Media 101

What is the purpose of media according to the notes?

Media is designed to make you want to come back, to hook the audience.

What are the two forms of media?

The platform (how the message is communicated) and the content (the substance of the message).

What is automaticity in media consumption?

Automaticity is the brain's ability to filter messages to protect from information overload.

What are some pros and cons of automaticity?

Pros: Saves time and effort; cons: May miss valuable information and risk fatigue.

What is the goal of media literacy?

To be aware of how much media you are consuming day-to-day and use time intentionally.

What is direct exposure in media?

Primary, first-hand engagement between the consumer and media; mostly deliberate choices.

What is indirect exposure in media?

Secondary consumption of media messages; someone else consumes media first-hand and discusses it.

What are the three building blocks of media literacy?

Skills, knowledge structures, and personal locus.

What is critical thinking often confused with?

Media literacy skills.

What is evaluation in the context of media literacy?

Judging the value or effectiveness of media by comparing it to standards.

What is the main difference between information and knowledge?

Information is piecemeal and resides in messages; knowledge is structured, organized, and resides in a person's mind.

What is the first dimension of media effects?

Timing of effects, which can be immediate or long-term.

What are the types of effects categorized in the fourth dimension of media?

Cognitive effects, attitudinal effects, belief effects, physiological effects, emotional effects, and behavioral effects.

How can media influence physiological functions?

Media can arouse automatic bodily functions like blood pressure or calmness.

What is the distinction between attitude effects and belief effects?

Attitude effects are evaluative judgments; belief effects involve acceptance that something is real or true.

What are behavioral-type media effects?

Media triggers actions that can be immediate or long-term, such as purchasing behavior.

What is macro-type media effects?

Media that influences organizations, institutions, and society as a whole.

What are the two stages of media evolution described in the notes?

Innovation stage (technological advancements) and adaptation stage (repositioning to meet audience needs).

What is the Revolution Pattern in media?

The transition from analog to digital media and how digital better serves existing population needs.

What strategies do companies use to maximize profits?

Increase revenue streams, appeal to multiple audiences, and minimize expenses.

What is niche marketing in media?

Targeting small but valuable audiences for advertising through repeat exposures.

What distinguishes direct financial support from indirect financial support in media?

Direct is payment for access, while indirect includes time invested and subsidizing advertisements.

What are the five methods for segmenting an audience?

Geographic, demographic, social class, geodemographic, and psychographic segmentation.

How has the media industry's view on its audience changed over time?

The change from mass audiences to constructing niche audiences.

What are the three information processing tasks?

Filtering, meaning matching, and meaning construction.

What are the four media literacy exposure states?

Automatic state, attentional state, transported state, and self-reflexive state.

Define automatic state in media exposure. What characterizes it?

Unaware of messages; involves multitasking and enhances emotional gratification.

What is the attentional state in media literacy?

Active interaction with media messages; mental resources devoted to exposure.

What is the transported state of media exposure?

High but narrowly focused attention; loses track of the social world.

What is the self-reflexive state in media?

Being hyper-aware of the message and its processing, highly cognitive involvement.

What is the information problem in media?

The challenge of coping with overwhelming amounts of media messages.

What are two types of information mentioned in the notes?

Factual information and social information.

Define immediate effect in media. How does it differ from long-term effect?

Immediate effects are observable right after exposure, while long-term effects show patterns after repeated exposures.

What is valence in the context of media effects?

Valence refers to whether the effect is positive, negative, or neutral.

What is the difference between the default strategy and the media literate strategy?

Default strategy is automatic and easy, while media literate strategy involves active choices for better value.

Name one example of a cognitive effect in media exposure.

Learning social information by observing behaviors in media.