Transformation of Media Settings and Adorno's Theory

110004680849In this paper, we will examine media effects that are inevitably connotated with capitalist society, through 'The Radio Symphony : An Experiment in Theory' (1941) by Theodor W. Adorno. According to Adorno, the radio is an inappropriate medium in which to communicate works of music, such as orchestras, to an audience. His criticism covers both hard and soft attributes of radio. Although Adorno's aesthetic essentialism was derived within the spirit of a specific time and is therefore limited, his theory continues to be applicable in describing the mechanisms of capitalist societies today. Thus, first we will try to give an outline of his thesis mentioned above, and next use his concepts to extract points concerning media effects. Third, we will discuss how these points relate to his philosophy of "standardization" and "fetishism" in his criticism of the cultural industry. Finally, we will attempt to explore the relationship between these points and how a work of art is observed in a mature information society.journal articl