Types Of Media And How We Study It Flashcards
What are the three types of media?
Print media, audio-visual media, cybermedia (digital media)
Print media includes newspapers, magazines, comics, and books. Audio-visual media encompasses television, radio, cinema, and music. Cybermedia focuses on the Internet and includes social networking sites and digital content.
What is print media?
Newspapers, magazines, comics, books, and some forms of advertising
Print media is one of the three main types of media, emphasizing traditional forms of media that are physically printed.
What constitutes audio-visual media?
Terrestrial and satellite television, radio, cinema, DVDs, and music
Audio-visual media is primarily commercially owned but includes state-owned public broadcasting like the BBC.
Define cybermedia or digital media.
Media focused on the Internet, including interactive social networking sites, mobile phones, and video games
Cybermedia represents a newer form of media that emphasizes digital communication and interaction.
What is content analysis?
A quantitative method for analyzing media reports by counting the frequency of particular words, images, or themes
Content analysis is commonly used by sociologists to study media and its representation.
What is a content analysis schedule?
A list of categories to be observed in the media report
Researchers use this schedule to systematically tick off observed categories during content analysis.
What is an example of sampling in content analysis?
Sampling coverage of three newspapers on three days over a month
Sampling is crucial for studying specific media phenomena, such as crime reporting.
What is a key focus of feminist studies in media?
Highlighting gender roles in children’s books, where boys are often depicted in active roles and girls in passive roles
Feminist sociologists like Lobban analyze media to uncover gender biases.
List some strengths of content analysis.
- Accessibility of mass media reports (1)
- Reliability when cross-checked by research teams (2)
- Non-reactive and unobtrusive method (3)
1- cheap to construct
3 - document isnt affected, no human sample
These strengths make content analysis a popular choice for researchers studying media
What are some weaknesses of content analysis?
- Personal interpretation can introduce bias (1)
- Findings may not reflect audience impact
- Ignores the reasons behind media production
(1) values
These weaknesses highlight the limitations of content analysis in understanding media effects.
What is semiotics?
The scientific study of signs or codes, uncovering hidden meanings in media texts
Semiotics analyzes how words and images convey meaning.
What are the two parts of a sign in semiotics?
Signifier (denotation) and signified (connotation)
The signifier refers to what is seen or heard, while the signified refers to its meaning.
What did Cohen study in relation to media?
The language used in reporting youth conflicts, noting exaggeration through terms like ‘battle’ and ‘riot’
Cohen’s work illustrates how media language can shape public perception.
What did the Glasgow University Media Group (GUMG) find in their studies?
Media language and images often favor the powerful and devalue less powerful groups
GUMG’s studies highlighted biases in media representation.
What did GUMG find in their study of industrial disputes?
Journalists present strikers negatively and management positively through images and language
Strikers making ‘demands’ vs management making ‘offers’
Visual images: aggressive greedy workers vs passive, reasonable managers
Interviewed workers in a busy enviroment vs interviewed managers in a calm enviroment
What is the impact of labelling in media?
Media labelling can shape public opinion and perceptions of individuals and groups.
‘scroungers’ or ‘terrorists’ undermine the credibility of the powerless
- Foreign news reports: ethnocentric and ideological distinction between ‘terrorists’ (seen as disrupting friendly regimes) vs ‘freedom fighter’ (seen as resisting regimes hostile to the West)
What are critiques of semiotic research?
- Lack of methodological rigor due to few guidelines
- Low reliability due to subjective interpretation
- Limited validity reflecting sociologist biases (little about reason for creation or effect on audience)
These critiques question the robustness of semiotic analysis in media studies.
What are the advantages of using the Internet for sociological research?
- Unobtrusive method
- Easy access to vast amounts of data
- Ability to study social activities and relationships online
The Internet provides unique opportunities for sociological inquiry.
Who argued the internet has several advantages for sociological researchers?
Lee
What caution should be taken when using the Internet as a data source?
Content may not be academically verified and can be inaccurate
Researchers should be aware of the ‘digital divide’ and the reliability of online information.
