Media culture is a term that encapsulates the prevailing impact of mass media[2] in modern Western capitalist societies. It’s a complex construct that interweaves the realms of popular culture and mass media, shaping public opinion and influencing decisions across various institutions including politics, religion, sports, télévision[3], and cinema. One major critique of media culture is that it fosters consumerism[1] and manipulates societal norms, often promoting superficial content and undermining cultural authenticity. It plays a crucial role in symbolic consumption, where product choices reflect individuals’ self-perception and group identity. Furthermore, it has a profound influence on religion and public beliefs, often likened to the fervor associated with traditional religions. Lastly, media culture is scrutinized through feminist perspectives for its impact on women, particularly young girls, influencing their self-image, actions, and thoughts.
Au cultural studies, media culture refers to the current Western capitalist society that emerged and developed from the 20th century, under the influence of mass media. The term alludes to the overall impact and intellectual guidance exerted by the media (primarily TV, but also the press, radio and cinema), not only on public opinion but also on tastes et values.
The alternative term mass culture conveys the idea that such culture emerges spontaneously from the masses themselves, like popular art did before the 20th century. The expression media culture, on the other hand, conveys the idea that such culture is the product of the mass media. Another alternative term for media culture is "image culture."
Media culture, with its declinations of advertising and public relations, is often considered as a system centered on the manipulation of the mass of society. Corporate media "are used primarily to represent and reproduce dominant ideologies." Prominent in the development of this perspective has been the work of Theodor Adorno since the 1940s. Media culture is associated with consumerism, and in this sense called alternatively "consumer culture."