Mass Communication and Media Literacy
I.
Why Study?
A. Learn to critically think about messages the media sends us.
II.
Definition
A.
A process in which
professional communicators using technological devices share messages over
great distances to influence large audiences.
B.
Involves
1.
Source
a. professional communicator
2.
Channel
a. technological devices by which a message is sent
3.
Message
a. what the source attempts to share
4.
Receiver
a. large audience
5.
Feedback
a. letter to editor, phone call, etc.
III.
Effects
A.
Entertain
B.
Influence Culture (set
of beliefs and understanding a society has about the world, its place in it,
and the various activities used to celebrate and reinforce those beliefs).
1.
What
a.
Shape Attitudes
b.
Influence Behavior
c.
Perpetuate Stereotypes
2.
How
a.
Use sports as a metaphor
for hard work and achievement
b.
Media becomes an arena
for working out competing definitions of reality. It does this by becoming a
debating ground for our system of values and beliefs.
c.
Uses Gatekeeping to
determine what you see and read about and Agenda Setting to suggest how you
should think about issues
I.
Gatekeeping: the
process of determining what news, information, or entertainment will reach a
mass audience. (a filtering mechanism)
II.
Agenda Setting:
Choosing what topics an audience will read about and hear about. Usually not an
intentional slant, but often seems that way until you analyze why particular
coverage was presented.
3.
Details
a.
Shape Attitudes: Mass
media moves beyond gatekeeping and agenda-setting by framing what you see, hear
and read
I.
Framing: taking a
particular perspective on a story.
A.
Physical position on
broadcast or paper layout
B.
Political spin:
conservative, liberal, etc.
b.
Influence Behavior
I.
Most studies show a
correlation between mass media and increased violence.
A.
Deerhunter: Russian Roulette
B.
1998 film in which
football players showed courage by lying down in highway.
II.
Not all bad. More
people than ever before are involved in politics, etc. and keep up with details
they were never exposed to.
IV.
What are the Mass
Media?
A.
Newspapers
1.
Oldest
2.
One of most reliable
3.
Big change—most cities
only have one now
4.
Must be read with
critical eye
5.
Availability on
internet has not hurt them
B.
Television
1.
The most widely used
source of information about current events
2.
Must be wary of
breaking news
3.
Television often has
political slant
C.
News Magazines
1.
Usually better
research than other forms
2.
Not as immediate
3.
Can have political
slant: newsweek liberal, us news conservative
D.
Internet
1.
Some of most
outrageous news
2.
No gatekeeper
E.
Professional Journals
1.
The most reliable of
all
2.
Written for
specialized audiences
3.
Resistant to new ideas
V.
How can you be a
critical consumer of Mass Media?
A.
Remember someone else
decided what to cover
B.
Be careful of herd
mentality. Use multiple sources for info.
C.
Remember that media
must make profit. Might say anything to sell product
D.
Some publications have
biases
E.
Be wary of how much
credence you attribute to what you see in meda.