12 – Propaganda
• Activity 13 - The importance of free press
• Activity 14 - The influence of Press on Public Opinion
• Activity 15 - Ideas for further Research