Media Communication in Society

Communication media

The different technological processes that facilitate communication between the sender of a message and the receiver of the message.

Sender→message→medium→receiver

What is the model for communication media?

One

How many receivers are there for interpersonal communication?

A lot

How many receivers are there for mass communication?

Known
Anonymous

Mass communication: _____ sender/generally_________ receivers

One
Many

Mass communication: ___ to ____

One
One

Interpersonal communication: ___ to ___

Interactive

Interpersonal communication is ___________

Internet

The ________ blurs the distinction between interpersonal and mass communication

Sender→message→medium→user

What is the model for internet communication?

Circular
←→Users←→Technology←→Industry←→Content←→

All revolves around the social world

What does the new model of media communication look like?

Sender→industry

Professional and commercial nature of media organizations responsible for most media content

Messages→content

Reflects a wider array of media that people experience

Medium→technology

To isolate the types of media we’re talking about

Social world

Social forces and non-media factors that affect communication process

Media industry←→technology

Media affected by changes in tech
Media industry decides application of technology

User←→content relationship

Media’s influence on people’s life choices

Media effects

The deliberate and non-deliberate short and long-term within-person changes in cognitions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior that result from media use.

Agenda building

Scanning information and deciding which events to cover.

Macro, meso, & micro

Systemic influences in agenda building:

Macro

Events, political figures, issues that favor the interests of the elites

Meso

Ownership structure, changes in technology, inter-media influences, profit, efficiency, technological advances

Micro

Political and social predispositions of journalists

Timeliness
Impact
Conflict
Proximity

Novelty

Human interest

News factors:

Agenda setting

The media tell people what is important by what is covered in the press.

The number of times a topic is covered

Where it is presented

Who the information is presented/geared to

What is NOT covered=something unimportant

Characteristics of agenda setting

Priming

A cognitive process whereby what the media present (temporarily) influences what people think about afterwards in processing additional information

Media agenda→audience agenda→policy agenda

Priming model

Attitudes

Agenda

(Priming) The media can influence our _________ through their ______.

Framed messages→available→accessible→applicable→message-consistent attitude

Framed messages model

Framing

The way a structure, image, or idea is built, presented, or given context to shape how people see and understand it.

Mainstreaming

Resonance

Early cultivation studies identified two mechanisms:

Ubiquitous

Consonant

_________ and ___________ TV shapes our perception of reality

Similar

Television lends to cultivate “_______” perceptions among social groups that otherwise differ on social issues, even if this perception differs from reality

Resonance

When a viewer’s lived reality coincides with the reality pictured with the media.

Individual who is unwilling to express their minority views→perceived majority view becomes increasingly dominant→media covers dominant view→individuals view media as representation of dominant view

Spiral of silence model

Professionals

Mass communication: Senders are typically ______________ in commercial companies, governments, etc.

Because endless feedback loops occur among these components.

Why is the new model of media communication circular, not linear?

Ubiquitous

Existing or seeming to be everywhere at the same time

Consonant

Agreement, harmony, or accord with something else