COM 100 Test: Chapters 1-8

Mass Communication

The process of creating shared meaning between the mass media and their audiences.

Communication

The transmission of a message from a source to a receiver.

Models of Communication

Describes the questions of who, what, which channel, to whom, with what effect in the communication process.

Encoding

The process of transforming a message into an understandable sign and symbol system.

Decoding

The process of interpreting signs and symbols in a received message.

Medium

The means of sending information, such as voice, telephone, internet, radio.

Mass Medium

A technology that carries messages to a large number of people, such as radio, TV, books, magazines, newspapers, movies, computer networks.

Feedback

The response or message received as a result of communication.

Interpersonal Communication

Communication between two or a few people.

Cultural Definition of Communication

Communication as a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed.

Culture

The learned behavior of members of a given social group.

Dominant Culture/Mainstream Culture

The culture that holds sway with the majority of people.

Bounded Cultures/Co-cultures

Smaller cultures within a larger national culture that unite groups of people and differentiate them from other groups.

Media Literacy

The ability to effectively and efficiently comprehend and use any form of mediated communication.

Technological Determinism

The belief that technology is the predominant agent of social and cultural change.

Media Skills

The ability and willingness to understand content, distinguish emotional from reasoned reactions, and develop heightened expectations of media content.

Ethical and Moral Obligations of Media Practitioners

The understanding of the responsibilities and principles that guide media professionals in their work.

Genre Conventions

Recognizing the established conventions and characteristics of different genres in media.

Critical Thinking

The ability to analyze and evaluate media messages in a discerning and thoughtful manner.

Internal Language of Media

Understanding the unique language and techniques used in various forms of media and their impact on audiences.

Mass Communication Models

The framework for analyzing and understanding the communication process, including the sender, message, channel, receiver, and effect.

Demographics

Consideration of the characteristics and traits of specific target audiences, such as age, gender, and interests, in media communication.

Convergence

The merging of different media platforms and technologies into a unified system.

Platform Agnostics

Media that can be accessed and consumed across multiple platforms and devices.

Concentration of Ownership

The trend of a few large corporations owning and controlling a significant portion of the media industry.

Conglomeration

The consolidation of media companies under a single corporate entity.

News Deserts

Areas or communities with limited or no access to local news sources.

Economies of Scale

The cost advantages that result from increased production or operation.

Audience Fragmentation

The division of audiences into smaller, specialized groups based on their interests and preferences.

Hypercommercialism

The excessive presence and influence of advertising and commercial messages in media.

Product Placement

The inclusion of branded products or references within media content for promotional purposes.

Infomercials

Long-form television commercials that resemble regular programming but are designed to sell products or services.

Third Person Effect

The belief that others are more influenced by media messages than oneself.

Hostile Media Effect

The tendency to perceive media coverage as biased against one's own point of view.

Journalist

A professional who gathers, investigates, and reports news and information to the public.

Aliteracy

The ability to read but choosing not to do so.

Censorship

The suppression or control of certain forms of media or content deemed inappropriate or harmful.

Trade, Professional, and Business Magazines

Publications aimed at specific industries or professional audiences.

Industrial, Company, and Sponsored Magazines

Magazines produced by companies for their employees, customers, or members of specific organizations.

Consumer Magazines

Magazines sold to the general public through subscriptions or retail outlets.

Circulation

The number of copies of a magazine or newspaper sold.

Controlled Circulation

The distribution of magazines to readers who meet specific criteria determined by advertisers.

Delayed Feedback

The time lag between the distribution of magazines and advertisers receiving feedback on their impact.

Custom Publishing

The creation of magazines specifically tailored to a particular company or target audience.

Advertiser Influence

The impact of advertisers on the content and placement of ads within magazines.

Muckraking

A form of investigative journalism that uses magazines to expose social and political issues.

Talkies

Movies with synchronized sound, including dialogue, music, and sound effects.

Silent Movies

Movies without synchronized sound, which had a significant impact on the film industry.

Musical

A genre of film that incorporates songs and dance numbers into the storyline.

Movie Viewers

The number of people watching movies reached 90 million by 1930.

Scandalous Movie in the 1900’s

The Kiss, a movie that generated a moral outcry and led to censorship and self-regulation in the film industry.

Censorship

The act of restricting or controlling the content of movies through legislation and internal codes.

Red Scare

The fear of communist influence in Hollywood, leading to efforts to rid the industry of communist propaganda.

Film Production

The process of making movies, with 700-800 feature-length films produced annually in the US.

Technology

The use of digital cameras and editing programs in the production of movies.

Special Effects

The use of advanced techniques to create visual and audio effects in movies, such as in Avatar and Titanic.

Cloud Computing

The storage of computer data, including personal information and software, on remote servers hosted on the Internet.

Movie Distribution

The process of supplying movies to various platforms, including TV networks, cable, satellite networks, DVDs, and internet streaming companies.

Green Light Process

The decision-making process to approve the production of a movie.

Platform Rollout

The strategy of releasing a movie on a limited number of screens to generate favorable reviews and word-of-mouth publicity.

Movie Exhibition

The showing of movies in theaters, where exhibitors make most of their money through concession sales.

Blockbuster Mentality

Filmmaking characterized by reduced risk-taking and more formulaic movies, driven by business concerns rather than artistic considerations.

Concept Films

Movies that can be described in a single line or concept.

Franchise Films

Movies produced with the intention of creating multiple sequels, such as Despicable Me and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Merchandise Tie-Ins

The production of movies with the goal of generating a market for nonfilm products, such as The Lorax and Star Wars.

Product Placement

The practice of featuring branded products in movies as a form of advertising.

Audience Research

The process of market testing scripts, concepts, plots, and characters before a movie is released.

Tentpole

An expensive blockbuster movie that serves as the centerpiece for a studio's other releases.

Convergence

The integration of different media industries, such as movies and TV, resulting in new distribution and exhibition opportunities.

Theatrical Films

Movies produced primarily for initial exhibition in theaters.

Microcinema

Filmmaking using digital video cameras and desktop digital editing programs.

Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi

_____ were the first inventors of radio in the 1890s.

Sound Recording

The process of capturing and storing audio, which began in the 1800s with inventions like the phonautograph and Thomas Edison's "talking machine."

Broadcasting

Transmitting voices and music at great distances to a large number of people, which predated the development of radio.

Radio Regulation

The introduction of acts and regulations to govern the use and licensing of radio, such as the Wireless Ship Act and the Radio Act of 1912 and 1927.

Advertising and Networks

The financial support of broadcasting through advertising, with private, commercially owned broadcasters and national networks programming the most lucrative hours.

Golden Age

A period during the Great Depression and World War II when radio played a significant role in entertainment, news, and boosting morale.

Local Radio

Radio stations that serve specific localities and are more affordable than local television stations.

Fragmented Radio

The widespread distribution of radio stations throughout the US, allowing for specialization and diverse programming.

Personal Radio

The shift from families listening together to individuals selecting personally pleasing formats and listening alone.

Mobile Radio

The ability to listen to radio anywhere and at any time, with three-quarters of traditional radio listening occurring away from home.

Business of Radio

The attractiveness of radio as an advertising medium due to its low production and time costs, as well as the loyalty of listeners to specific formats.

Deregulation & Ownership

The removal of national ownership limits, allowing one person or company to own multiple radio stations in one area.

Recording Industry

The industry involved in the production and distribution of recorded music, with DJs playing a significant role in introducing new music.

Major Recording Companies

Companies like Sony and Universal that dominate the recording industry and have released best-selling albums by artists such as The Beatles and Michael Jackson.

Impact of Television

The influence of television, especially MTV, on the recording industry, leading to the importance of music videos and televised talent shows.

Satellite and Cable

The use of satellite technology and cable television to deliver radio content, including syndication and satellite-delivered services like Sirius XM Radio.

Terrestrial Digital Radio

Land-based digital radio that simultaneously transmits analog and digital signals using digital compression technology.

Podcasts

Audio programs that can be streamed or downloaded and have gained popularity with hundreds of thousands of active podcasters and millions of listeners.

Portable Devices

The ability to listen to music on mobile devices, with more than half of all streaming music listening occurring on mobile devices.

Internet and the Future of the Recording Industry

The shift from analog to digital recording and the impact of piracy, downloading, and streaming on the industry.

Emergence of political parties

The magazine titles on display give a window into __________ in American history. (Article)

Evolution of the Black freedom movement

The titles on display give a window into________ in American history.

Rise of new technologies

The titles on display give a window into the ______ like television and computers in American history.

The Saturday Evening Post

_________ appeared in 1821 and continued for the next 148 years.

The American Magazine

________ was the first successful American magazine sold by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.

The Ladies' Magazine

________ was an early 18th-century publication where Sarah Josepha Hale became the first female editor in the country. (Article)

Suffrage and homemakers

Women's magazines included articles about _____ and how-to for _____.

Postal Act of 1879

The Postal Act of 1879 helped with the spread of magazines.

The New Yorker

________ is an iconic magazine that dates back to May 1789 and printed a fold-out illustration of enslaved African people packed into a cargo ship.