Media and its effects on societyMedia plays a crucial role in our lives today. It serves as a bridge that connects people to the world, leading to a global exchange of information and knowledge. The media also provides a platform for people to express their thoughts on political and social issues, opening the door to different perspectives. There is no doubt that media affects our lives in almost every way. Whether it's a magazine page, a radio piece, or a television channel, media plays a role in our lives in some way. Different media coverage can influence public interpretation as well as the dissemination of information. Effective media coverage can lead to a positive public view, while poor media coverage can lead to disinterest among people. Thus, media constitute a potential means of shaping our understanding of a particular issue. He is able to stir up certain subjects so that the general public can take them on and discuss them. For example, the vaccine controversy, an ongoing debate over whether or not vaccines cause autism, has reached no conclusion, in part due to media influence. The media tries to ensure equal coverage of both sides of the debate – for and against vaccines – thus leaving the possibility for a few extremists to spread their pseudo-scientific claims, which creates unease in public opinion. Despite ample evidence rejecting the association between vaccines and autism, a number of parents still fear that childhood vaccines may cause autism. The vaccine controversy reveals the potential power of the media. More specifically, by choosing what to broadcast and how to broadcast it, the media manipulates public attitudes toward certain debates. Concern about the safety of vaccines had been present among the public since the late 18th century. During vaccination...... middle of document ...... alth 98, no.1 (2008): 244-253. Gould, Madelyn, Patrick Jamieson and Daniel Romer. “Media contagion and suicide among young people”. The American Behavioral Scientist 46, no. 9 (May 2003): 1269-1284. Gross, Lisa. “Shattered Trust: Lessons from the Vaccine – The War on Autism.” » PLoS Biol 7.No.5 (2009).Offit, Paul. The False Prophets of Autism: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. New York: Columbia University Press, 2010. Rochman, Bonnie, “Jenny McCarthy, Vaccine Expert? A Quarter of Parents TrustCelebrities,” Time Health & Family (website), accessed October 21, 2013, http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/26/jenny-mccarthy-vaccine-expert-a-quarter- of -parents-trust-celebrities/. Slevec, Julie and Marika Tiggeman. “Media Exposure, Body Dissatisfaction, and Eating Disorders Among Middle-Aged Women.” Psychology of Women Quarterly 35, no.4 (December 2011): 617-627.