FOCS Mass Communication

Question 1

What is mass media?

Answer 1

Forms of communication that address large audiences or publics

Question 2

What is mass communication?

Answer 2

Special form of human communication characterised by large, anonymous audiences reached through some media

• Media that allows mass communication are mass media
• Does no include one-on-one computer mediated communication
• Social media is a grey area

Question 3

Media epochs in human history

Answer 3

Tribal, Literate, Print and Electronic

Question 4

Tribal Epoch

Answer 4

• Tribal epoch
  
  • Oral communication
  • Face to face, people giving and getting immediate feedback
  • Still used by isolated tribal groups today
  • May still prevail is underdeveloped countries
  • HEARING is the dominant sense

Question 5

Literate Epoch

Answer 5

• Invention of the phonetic alphabet
  
  • Direct correspondence between letter and sound
  • SIGHT is the dominant sense
• New ways of communication possible
  
  • Without face to face interaction
  • Hearing declined in importance
  • Sight ascended as a primary sense
• Written letters allowed to
  
  • Rely less on memory
  • Spread linear thinking an
    
    • Letter to letter, word to word
  • Access to medium was still restricted
  • Outreach of medium was limited

Question 6

Print Epoch

Answer 6

• Invention of printing press
• SIGHT is still the dominant sense
• Consequences
  
  • Cultivate homogeneity of views
  • Written communication for the masses
  • Enlightenment in thought and life

Question 7

Electronic Epoch

Answer 7

• Invention of telegraph (first in series of electronic communication)
  
  • Telephone, Radio, Television and Internet
• Communication overcomes distance
• Hearing becomes dominant again
• Electronic communication leads to creation of a global village

Question 8

Mass media serving individuals’ needs and desires

1. Uses and Gratification theory

Answer 8

1. Assumes people are active agents, consciously aware of needs
2. Actively choose media to gratify their needs
3. Supports aspects we want to know more about, gratifying themselves
4. As an extension, individuals can use media to gratify their communities
5. Surveillance, Personal Relationships, Personal Identity, Diversion

Question 9

Mass media influence human knowledge and perspectives

1. Agenda Setting

Answer 9

1. Mass media sets an agenda for public consciousness when they decide how to distribute media coverage of various issue
2. Cumulative process in the SR
3. Diverts attention for readers to ignore and give minimum attention to some topics and people, by covering them barely or not at all
4. Looks at the amount of weight certain issues are given

Question 10

Mass media influence human knowledge and perspectives
Gatekeeping

Answer 10

1. Person or group who decides which messages pass through the gates that control information flow to reach consumers
2. Channels are niche, so if you keep tuning into one channel, the perspectives formed among individuals who tune into different channels would differ too

Question 11

Mass media influence human knowledge and perspectives
Cultivation Theory

Answer 11

1. WORLDVIEW
2. Through gatekeeping, mass media cumulatively promote particular understandings about the world and how the world operates
3. Researchers claim that more exposure to television distorts their perception of reality → Resulting in “mean world syndrome”
4. Worldviews are also cultivated by mainstreaming
   
   1. Stabilising and homogenising views within a society
   2. Represents certain characters’ race more than others
5. Television promotes heavy doses of violence
   
   1. “Mean world syndrome”
   2. World seems more violent than actuality

Question 12

Mass media influence human knowledge and perspectives
Critical/Cultural Tradition → Defining desirability and normalcy

Answer 12

1. Mass media mainstreamed ideas of who and what are desirable and normal
2. Watch TV → May think men outnumber women in the population
   
   1. Overrepresentation of men
3. Displays men as deficient but can fix this deficiency by consuming products
   
   1. Creates unrealistic and unhealthy id

Question 13

Mass communication advances dominant ideologies

1. Mass media advancing the dominant ideology →

Answer 13

1. Mass media advancing the dominant ideology →
   
   1. Product Placement
      
      1. Paid for by advertisers and programme sponsor
   2. Immersive Advertising
      
      1. Incorporates a product or brand into actual storylines in books, television programs and films

Question 14

Hypodermic Needle Model (Theory =/= Model)

Answer 14

• Came into prominence due to historical events
• End-users are passive receivers, especially of propaganda