Mass Media Flashcards
Mass Media: Global Popular Culture (GPC)
[culture changes from High Culture to GPC]
[Globalisation]
McLuhan: the world is a global village connected by media
How has globalisation effected UK media
- Media Ownership - e.g: Murdoch
- Streaming TV services - e.g: Marvel
- Internet - e.g: email - messages
- Advertising
- Entertainment - e.g: gaming
Flew Suggests that the evolution of new media has developed a GPC.
Popular Culture - a highly commercialised, mass produced form of media
——
High Culture - respected cultural heritage, e.g - galleries, museums, Croquette
— Both cultures are being merged into one as these activities become more normalised
AO3:
Cultural Optimists:
- Postmodernism would support globalisation of culture as it provides economic benefits
- Livingstone - soap operas (a form of GPC) educate individuals on issues in life
Cultural Pessimists:
- Marxists argue the media is mass produced to create profit and spread DI
- Kellner argues globalisation has led to sameness
Ritzer - McDonaldisation:
Companies operate on a global scale leading to McD where cultures possess the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant — the four concepts are:
- efficiency - fast media
- calculability - large quantities of media
- predictability - uniforms
- control - non-human technology
Mass Media: The New Media
(Digital, Collective intelligence)
New media refers to screen-based, digital computer technology
The Characteristic of New Media are:
1) Digitally - e.g: iPhones
2) Interactivity - audience can interact with the media - e.g: Instagram Polls
3) Collective Intelligence - Users can interact starting debates - e.g: Twitter
4) Virtuality - Immersion in media - e.g: MetaVerse
Bivens suggests New Media has led to thee significant changes:
1) shifts in traditional news flow cycles: (rise of citizen journalism)
2) Heightened Accountability - Citizen Journalism has made traditional media more accountable
3) Evolving News Values - Media is a competitive market and so news must be as up to date as possible
Cultural Optimists View of Mass Media vs Cultural Pessimists View of Mass Media
Cultural Optimists Argue:
More informed consumers
Greater democracy
Social life is enhanced
These focus on the positives of mass media such as greater democracy meaning protests can be spread through social media
Cultural Pessimists argue;
Problems with validity of info
Cultural imperialism
A threat to democracy
(All self explanatory points)
Mass Media: Selection and Presentation of the News
1) How is the news selected
The News is socially constructed
- Couldry argues this has led to a lack of public trust in the media as headlines are manufactured with hidden messages
Agenda Setting:
Cohen argues: the news are successful in telling us what to think ABOUT

Gate Keeping:
The media can refuse to cover some issues if it goes against their ethos
- McQuail argued: the news is not impartial

Norm Setting:
The way the media reinforces conformity to social norms
Media is a propaganda model:
- Herman argues the media take part in propaganda that helps the elite
Hierarchy of Credibility
- Stuart Hall: most journalists favour opinions of the police, politicians and business leaders
(Hillsborouh Disaster)
Moral Panics in the News
- Stanley Cohen - particular social groups or activities that are seen to threaten societal values
E.Gs: Knife Crime, Terrorrism, AIDs
Moral Panics create Folk Devils
2) How has selection of news changed?
Globalisation:
Thussu argued that the media has become about entertainment
Differences in motivations
- focus on citizen journalism and the audience, deadlines and profit
The rise of alternate news
Instagram and Twitter news pages
Mass Media: Selection and Presentation of the News: NEWS VALUES
-
Extraordinariness:
Unexpected, rare events
E.G: 9/11 -
Threshold:
The bigger the event, the more likely it will be reported , E.G: Kings Coronation -
Unambiguity:
Events that are easy to grasp are more likely it will be reported on
E.G; Celebrity Focus -
Reference to Elite Persons
The famous and powerful are seen as more news worthy
E.G: Ariana Grande Concert -
Reference to Elite Nations:
Stories about people who speak the same language, look the same and share the same values
E.G: UK leaving EU -
Personalisation:
Stories referred to a prominent individual
E.G: 2020 Election -
Frequency:
The time span taken by the event
E.G: Knife Crime in London -
Continuity:
The story continues to run over time
E.G: Madeline McCann / COVID-19 -
Narrative:
Stories are presented in the forms of Heroes and Villians
E.G: Zelensky - Putin -
Negativity:
Bad stories are more exciting
E.G: Death of George Floyd -
Composition:
Balances bad news with good news
E.G: Rishi’s £15 billion giveaway vs scrolling down a bit to fine chlorine leaks, 200 injured
