Family as the Basic Milieu of Formation of the Mass Media

Abstract

Many researches that have been conducted in Poland and in the world over the period of 30 years show that the mass media received by the family in a rational manner may play a positive role in the development and education of the child, in providing knowledge on pedagogy, psychology, and medicine. They may inspire parents to a concrete educational work with their child and take part in the processes of family integration through a mutual reception of the contents provided by the media, thereby compensating any lack on the part of the family or local milieu. The mutual reception of the television programmes establishes appropriate conditions for the educational influence and supports the creation of ties that integrate the family. If the masse media are supposed to be used as one of many educational means, it is indispensable that parents control this process. The value of media's influence depends on the direction to which the potential opportunities of their influence and educational support are carried out. „And, consequently, one has to state - says A. Kumor - that television integrates the family. Obviously, this is to the extent to which this integration depends on the psychic ties among the members of the group who watch television programmes together.”