ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN ENSURING SOCIAL COHESION

Abstract

The media have evolved into a multi-purpose tool that addresses not only communication but also a multitude of other human needs, significantly influencing social behavior. Among the creative impacts that the media have on modern Sri Lankan society, they have a responsibility to build a just society that is politically, economically, and socially harmonious and integrated. Social cohesion is the creation of an environment where everyone can flourish, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, class, caste, or other social markers. The media play a crucial role in ensuring cohesion in societies. The relationship between popular media and social cohesion facilitates the elimination of negative activities such as crime and immorality and leads to a positive contribution to coexistence and the community. The media can promote social cohesion by providing accurate information, facilitating dialogue, and encouraging ideas. When shared values, goals, and experiences are communicated, the media can strengthen social bonds and encourage people from different backgrounds to live together in harmony. Trust and social capital, shared values and identity, diversity, economic equality, equal access to quality education, social services and welfare, and active participation are identified as key elements necessary to promote cohesion. Providing accurate information, linguistic diversity, diverse representation, promoting dialogue and debate, advocating for social justice, community participation, prioritizing nation-building initiatives, and reporting on ethnic crises and conflict resolution are identified as the roles of the media in promoting social cohesion. Using the questionnaire method as the main data collection method, data were collected from 50 young students of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura according to the convenience sample. After subjecting the selected sample to quantitative and qualitative analysis, it was concluded that there is a recognition among the youth that the media play a significant role in social cohesion, but the need to use the media for social cohesion, which is the most important path for the development of a country, should be expanded in other directions.