Mass media and mass audience in a new socio-cultural world: perspectives from Bangladesh, China, and Nigeria

The study explores the relationship between mass media and audiences in Bangladesh,  China, and Nigeria, using the "Uses and Gratifications Theory" and "Agenda-Setting Theory". It reveals that media consumption patterns are influenced by sociocultural factors, with religious and cultural preferences in Bangladesh and linguistic and ethnic diversity in Nigeria. China's media landscape is divided between state-controlled traditional media and market-driven digital platforms, with censorship and content homogenization as key challenges. The rise of digital media, particularly social media, has transformed audience behavior, but the proliferation of misinformation and fake news threatens media credibility. The study recommends policy recommendations to improve media integrity and audience engagement.