Key Terms

Question 0

Catharsis theory

Answer 0

Suggests that seeing violence on TV helps viewers release tension and violent thoughts, making them less likely to commit violent acts themselves.

Question 1

Agenda-setting

Answer 1

A practice in journalism where an editor or journalist selects what to include in the news and choose a particular angle - effecting how the story is perceived by their audience.

Question 2

Censorship

Answer 2

Control of the media (TV, newspapers, film etc.) through banning certain works, scenes, images or language from being broadcasted.

Question 3

Classical liberalism

Answer 3

The view that the market should be free, with minimum state intervention, and that individuals should take responsibility for themselves.

Question 4

Consensus

Answer 4

Fundamental agreement within a society mainly concerning norms and values.
Functionalist theory suggesting that socialisation has integrated people share the same values.

Question 5

Culture

Answer 5

The “way of life” of a society or group. Culture is made up of such things like language, customs, knowledge, norms and values that’s passed on through generations

Question 6

False consciousness

Answer 6

Marxism says that workers are in a state of false consciousness about their place in society. Supporting the ruling class interests through the media and other areas of society.

Question 7

False needs

Answer 7

Things people think they need but which don’t really satisfy them. Marxists say these false need have been created by a capitalist culture to encourage consumerism.

Question 8

Glasgow university media group (1976-1982)

Answer 8

Found that TV coverage of workplace strikes in the ’70s was biased in favor of management.
Against the strikers terms of the perspective, the language used etc.

Question 9

Hegemony

Answer 9

The domination of one group of people over others, or of one set of ideas and values over others.
Law, religion, literature and media may all be used to make the dominant group or values legitimate and to discredit alternatives.

Question 10

Hypodermic syringe model

Answer 10

The idea that the media injects its message directly into the minds of the audience.
It claims that all people in the audience are affected in the same way, and that they’re powerless to resist or reject the message.

Question 11

Ideological state apparatus

Answer 11

Institutions like the media can spread the ideology of the state.

Question 12

Mass media

Answer 12

Ways of communicating with large numbers of people, e.g. Newspapers, TV, Internet and radio.

Question 13

Metanarrative

Answer 13

An overarching, all-encompassing story which gives meaning to history and events.

Question 14

Moral panic

Answer 14

A fear of a moral crisis in society. The mass media have a big role in starting moral panics in contemporary society.

Question 15

Neo-marxism

Answer 15

In the 20th century, some Marxist have adapted Marx’s ideas to make them relevant to modern society.
They dress the importance of culture in sustaining capitalism.
(Althusser, Gramsci and Hall)

Question 16

Pluralism

Answer 16

The belief that society is diverse and reflects the needs and views of everyone via democracy and free market.

Question 17

Postmodernism

Answer 17

Theory which says there is no one objective truth or reality that everyone experiences.
Postmodernism rejects the idea of modernism, such as positivism and metanarratives.