During the time of the coronavirus and with the increase of media presence in people’s homes and their dominance, even more than friends or relatives, expectations from the media for providing mental health of society have also increased. Governments and officials regularly ask the media to tell the truth to the people, be realistic, give hope, and not spread negativity. It’s as if the media are an extraordinary entity, outside the real society and its current situation, that can deliver what is happening in society in a “hopeful” way to their audience. From the head of state (1) to the head of the Health Development Center and spokesperson of Kish City Council (2), they ask the media to be the “awakened mind of society” and “companion of the health system” but also, as mentioned, to give hope and not spread negativity!

It is undeniable that media today have a close relationship with the mental health of citizens in society. However, the image of the Iranian government of the media is more similar to a trumpet and a tool for propaganda than what is known as media in the free world. But if we understand media with the same concept as it exists in the free world, “media today acts as a double-edged sword with a deep impact on the psyche of society. It is capable of exerting intense psychological pressure on individuals. They also have the ability to keep humans away from stress and bring them to peace. This strong influence is not hidden from anyone. While media makes it easier to establish and expand culture, it also acts as a barrier against understanding true culture.” (3)

Media Psychology

The study of the psychological effects of media and media technologies and their impact on society (4) is also known as a university field called Media Psychology. This interdisciplinary field has emerged from the collaboration of two fields, communication and psychology, and “by utilizing the concepts of cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology, has achieved new theoretical approaches and methodologies in the field of media.” (5)

Media psychology deals with all forms of media and various technologies. From traditional and mass media to new visual and auditory media and written media. (4) Its purpose, according to David Giles in his book Media Psychology (published in 2003), is “to study the influence of media on social and psychological behaviors and processes such as reasoning, cognition, and aggression.” (5)

In media psychology, attempts are made to study and research the impact of media on individuals, groups, and cultures by utilizing fundamental theories, concepts, and psychological methods. It aims to answer the question of what messages media convey to society and how they shape social relationships, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs.

Undoubtedly, for such an investigation and examination, firstly a specific university course is necessary to pass in this field and secondly, a detailed opportunity to be devoted to it. However, in our scope, a detailed examination does not fit in one article. But it is possible to delve into the issue with further questions.

Three media areas

If we consider media simply as a tool for distributing information in society and the ultimate goal of communications and media is to influence public behavior and strive to change it, its performance can be examined in three areas. The first area is personal communication, which is not the subject of our discussion here. However, it should be noted that the most effective type of communication is face-to-face interaction. This direct interaction takes place and the message is delivered directly from the sender to the receiver, and sometimes a discussion about understanding the message also takes place. In Iran, election headquarters often use this method during elections, especially in the last weeks leading up to the election (specifically in presidential elections).

The second area is mass media. From large mass media such as radio and television to print and paper media. The latter is the subject and purpose of media in this article. The message is delivered to the audience through media owners, journalists, and reporters, and through a specific medium, such as sound, audio and

Here, I want to answer this question: What is the responsibility of media in the second sector towards society, especially in a society like Iran? I should mention that I have no intention of prescribing or manipulating, as there are already enough obstacles, barriers, and invisible restraints placed on the hands of media professionals, to the point where they sometimes engage in self-censorship and censor themselves before anyone else does. However, even in this situation and considering the current conditions of the country, the issue of the coronavirus, despair and anger in society, and news that sometimes goes beyond imagination in Iranian society (the latest example being the murder of Babak Khorramdin, a director, by his own parents and their confession to killing their daughter and son-in-law and their slaughter), it seems that media professionals also have a responsibility to protect the mental health of society.

Increase media literacy

We have heard many times that we are living in a global village today. Whether the concept of the “global village” has been achieved or not is not the subject of our discussion. However, in this global village and the influence of media on people, it can be the responsibility of media owners to strive for media literacy among their audience. Media literacy is a combination of effective techniques for using media, gaining insight and understanding to distinguish between different media. According to Dr. Younes Shokrkhah, the main goal of media literacy, especially in relation to mass media, can be to assess the proportion of each media content with social justice. (7) According to this university professor, journalist and expert in the field of communication, it is better for the reader, viewer or listener to pay attention to the relationship and proportion of media content with justice, so that instead of surrendering or being submissive to a one-sided relationship, they can have a more active and interactive relationship with the media

Transparency and honesty

Looking at the impact of media on society and considering what media psychology tells us, we can see another responsibility of media owners as transparency. Media are the eyes of society to see the realities, not just a part of it. Media can act as a tool in the hands of society to see all the realities of society and government in a transparent and honest manner. Of course, honesty here does not mean selective honesty. Perhaps this is where it should be said that not everything should be said, as it does not serve a purpose in this field. Because showing only a corner of the truth, in addition to distorting the reality, is a form of lying to the audience and can lead to their decisions not aligning with what actually happened. If a government allows its relationships to be transparent and in an aquarium for the public to see, and its media outlets also honestly convey all the details of reality to the audience, then the image of what is happening in society and the actions and behaviors of the

A danger!

Media can be a double-edged sword. They can be life-giving and deadly at the same time. It depends on how they reflect the news and with what quality and form. The role of media and its connection to suicide has been discussed before. (9) But a bombardment of news, especially during a time when a disease like COVID-19 has cast a shadow over all aspects of human life, can turn the media from a healing agent to a deadly poison. Of course, part of this discussion goes back to media literacy and how the audience exposes themselves to news. But another aspect of this issue is the behavior of media owners in this area. “According to a study conducted at the University of California, the experience of several stress-inducing factors from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as unemployment, and excessive use of media related to COVID-19, is directly related to an increase in severe stress and symptoms of depression.” (10)

Both societies and media have changed. What is being circulated in the world today is a combination of mass media on one hand and modern media and social networks on the other. However, in both cases, media owners have a heavy responsibility. They must not only think about the news and professional reporting, but also consider the impact of what they publish. They must report transparently and honestly. They should strive to increase media literacy in society and be careful not to become a cure that turns into poison. On the other hand, the sword of censorship from authoritarian and dictatorial governments on one hand, and the large international companies that own social networks on the other hand, are pulling them into tension. Today’s media activity, given the complexities of the new world, remains a struggle in a cave, similar to the cave of Demosthenes, the Greek orator. Any movement that is not in sync with the cave will harm the body. But the pain and injury of the body can only be

1. Reviews:
1. Report of President Hassan Rouhani’s meeting with media representatives – Presidential Information Center – May 10, 2021
2. Journalists and media representatives, the alert mind of society and the companion of the health system – Kish Central Radio – March 10, 2021
3. The impact of media on mental health of society (The relationship between media and mental health) – First International Congress of Comprehensive Psychology of Iran – Rahman Badri Nia – 2015
4. What Is Media Psychology? – Society for Media Psychology & Technology – American Psychological Association – 2014
5. Media and Mind; Harmonies and Dissonances – Hadi Khaniki – February 22, 2015
6. Media and Mental Health – Deputy of Health, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences
7. What is Media Literacy? – Scientific and Specialized Monthly of the Islamic Republic of Iran “Younes Shakorkh