Media Communcation in Korea

Definition of culture

shared values, norms, beliefs, behaviours that are passed across generations

Four categories of culture

1. symbols - languages, gestures

2. rituals - traditions, ceremonies

3. values - beliefs about good/bad

4. heroes - role models

superstitions

irrational beliefs linked to luck

eg lucky cat in japan, no seaweed soup before exams

co-culture vs subculture

subculture - smaller group within dominant culture

co-culture - different groups co-existing equally

high vs low context cultures

high context (eg Korea) - indirect communication, non-verbal important, group harmony

low context (eg USA) - direct communication, explicit meaning

individualism vs collectivism

individualism - focus on self

collectivism (Korea) - focus on group

convergence meaning in media

different media merging into one

eg phone + tv + internet

evolution of media

1. oral

2. print

3. broadcast (TV, radio)

4. digital

technological determinism

when technology drives society

social construction of technology

when society shapes technology

four functions of media

1. surveillance - providing information about what is happening in the world

2. interpretation - explaining and analysing information

   1. socialisation - teaching norms, values, behaviours (how to behave)

3. entertainment - providing enjoyment and relaxation

economic characteristics of media

high first-copy cost (cost of creating the product once)

low marginal cost (cost of making one more copy)

economies of scale - more production = lower cost per unit

which market structure is the media industry

oligopoly

what is yellow journalism

sensational & exaggerated news

what are the recent changes/benefits for internet newspapers

real-time updates

interactivity

multimedia

audience participation

news portals (Naver/Daum) - what is their role & pros/cons

role - aggregators, control visibility of news

pros - convenience, more choice

cons - bias, too much power, lower quality

must carry rules meaning

when cable must carry certain channels

what iis spectrum policy

when government controls broadcast frequencies

media effects (agenda setting, framing, spiral of silence)

agenda setting - media tells you what to think about

framing - media tells you how to think

spiral of silence - people stay silent if minority opinion

Packet switching and router

data is split into packets and the router directs the packets to the destination

net neutrality definition & pros and cons

ISPs treat all data equally

pros - fair competition, open internet

cons - less investment as can’t charge extra for faster services, less efficiency as some services may need priority

characteristics of social media

interactive

user-generated

sharing

network-based

2 types of social capital

bonding - strong ties (family, close friends)

bridging - weak ties (connections, opportunities)

glocalisation

global + local mix

means adapting global products, ideas, media to fit local cultures, values, preferences

globalisation theory

argues that global forces (markets, technology, media) are reducing the power of national governments and making cultures more similar

ie world is becoming one big connected system:

same apps, media, trends

political economy theory

national governments and domestic media still play a big role in shaping media and culture

ie governments are still in control regardless of political economy

Korean wave

government role

• subsidies

• policies

• promotion abroad

government = key driver

cultural proximity

when people prefer media or products that share similar cultures

cultural discount

cultural content loses value when exported to a new region

cultural imperialism

western dominance of media

media imperialism

unequal media flow

what is the role of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in media

• promotes hollywood globally

• influences foreign markets

spectrum policy

Government controls broadcast frequencies