FRANKFURT SCHOOL AND MASS MEDIA CRITICS

The studies which started in the first years of the 20th century, in the communication field, were made for different reasons by different researchers. While some researchers doing their research with the support of a government, foundation or other institution, some researchers have been carried out their research with their own facilities. American-centered behavioral school members claiming that the media effect is not as strong as it was supposed to be and that the audience is an active receiver, have defended media against public and revealed the system supporter research results. While the members of Frankfurt School concentrated on criticism of Marxism, positivism and instrumental intellectual, also have focused on the negative effects of mass media tools such as radio, books, magazines, movies and newspapers. These critical studies of the Frankfurt School have played a big role in the formation of a new trend in the communication studies. In this study, we have focused on the criticism of the Frankfurt School on mass media, which plays an important role in the emergence of critical communication studies as an alternative to mainstream communication studies in communication field. And it is aimed to provide convenience to who want to do research in this area, by compiling the works of Frankfurt School members.