Abstract
In the search for possibilities of substantial criticism of the Mass Media, the author points to some basic social changes as the bases for the advancement in media literacy of the Japanese public, namely, diffusion of public education, and growth and diversification of information by mass media. But, in his view, it is not possible for the masses to make substantial criticism of the mass media because of the lack of technical knowledge about the media themselves and the background of their behaviour. The author hopes that the masses would play the role of showing their"desire"and those who are in charge of media studies should build the masses'"desire"into positive"opinion", as Auguste Comte suggested in one of his early essays.
