chapter 13 - Mass Media and Mass Communication

Flashcards based on key concepts and terminology from the lecture on Mass Media and Mass Communication.

Mass Media

Includes print, radio, television, Internet, and other communication technologies. Mass media transmits from a few sources to many people.

three main factors of media growth

• religious - the protestant reformation

• political - democratic movements

• economic - capitalist industrialization

The Protestant Reformation

• A religious movement in the 16th century that significantly contributed to media growth.

• back in the day, only priests could interpret the bible because it was in latin. the bible becomes printed in other languages and mass printed, so more people can read it. first form of mass media

Democratic Movements

• Political movements in the 18th century that played a role in the expansion of mass media.

• there is an emphasis on literacy, education, having an informed and thoughtful public

• standardization of education

Capitalist Industrialization

• An economic factor that led to the growth of mass media.

• there is a need for a literate and numerically competent workforce

• media is also a major source of profit

• creating massive companies and being able to communicate and advertise

Functionalism - functions of mass media

• coordinating operation of industrial and postindustrial societies

• socialization - transmission of norms, values, culture

• social control - ensures conformity

• provide entertainment

Conflict Theory

• A perspective that sees mass media as favouring dominant classes and political groups.

• conflict theorists say that functionalists exaggerate the extent to which mass media serves the interests of the entire society

Media Concentration

• A phenomenon where media ownership is concentrated in the hands of a few families or companies, which can squeeze out particular points of view. conflict theorists view this as problematic

• in canada, there are only 4 multimedia giants: BCE, rogers, quebecor, CBC/radio-canada

horizontal integration

• controlling production as much as possible in that particular field

vertical integration

controlling production and distribution in MANY fields - leads to media conglomerates. this leads to media bias

Biasing Mechanisms

Factors that can lead to biased media content, including advertising, sourcing, and flak, and ownership and concentration

advertising as a biasing mechanism

• 93% of newspaper editors have said that advertisers have tried to influence their news reports

• works because most of their revenue comes from advertising

sourcing as a biasing mechanism

• studies of news gathering methods show that most news agencies rely heavily on press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized or produced by large corporations and government agencies

flak

governments and corporations routinely attack journalists that depart from official and corporate points of view. these attacks are more common in non democratic countries

interpretive approaches

• people don’t change their attitudes and behaviours just because the media tells them to do so

• this analysis focuses on the way audiences filter and interpret mass media messages in the context of their own interests, experiences, and values

• class and age affect how people relate to television

feminist approaches to mass media

• in the 70s, there was research on representation or misrepresentation of women in mass media - the tropes that they occupy

• research in 80s and 90s show that audience members selectively interpret media messages and sometimes contest them

centralized control and the internet

• it does provide unique opportunities for users to have autonomy and creativity

• also increases opportunities for corporations and authorities to engage in homogenization, surveillance, and possibly the manipulation and control of users

• google and meta like to say they’re tech companies when they’re actually media companies, and they aren’t regulated like media companies should be

cultural studies

• analysis that focuses not just on cultural meaning producers try to transmit, but also on the way the audiences filter and interpret mass media messages in the context of their own interests, experiences, and values

Media Imperialism

The control of a mass medium by a single national culture, undermining other national cultures.

Net Neutrality

• The principle that Internet service providers should not restrict access to online content.

• unrestricted access promotes freedom of expression, innovation, user choice

• provides access to online materials that offer education, information, entertainment to those that otherwise would not be able to afford those things

• media conglomerates argue this would lead to more piracy

Slacktivism

Social activism that utilizes social media and online platforms to promote social change.

Online Piracy

• The downloading of copyright material from the Internet without authorization.

Biased Algorithms

Computer rules that often favor certain groups, leading to inequality in information dissemination.

Identity Workshops

How social media affects self-perception and personal identity.

Networked Individualism

The patterns of social relationships formed through social media.