20th Century Mass Communication Theories in the age of Social Media

The advent of social media and Artificial Intelligence will have a significant impact on the field of mass communication particularly on the main theories that were proposed during the 20th century. Social media and AI have significantly affected the way the world interacts consumes information and has changed the ability of individuals and organizations to influence people individually and collectively.In the 20th century research Communication was perceived to be the ability of the communicator to set and dominate the narrative. Researchers explored the ways in which the elite controlled the narration in the process of communication.Rise of Social media and AI have provided new opportunities for people to engage in public discourse and have given more people a voice in shaping the public agenda. They have democratised the field and given voice to the marginalized sections of societies and even to individuals who are able to use the technology effectively and are willing to engage. Internet and its powerful offspring have opened the opportunity to explore and test narratives get access to vast amounts of data and knowledge. Something that was hitherto tightly controlled by a handful of custodians. But there are challenges and misgivings too.