Make a list of all the media that is present in your life. Did you think of television, movies, radio, newspapers, magazines, posters, billboards, the Internet, or blogs? You may have come up with other types of media as well.

The connection between the media and culture is very close. You are surrounded by many forms of media in your daily life, so you need to be aware that the cultural perspective of the media might not always be balanced.

One concern is that different groups of people may not always be portrayed fairly in the media. If you are not aware that the media might have a cultural bias, you might unfairly stereotype those groups based on the way they are seen in the media. On the other hand, you might be a member of a group that is portrayed inaccurately in the media and that can have a negative impact on you as well.

Think about some of your experiences with mass media. You may listen to music, read magazines, watch television commercials, etc.

Have you ever noticed that some groups are represented in a more positive way than others? It is important to remember that just because some groups of people have certain characteristics in common does not mean that they are not all the same.

For example, all people who speak a certain language or live in the same area of a country are not going to have the same qualities.

So when you are listening to music, watching a movie or television show, or flipping through the ads in a magazine, keep in mind the fact that the media might have a cultural perspective or bias that is not accurate.

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