Commodification in Mass Media’s Educative Function in Kenya: A Review

Abstract

Mass media’s educative function has had a considerable influence in Kenya since the colonial period. The impact of mass media in shaping the contemporary worldviews—how people see and live in the world—has led to the transformation in the society. The influence of mass media especially in reinforcing commodification and economic rationalism presuppositions is profound because human beings are fundamentally creatures of habit and mass media contents are characteristically repetitive and unreflecting. Since mass media’s images and messages are embedded on philosophical ideas and principles which do not simply develop under spontaneous historical, social and cultural influences, but are products of a fundamental and directing commitment at the core of human thinking, they should be subjected to an authentic critique. From the premise that there is no neutrality in mass media. The objective of this study is to explore the role of the educational function of mass media in shaping consumer’s core assumptions. In particular, the study examines the role of mass media in disseminating undesirable economic rationalism and commodification narratives. The author calls for a deliberate, thought-out, philosophically consistent approach for reflecting, critiquing and responding to the processes through which  mass media uses to educate its audience.