When media influences change

Malcolm X, the African-American human right activist, called media the most powerful entity on earth as it has the power to control the minds of the masses. This was true even in the days before the printing press was invented, when news and information was spread through word of mouth and notices pasted on boards in public places. With the spread of literacy and the advancement of technology, the role of the media in shaping public views and opinion has only gained more traction. It was technology that shaped the way media creates impact and opinion. From the discovery of electromagnetism, making the invention of the telegraph possible, to the steam engine that made it possible to print newspapers on a mass level, and the invention of the electron tube leading to the development of the radio, the interaction between media and technology enabled an immediate transfer of knowledge and revolutionised the world. Since the last few decades, media has been seeing rapid transformation with television and the internet changing the way news and information is transmitted and consumed.

Dr Azad Moopen is the Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare  
When it comes to healthcare, the media plays a critical role in informing the public about health and medicine, particularly as the audiences do not possess direct knowledge or experience about these areas. Media shapes public debate in terms of setting agendas and focusing public interest on particular subjects related to health, lifestyle, treatment options, etc. But at the same time, media can also limit the information that could enable people to understand issues. It can also remove the space to discuss and discourage any dialog on alternative theories and thought processes from public debate, making it difficult to find objective solutions to an issue or a problem.
Mental illness and violence
For example, a 2013 study at the University of Glasgow found that TV and press reporting of mental illness focused mainly on violent incidents, when actually only a tiny minority of those with mental health issues are potentially violent. This generated an irrational atmosphere of fear amongst the public, even overwhelming direct experience. The study also found that where there is a lack of alternatives presented, the message is less likely to be rejected.
Myth about fatty food
Another instance is the recent debate in the media on how the public at large has been misled by health bodies on the negative role of high fat foods on obesity. This was triggered by a publication in the British Medical Journal in 2016 of a study re-evaluating the traditional diet-heart hypotheses with an analysis of unpublished data of the five-year Minnesota Coronary Experiment that took place in 1968. This studied the diets of more than 9,000 people with the intention of showing that removing saturated fat from people's diets and replacing it with polyunsaturated fat from vegetable oils would protect them against heart disease and lower mortality. But the results were a surprise, with the findings showing that those on an unsaturated fat diet were more likely to die from a heart attack than the control group of men who ate more saturated fat. While the discussion on the ill-effects of saturated fat in the diet began in the 50s, it was from the 80s that concern on saturated fat had mutated in the media into a generalised fear about the ill-effects of all kinds of fat on health. The BMJ report was followed by more stories that ran contrary to conventional dietary wisdom with write-ups recommending avoiding 'low fat' and 'low cholesterol' food, and a fat-rich diet rather than one based on carbohydrates. News stories, talk shows with nutritionists on television began espousing a diet high in healthy fats and low in refined carbohydrates saying that full-fat dairy, including milk, yoghurt and cheese, can actually protect the heart. There were only some rare stories that tried to objectively bring about both sides of the story, and stimulate a debate on the complex science behind dietary fat.
These are only examples that show how media can have an impact on attitudes and belief patterns with a consequent effect on behaviour and long-term consequences on health. It also shows the difficulty of bringing to light any new evidence when it contradicts widely held popular theories. It is essential for media to have credibility and trust among the public. The public today is aware and sceptical about information being manipulated to present different arguments, and promote different agendas.
It must be pointed out that social media today has added another dimension to media and has similar or more positives and negatives like traditional media with advantage and disadvantage. The advantage is that it can be used to engage the people and connect directly bypassing traditional media instantly, however, the disadvantage is that the posts are uncensored and many of these are widely circulated spreading wrong facts about healthcare related matters. 
Studies have also shown the importance of repeated exposure to messages in the media to drive attitudinal change. Media today has the power to shape behaviour, which could lead to people leading a healthier lifestyle. Media has the power to induce and legitimise actions that could lead people to take actions conducive to long-term health like regular medical check-ups. Media has to be cognisant of their responsibility and not resort to creating doubt and confusion that may reduce any commitment to any positive action by the public.