Analysis of Social Implications Resulting from the Major Paradigm Shifts caused by Adoption of New Information and Communication Technologies in the Mass Media Industry

Abstract

The world has turned digital with the emergence of new information and communication technologies and these have had social, economic and political implications on the practice of journalism and mass communication. This paper seeks to discuss the social implications that have emanated from the major paradigm shifts caused by adoption and exploitation of new information and communication technologies in the mass media industry. The discussions are guided by the technological determinism theory. The paper establishes that adoption and exploitation of new ICTs has greatly transformed ways in which media content is created, produced, distributed, accessed and used and consequentially there have been diverse social implications especially because of shifts in the relationships between mass media producers and mass media audiences. The paper concludes that this situation will definitely continue to shift in ways that will be astounding and recommends that media institutions must continually prepare to face the same by establishing digital departments/positions as well as by equipping its staff with change management skills.