last updated 9/19/2009

Characteristics of a MASS MEDIUM

• Large (Anonymous), Heterogeneous Audience - Wide distribution

• Mediated Message - Technical intervention (channel, 1 primary sense?)

a. noise (physical and psychological)

b. rapid transmission of transient mmessages

• Limited feedback - Impersonal (organizational) source

a. limited message adaptation

b. simplistic message - lowest common denominator & very common references

• Weak but cumulative effects of multiple, reinforcing messages.
   

Functions of the Mass Media

• Serve Economy - ads, profits of media, product info, consumer society

• Entertain - comedy/music/drama/sports (even news and infotainment), combat loneliness, develop culture

• Inform - news, sports, politics, ads too, show the world (provides interpretations)

• influence - agenda setting (focus attention), persuasion (politics, commercial ads, PSAs), stereotypes, passivity or activation, hopelessness.

• Binds Society together
   

1. agenda setting (??)
2. norms and culture establishment
3. (behavior) modeling
4. reinforcement of previous views
5. creation of new views/understandings