Mediatization role in your life
It is not uncommon for us to underestimate how much media and communication technologies are indispensable to our lives. Mediatization - "The concept of mediatization is still under development, and there is no commonly agreed definition of the term" ( Livingstone, Sonia (2009)). However, it can be understood as a process that shapes society through the media. "Mediatization refers to the powerful influences and effects that media technologies and organizations exert within everyday life" (Macpherson, Mediatization 2022). This shows us that media is not just something we use when we need it; We use it to do most of our daily social tasks, and the degree to which people depend on media has increased dramatically. All types of media have their logic; social organizations must follow it to interact with the world. One of the fundamental aspects of Mediatization is the need to adapt to them, the so-called Media Logic. Mediatization affects most young people today, and typically it affects many my daily habits, such as school, travel, leisure, and even eating.
Teaching and learning in schools have changed for the better and are more convenient, thanks to the influence of Mediatization. It will be much more convenient to learn; e-books with more resources and convenience are needed to learn and do everything with a mobile phone. This is the influence of the media. In addition to the above basic things, I want to convey an online tutor application, which can help solve challenging homework and connect students with real teachers. This is how I did to study for college exams by an app called Qanda. When I encounter no matter how complex math, physics, or chemistry, I can take the problem and post it on the app. Many tutors will solve the homework and explain it to me a few hours later. Each time they complete the answer, they will receive coins that tutors can exchange for cash. This makes it extremely convenient because I can do homework without taking extra classes to solve tasks. This app creates a classroom where we can exchange assignments and discuss advanced knowledge. This is exemplified by Schulz's statement (2004, 87-10) that Mediatization has become a viable option for many actions that people could previously carry out directly. These extracurricular activities can also be thought of as a learning bridge. This is because they now employ Media Technology to help students study better and use media such as e-reading to self-learn.
Mediatization has made it easier for people to stay connected in everything; they can find jobs through apps, shopping, and even find a lover like the popular app Tinder. As can be seen, our society would not have developed as fast as it is today without mass media. Furthermore, Mediatization provides services very quickly, especially in the tourism sector. When most of us travel to a place we do not know well, hotel or flight booking apps come in handy; with customer reviews and service scores, we can know which service is the best choice. I am inexperienced in traveling, but I can still easily book flights and hotels on the service sites of many airlines and hotels for me to choose from. Without it, it would hinder me from finding hotels I do not know how to travel to. This reminds me of a theory of Mediatization that I learned, "The media is integrated into our daily lives in such subtle ways that we often don't even realize it's happening." This is especially true when we grow up in an environment where media is always available.
When people go out to dine, they always select a restaurant visible from the street or a casual restaurant suggested by a friend conventionally. As social media has grown in popularity, this has steadily altered. When Tiktok was born, Mediatization changed that habit, and it grew to become a significant social networking channel that appealed to the younger generation. A recent trend in Vietnam's renowned food business is for TikTokers to visit restaurants and film video reviews of them. As far as I can tell, the restaurant next to my house had few customers in the past, but since Tiktoker made the video and recommended others to come, the video has become a trend and has reached many people. The next day, a long line of diners came to eat it. Besides that, I noticed many other places, from famous to expensive eateries, using that way to promote their restaurants. Since then, whenever I dine with my family or friends, I have developed a new habit of spending 5-10 minutes selecting a restaurant where numerous tiktokers have reviewed several dishes in their videos, many of which are excellent and appealing. I want to be a food reviewer on Tiktok, but I must meet some requirements for the video to reach a large audience. Those requests might include publishing a video for up to 3 minutes, adding a title at the beginning or ending, filming the video vertically, and using trending hashtags in the subtitles to boost interaction. Most young people, including my friends, are aware of these issues when they do TikTok; this is an incredible example of Media Logic.
My experience above shows that Mediatization strongly influences all fields, such as politics, sports, technology, and our daily lives (food, study, work, entertainment). It should be emphasized that Mediatization plays an essential role in today's thriving society, and we are all influenced by the mediatization process, immersed in social media every day.
