Sociological Analysis of Mass Media Role in Promotion of Mob Violence (A Case Study of Two Selected Cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (2014)

IntroductionViolence is a hot media issue now a day. The wider spread of mass media in our societal surrounding brought many changes to our environment such as the radio set, TV, shows, videos, video games, and social networking gaining an influencing role in our society. In one way or the other, the mass media is having a significant influence on our values, attitudes, and outlooks (Puddephatt, 2006). Many theorists have reported association of the mass media with Violence generally secured by standard news media incorporates socially endorsed brutality (composed prizefighting, police movements) or brutality between and around social orders (Meadow, 2009). The impacts of one particular factor of the mass communication disclosure has predominantly unfavorable effects on viewers' and others' well-being (Puddephatt, 2006).Meadow (2009) argues about numerous types of violence that are found in our society such as domestic violence, criminal acts and daily interpersonal conflicts. Most of violent acts happen in private, with no media coverage as these acts are eccentric, undetectable, irregular, or not subject to crowds. Media mostly report those incidents of violence which are open to access such as acts of terrorism, political violence and violence in urban areas. Mob violence is a very common phenomena today especially in underdeveloped world. According to oxford dictionary (2013), mob mean, large crowd of people, especially one that is disorderly arranged and intent on causing trouble or violence. Mob behaviour can be defined as the unique behavioural characteristic in which people act differently in a large group than they usually would as an individual or in a smaller group (Barnkart, 2008). Mob violence is A disturbance of the peace by several persons, assembled and acting with a common aim in executing a lawful or unlawful enterprise in a violent and turbulent manner. The accurate quantification of human losses due to violence is impossible (Puddephatt, 2006). Mob violence is a crime against the communal harmony and stability, rather than an abuse of the privileges and rights of a particular person.Mass media has an influence upon behaviour of the people. Norman (2010) elucidated that media violence is visual depictions of actions of physical violence by one human being against another. This meaning of media violence does not incorporate off-screen poisonings that could be intimated, but instead it alludes to outwardly depicted physically combative acts by one individual against an alternate. Movies and programs on television depicting ferocity of this type were common during the last decade of the 20th century, and they are common now: Dirty Harry, Mad Max, Cliffhanger, True Lies, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, etc. with an unending list. Few measures also damage society's insight and public demonstrates for their rights. Mass media due to its few programs creates violence in the people. Violent behaviour denotes an action planned to harm or aggravate another individual. Such actions could be material or nonmaterial. This contains several types of acts that do not appear to shape the generally agreed sense of Norman (2010) said that hurling insults and dispersing injurious rumours fit the classification. Obviously, the violent behaviours of utmost unease to society obviously involve material antagonism (Strasburger, 2009). The Guardian (2010) reported that Western businesses burn in Pakistan riots.Numerous studies have been conducted on media and violence but very limited literature is available on the role of media in the promotion and prevention of In order to contribute towards filling existing gaps in literature on media role in violence, this study attempt to measure the association between mass media related factors with violence in cities.Review of LiteratureToday in every part of the world mass media plays a major role in the promotion of …