Unit 1, the Media Flashcards
Define ethnocentrism
he belief that ones country, area or culture is naturally superior to others
Define socio-economic status
a measure of an individual or groups position in the community.
Define media
plural of medium, form of communication
What are the different types of media
Mainstream media and alternative media sources
Define mainstream/mass media
consumed by large about of people
Who owns mainstream media/mass media
generally owned by large corporations and have a wide public consumption
What does mainstream media include
mass communication organizations like newspapers and radio
What views are usually presented by mainstream media
the general populations views
Give examples of mainstream media
CBC, FOX, CNN, Toronto Star
What percent of the media is considered mainstream
95%
What is alternative media sources
Organizations that are generally smaller, not affiliated with large corporations, and offer alternative views to those found in mainstream sources
What point of view do alternative media give
They may provide points of view that advocate for a specific social perspective or political learning
Give examples of alternative media sources
Democracy Now!, New Internationalist, Mother Jones, The Briarpatch
Is the media powerful, and if so, why?
Absolutely– it shapes the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental makeup of the world
Define proliferation
rapid increase of numbers
What critical thinking skills do we need to ensure that we have accurate and complete info about global issues?
Analysis and synthesis
Define analysis
examination of the parts of a whole to discover their nature and their relationship with each other, to interpret patterns and recognize their meaning
Define synthesis
a cognitive skill that combines, integrates and rearranges information from a variety of sources and perspectives in order to make generalizations, draw conclusions and create new ideas
Are facts objective or subjective
objective
Are opinions objective or subjective
subjective
When are facts and opinions used together
Being able to use facts to develop an informed opinion is good
What questions should be asked in order to determine the reputability and reliability of media sources
How did they get the info? How much was included how much was left out? What form is it in?
Define impunity
Exception from punishment
When did the earthquake hit Haiti
January 12, 2010
What are some numbers that support the devastation in Haiti
230 000 dead 300 000 injured 1 million displaced 250 000 houses destroyed 30 000 businesses collapsed
What does the earthquake in Haiti teach us?
The power of the media
Everyone cares about natural disasters
Many global crises are invisible to us
What was the earthquake in Haiti a result of
The staggering death toll from the earthquake was a symptom of the country’s deeper disease — widespread poverty
What was the poverty in Haiti a result of
A lack of decent medical and emerge services
Shoddy infrastructure
Poor sanitation
Overcrowding
Why do people love focusing on natural disasters?
Because it is no ones fault, no one will get in trouble for it
What is sensationalism
(especially in journalism) the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest of excitement. “media sensationalism”.
Why is sensationalism a concern
The change in how info is presented and what info is selected to be covered can actually trigger events and turn events in to crises
Analysis is often conducted, conclusion drawn and opinions fried without accurate info which shapes public opinion
Increased fear or panic can ensue in the public
What is the root cause for sensationalism
The battle for attention; they want to be the first to break the news and in doing this, they can get info wrong and cause even more problems
Could certain media outlets have motives other than informing the public?
They could have a foot in with oil, artillery, etc., so they don’t want to cover problems that will stop people from giving money to certain things
There is only so much money to go around. When a crises like the one in Haiti is covered extensively by the media, how does that impact peoples donations to other causes?
Harms others… less money to go around to other issues
How was Haiti before the earthquake?
Poverty had forced over 225 000 children into slavery
58% of the population used improved/clean drinking water
19% of the population used sanitation facilities
One of the world poorest and least developed countries (poorest country in the America’s)
80% of the population lived in poverty
50% illiteracy rate
50% of primary children went to school
Fewer than 30% of these children would have made it to grade 6
14% of the population had phones
Hw much money (UDS) was pledged for aid?
$13 000 000 000
What shift involving the ownership of media has occurred
There has been a big shift from publicly owned media to huge media conglomerates controlled the media
Give examples of huge media conglomerates
TVO, CBS, PBS
What forms of media do the conglomerates have control over
All forms–books, newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, and the internet
In the US, about how many organizations own and control the media
In the US 5 or 6 media conglomerates control almost all forms of mainstream media (90% of what we consume)
What is the danger in only a few organizations owning all the media
fewer and fewer people are determining what we watch, hear and read —compromising our access to accurate and unbiased info
Many people say that we cannot live in a vibrant democracy unless people get divergent sources of info so, this trend in media ownership compromises the democratic nature of society
What is the opposing argument to only a few organizations owning all the media
media conglomerates only have control over mainstream media, that there are a wide variety of alternative media sources that exist today that offer plenty of divergent views and perspectives
What is the media conglomerates’ focus’
Media conglomerates’ focus is to make profit NOT to educate the public by providing intelligent, balanced commentary on issues