PPC Midterm

Mass media

Channels of communication that reach large, dispersed audiences, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, film, and the internet. These enable the sharing of popular culture by spreading trends, ideas, and entertainment.

Production of Cultural Content

The process in which various platforms and outlets create shows, music videos, movies, advertisements, and other cultural products for public consumption.

Promotion and Hype Creation

The act of generating widespread attention and excitement for celebrities, trends, brands, and events using different media channels.

Cultural Unification

The phenomenon where audiences experience common cultural themes and references, fostering shared social bonds—for example, through viral TikTok trends or blockbuster movies like Avengers.

Celebrity Culture

How public figures such as entertainers, athletes, influencers, and ordinary people become widely recognized through persistent exposure. Example: Maine Mendoza, whose online videos and later appearances in traditional media made her a pop culture icon.

Branding

Developing a distinct public identity or narrative that audiences follow and support. Example: Sarah Geronimo is seen as “Popstar Royalty” through stories of persistence shown in her music and media appearances.

Creation of Celebrities and Icons

Shaping public perception and engagement with people who become symbols or leaders in culture, both locally and globally.

Hollywood

Global hub for movie and entertainment production, setting storytelling and technical trends across the world. Example: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) inspired local superhero films.

K-pop

Korean pop music industry characterized by idol groups, choreography, and strong fan involvement. Example: BTS and BLACKPINK influencing the creation of local groups such as SB19.

Japanese anime

Animation style developed in Japan featuring distinctive art, fantasy, and deep characters, impacting global pop culture. Example: Series like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen shaping fans and artists worldwide.

Television

Scheduled broadcasting service delivering entertainment, news, and culture, often via networks or satellite. Example: GMA Network, TV5, ABS-CBN (Philippines); ABC (USA); Al Jazeera (global).

Radio

Audio-based broadcasting that transmits news, entertainment, and music, crucial in remote areas. Example: Barangay LS 97.1, 90.7 Love Radio (Philippines); NPR (USA); BBC Radio (UK).

Print Media

Dissemination of information through newspapers, magazines, and printed articles. Example: Philippine Daily Inquirer, YES! Magazine, The New York Times.

Film

Creative and cultural storytelling via moving images projected in cinemas or shown at festivals. Example: Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), Cinemalaya; global events like Sundance.

Cultural Studies Theory

An approach to analyzing media and films that explores how they shape and mirror values, identities, and social power structures, and how meaning is made and interpreted.

Media as an Ideological Tool

The use of content to spread values and beliefs that sustain societal hierarchies, often presenting structures such as patriarchy and capitalism as unchangeable.

Representation and Stereotypes

The portrayal of different social groups—especially marginalized ones—often with recurring roles and traits, which impacts attitudes and perceptions. Example: Stereotyped LGBTQ+ characters shown as comic or emotional (“queer coding”).

Encoding/Decoding (Stuart Hall)

Media creators design messages with specific meanings, but audiences interpret these messages in different ways depending on their own experiences.

dominant reading

When viewers fully accept the intended message behind content.

negotiated reading

When viewers partly accept but also challenge or question aspects of the message.

oppositional reading

When viewers completely reject the intended meaning of the content.

Media Ownership and Political Economy

Analyzing how control and ownership of platforms shape the stories that are told. Example: Disney’s dominance globally promotes American culture and consumerism.

Subcultures and Counter-Hegemony

How indie media and art challenge mainstream narratives and give a voice to overlooked groups. Example: Filipino indie film T’yanak uses local folklore to provide alternative cultural perspectives.

Globalization and Media Imperialism

The spread of Western media content and practices across nations, influencing and mixing with local cultural products—for instance, imported formats in Filipino television series.

Interpellation

A process described by Althusser in which media addresses individuals and shapes their identity and role in society.

Representation Theory

Stuart Hall’s concept that media helps create—not just reflect—meaning, influencing real-life perceptions through what stories and images are chosen to be told.

Philippine Peace Studies

A multidisciplinary field that explores the causes of conflict and promotes justice, harmony, and peace, drawing on perspectives from various social sciences and education.

Peace Journalism

Reporting that includes all sides of a conflict, background causes, and peace efforts, encouraging understanding and solutions.

Conflict Journalism

Reporting that focuses primarily on violence, adversaries, and drama, often heightening fear and division.

Youth and Violence in Media

Frequent exposure to violent content may desensitize younger audiences and require critical thinking about such entertainment. Example: Violent gaming content on streaming platforms may go unchecked without guidance.