Chapter 12 - The Mass Media Flashcards
Mass Media
Include print, radio, television, and other communication technologies that reach many people.
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Communication that does not occur face-to-face, instead there is a “medium” AKA MEDIA that serves as the means of communication
Some kind of technology transmits the message
What are the Causes of Media Growth?
- RELIGIOUS
16th century, Martin Luther spoke out against the catholic church. PPL should be allowed to have a personal relationship w god. And that they should be reading religious texts and the bible by them selves, and not have it interpreted by other people. A new form of Christianity was formed, called Protestantism.
Because of him, the bible became the FIRST MASS MEDIA PRODUCT, it was mass produced
- POLITICAL
18th century
Citizens demanded a voice
Democratic governments need informed citizenry, otherwise they aren’t democratic
They encouraged free press and the growth of free press
Coverage of the US election
- ECONOMIC
In order to be successful, industries must have literate workers, as well as numerate workers.
As well as communication for efficient business
Mass media itself was also a major source of profit
All three of these things together created a growth in mass media
Functionalist Theory of Media Effects
- COORDINATING THE OPERATION OF INDUSTRIAL AND POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES
- We are diverse, geographically diverse
- We hear what’s happening in Ontario, Quebec etc, not just Alberta
- We are informed of issues in other countries etc
- The media gives us a sense that we are all part of the same country
SOCIALIZATION
- Media are a powerful source for social control
- Media can promote conformity
- We learn through media the importance of the rules/laws (When we see someone getting arrested, and the media tells us why, and tells us the consequences)
SOCIAL CONTROLS
- nil
ENTERTAINMENT
- We have this shared identity that unites us together
Conflict Perspective Theory on Media Effects
Media ownership is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands
Media are profit based, they are only concerned about protecting their own interest
Small number of people (Families) control the media, and they tend to have their hands in lots of things. They tend to also own newspapers, radio stations, magazines etc.
CBC is the ONLY public company (But in terms of profits, its different than all of the other companies)
When a company buys up smaller companies, we have a monopolies
MEDIA BIAS: When you put the media into few hands, you LIMIT the perspective of diversity
They have the abilities to SILENCE alternative views etc.
For the smaller media companies, their perspectives tend to be ideologically conservative
There are some very specific biasing mechanisms on how media is operated (Advertising, sourcing, and flak)
- ADVERTISING
Life blood of the media
Advertising represents the MAIN source of revenue for media companies
TV programs only exist only to ”sell you something” with their advertisements
Advertising companies contain a LOT of power, and can dictate the content of media
There have been cases where TV or Movie programs have changed because of the advertising
In media, journalists are understood as the “investigators”. Journalists do not have the liberty of actually investigating, so they are dependent on information that are provided to them by corporations, agencies etc. They can construct information in ways that can suit their agenda. This is called “pre-packaged” information - FLAK
Criticism or opposition of some kind
When journalist dig too much into an issue, or question too many things. Their bosses tend to receive pressure to “flak” (to stop what they’re doing)
There are sometimes some subtle or NOT SO subtle warnings that they should stop
How programs “60 Minutes” refused to air an interview they had with an executive from a tobacco company, because they “threatened legal action”
Symbolic Interactionist view on Media Effects
Symbolic interactionist have the idea that media is DETERMINISTIC (Leads us to think in certain ways), media DETERMINES how we come about to think of something, or how we believe something.
We do have the ability to be critical, but we tend to accept what we hear
We actively participate in our consumption of media
Sometimes we misinterpret messages and images in media that were not intended by the producers
Symbolic Interactionist TWO-STEP FLOW of COMMUNICATION
The link between persuasive media messages and actual behavior is indirect (two-step flow of communication)
Opinion Leaders interpret this information, they PASS it on
They MAY influence the opinion of others
Opinion leaders can be religious leaders etc
Religious leaders for example, could be seen on Sunday mornings at church telling their congregates how they would vote, so every member of the church would most likely follow suit
Feminist Theorist on Media Effects
- Feminist theorists have revealed the problematic representation/misrepresentation of women in the mass media; More recent feminist work has focused on how women selectively interpret media messages and even challenge them
People actively participate in their consumption of media, so they can make different interpretations of the media source
They push for a less DETERMINISTIC approach of media
Some examples of gender messages that have been rejected
- Dove advertisements (Encourage inner beauty)
- Dove blames women for viewing themselves a certain way, instead of the media which is odd
Centralized Control and the Resistance of the Internet
Consumers of media exercise more control of media
A lot of this has happened through social media
Social media has a more democratic effect
The internet has ALSO created new opportunities for media conglomerates
Key Issues regarding (Centralized Control and Resistance on the Internet)
ACCESS
- Access to the internet is not equal across the globe
- Poorer countries have small proportions of their populations online
CONTENT
- Much of the content we see is AMERICAN
- This exemplifies ‘MEDIA IMPERIALISM” (Control of mass media by a single NATIONAL CULTURE)
- Consequence of this is the undermining of other cultures, they don’t get the same representation
MEDIA CONVERGENCE
- All different forms of media blend together to form new ”hybrid” forms of media
- Clearest example of this would be our CELL PHONES
- Our cell phones are not used for calls, but also for recording, watching video, surfing the web, texting people, sending and receiving emails.
THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
- Everyone in the west has got a Facebook account basically
- People are contributing incredible levels of media, media content every day
- Most of it is garbage, most ppl don’t want to know what you ate etc, but oh well
This encourages the idea of SOCIAL ACTIVISM (CH.13)
1) IDENTITY
Media tends to manipulate how we present ourselves, changes our identities in certain contexts
2) SOCIAL RELATIONS
At dinner when you see ppl on their phones the whole time
The media is supposed to give us these new ways to communicate, but
3) SOCIAL ACTIVISM
