MEDIA AND SOCIETY

What is the relationship between

media and society?
 MEDIA AND SOCIETY

Changing
Relationsh
Medi ip
Positiv
a Telephon Negativ
e
eEffects Age Strata
e
Radio
We Status
b TV AND Location
Book Gender
Effects
sFilm
Paper Negativ Ethnic Group
Music
e
Positiv Education
e
Relationsh
ip Society
Changing
 Changing Mass Media
 Characteristics
 Faster
 Cheaper
 Easier (user friendly)
 Smaller (miniaturization)
 Better (quality)
 More powerful
 Similar
 Changing Mass Media
 Television
 Less Logical
 Image dominant
 Less verbal
 Faster cutting and pace
 Surrealistic
 Dependent on special effects
 Structured montage
 Changing Mass Media
• Newspapers
• Meaner and leaner
• Profit driven
• On line
• Paperless?
• Electronically composed/edited More graphic
• Competitive
• Entertainment oriented
MEDIA EFFECTS
• How much do the media affect our lives?
• Strongly (over estimation)
• Gradually (subconsciously)
• Indirectly (over time)
• Selectively, (over time)
• It depends on what the source is…….
• It depends on the audience’s
background….
• It depends on the consumers beliefs &
values
• Not at all? (under estimation)
 MEDIA AND SOCIETY

Changing
Relationsh
Medi ip
Positiv
a Telephon Negativ
e
eEffects Age Strata
e
Radio
We Status
b TV AND Location
Book Gender
Effects
sFilm
Paper Negativ Ethnic Group
Music
e
Positiv Education
e
Relationsh
ip Society
Changing
 Changes in Society
• Population growth?
• Influx of population?
• Changing markets?
• Minority and majority?
• Immigration?
• Language?
• Aging?
• Glass ceiling broken?
• Income
• Gay movement
• Terrorism?
 Mass Media Defined
by Paul Traudt

Mass Media is “the range of print,

electronic, filmic [and digital?]
opportunities supported by multiple
platforms for presentation and
consumption [of information and
entertainment] by a mass audience[?]”
 Types of research
Two approaches
• A. Deductive thinking: applies a theoretical construct to
a situation with an eye to identifying variables and
predicting outcomes
• B. Inductive thinking: assess situations, conditions,
phenomena and data with an eye to establishing theory,
models or rules
Two approaches
• A. Quantitative: Use of statistics to explain or
demonstrate predicted or assumed outcomes
• B. Qualitative: After systematic observation, describing,
or analyzing how people behave or act in situations or
environments
 What is a theory?
• An attempt to explain reality
• Never a totally perfect or satisfying explanation
• Always room for improvement or adaptation
• An attempt to explain a relationship
• An assumption about how people behave
• An attempt to explain the relationship between
media and society
• A mental construct, model, illustration
• A form of deductive thinking
BULLET THEORY
 Directinfluence (S-R)
 Pavlov and dog experiments

Respons
e
Stimulus

Association

PROPAGANDA AND BRAIN WASHING?

INDIRECT MESSAGE
PROCESSING
FILTERING AND SELECTIVE PERCEPTION

message
sender

r
S

message
receiver
LASWELL’S THEORY

 WHO (source)
 SAYS (message)
 WHAT (content)
 IN WHAT CHANNEL (medium)
 TO WHOM (receiver)
 WITH WHAT EFFECT?
 WHEN? WHY? WHY? HOW?
 HOW OFTEN? (repetition)
TWO-STEP-FLOW -Lazarsfeld

1 Step
Media

Pay attention to

Consumptio
Persons Decisions n
Voting
2 Step Acting
Seek out Buyin
g

Opinion Leaders
CLASSICAL THEORY
Shannon & Weaver

Often considered a one way process

Feed forward
Who Says
N
N how N what N N To whom

Sender Encoding Medium Decoding Receiver

transmitt channel meaning receiver

er
With what effect
N=Noise
 Shannon and Weaver cont.
 Feedback essential to understanding

Meaning channel Meaning

Receiver Decoding Medium Encoding Sender

N N N
N N N

Feedback mode

N = Noise
 EXCHANGE THEORY -
Homans
 Linkage becomes networking over time

Network

e t w ork
N

Exchange based on
benefit or perceived
Equity = equitable advantage
exchange
 USES AND GRATIFICATION
Palmgreen
• Beliefs and values lead to consumption of particular media
which reinforce beliefs and values over time

Particular
Consumption programs

Media
Beliefs and Media
Values media
Media

Gratificati
Reinforcement over time
on
 GENRE THEORY
• We are able to recognize and classify
forms and structures, and as a result
develop conventions and expectations

Mystery Westerns Comedy

Love
Crime

War Science Fiction

Documentary
FRAMING AND SELECTIVE PERCEPTION
THEORY –Atheide & Gitlin
• The frame includes or excludes what you are looking at thus
concentrating your attention on a part of the whole

Frame

Frame
Fram
e

Frame
 ADOPTION & DIFFUSION OF
INNOVATIONS - Rogers
Percentage of population

Saturation

Early Late
majorit Majority
y

Laggards
Innovators

Adoption of innovation over time (sometimes several

years)
 COVERGENCE THEORY
Rogers and Kincaid
Mutual understanding and cooperation

Medium B Sharing and cooperatio

Medium possible though
digitization
A
Medium C
Medium
D

Movement over time enables communication and

sharing
ECONOMIC DETERMINISM –
Shiller & Bagdikian
 Profit is the motivation throughout the system
Mass
production 2
Warehouse
1 Factory Wholesaler 3

Ad
6 Media Agency

Retailer 4
5

Consumer
7
 SPIRAL OF SILENCE-
Neumann
Criticism
Government
of

Free press News media

l
Oppression and censorship

Spiral of
silence

Silence Undergroun
d
Resistance
Resistanc
Time
 REALITY

 What we judge to be real or believable

depends to a large extent on our
experience of life. How things are
depicted contributes to our sense of
reality, but it needs to be checked out.
 Our imagination can carry us to all
sorts of environments and situations,
but there needs to be a degree of
familiarity for us to relate to.
 In a commercial this must be done in
30- 60 seconds!
 REALITY
 What slice of life is shown?
 Does it portray life as it really is?
 Do actors play roles in a believable
manner?
 How well is character developed?
 How is the environment portrayed?
 Is the time period reflected accurately?
 Are complex problems oversimplified?
 Does it reflect society as it is? Ideally?
 Reality, Continued

 Are actions and their consequences clearly

related?
 Is action natural, humane, in the given
circumstances or predicament?
 Are the goals or ideals portrayed attainable
by
ordinary people?
 Can you identify with the above actions,
behavior, goals?
 Are you left with the impression that the
situation is so unrealistic that it is
irrelevant?
 ADVERTSING PROBLEMS
 Inescapable because of
ubiquity (everywhere)
 Depends on media for
existence
 Encourages
consumerism
 Encourages materialism
 Cultivates expectations
of instant gratification
 Cultivates expectations
of instant solution
 Creates feelings of
dissatisfaction
 Emphasizes superficial
 Often contains
deceptive half-truths
 Promises more than it
can deliver
 Creates feelings of
frustration
 Creates feelings of
inferiority
 Creates feelings of guilt
 Advertising Problems
 Cultivates dream  Programs =
world vehicles of
 Shaping values advertising
 Shaping images  News = vehicle of
 Shaping fashion advertising
 Quick solutions
 Increases cost of
products
 Easy solutions  Promotes
 Dissatisfaction permissive-ness
 Guilt (persuasive and greed
strategy?)  Consumerism
 Obsolescence (wants, not needs?)
(wears out or gets  Constant
old) interruption
 Clutter
 Children and Advertising
 Children watch more hours of TV than they spend
in school Children cannot distinguish between
fact and fiction before age of 6
 Children cannot distinguish between programs
and commercials before age 7
 Advertisers get to parents through children
 Animated toys perform impossible stunts
 High percentage of TV ads promote inappropriate
food products
 Commercials convey perceptions of roles and
values
 GATE KEEPING
 Information is closely associated with
paternalism and power sharing
 The Gate Keeper is very powerful, can be
Government, Pentagon, President,
Newspaper Editor
 Gate Keeping is control over the flow of
information
 Refusal to supply information may be more
powerful than supply of information
 Release of information is timed to give
political advantage
 Censorship can be a form of Gate Keeping
 AGENDA SETTING
 Laying out what is important to be
discussed or thought about
 Providing relevant points of view in a
 careful and balanced way
 Helping people to prioritize the
alternatives
 Encouraging people to consider
alternatives and make up their minds
 Opposite of Gate Keeping, considering not
one but many options
 PUBLIC RELATIONS

External Publics
Environmentalists
Community

Internal publics
Staff Administration
External External Publics
Publics
Management

Government Investors
External Publics
 Censorship & Governments
• Variety of Governmental styles
• Authoritarian* (Russia?) Censorshi
• Paternalistic* (India?) p

• Democratic# (USA?)
• Dualistic (UK?)
• Permissive# (France?) No
* More inclined to exercise censorship
censorship

# Less inclined to exercise censorship

 Violence and “Reality”
• Gradual trend or development toward explicitness
• From clean killing to dirty killing
• From falling down dead to bullet penetration and
splatter
• From adult games to revolting acts of murder
• From sexual acts to rape and sodomy
• From fun and laughter to horror and sadism
• From occasional acts of violence to killing orgies
• Why is this necessary? Desensitization?
• Threat to imagination and mental activity
 Human Sexuality and “Reality”
• Gradual trend or development toward explicitness
• More close-up/detailed shots, cut-always and cut-ins
Portrayal of human sexuality more graphic
• From marriage to permissive adultery
• From contraception to abortion
• From sacred love to sexual gratification
• From subtle suggestion to detailed depiction
• From tasteful portrayal to pornography
• From hugging/kissing to penetration of sexual
organs
• From tenderness to violent abuse (sadism)
• Why is this necessary? Desensitization?
 VIOLENCE
Violence may be defined as…..
- Physical or moral force….
- Unjust strength or power applied to any
purpose…..
- Destruction of human life and personal
belongings……
- Bodily harm caused by the use of a weapon

- Sexual intercourse without permission….

- Invasion of a sovereign nation or land…..

 VIOLENCE IN MEDIA
Violence in media may be used to…..
 Establish a social relationship
 Teach a lesson
 Entertain gratuitously
 Provide a solution or resolution
 Provide shock value
 Elicit humorous reaction
 Create synergistic effect (sex & violence)
 Overcome insensitivity or acceptance
 Attract certain audiences (marketing tool)
 RESULTS OF VIOLENCE
 Insensitivity to real violence
 Aggressive behavior
 Fear of people and world
 Fear or acceptance of law
enforcement
 Acceptance of violent solutions
 Equating of weapons with power
 Acceptance of revenge as justifiable
 Acceptance of rape as justifiable
 Abuse of women and children
 Catharsis?
TREATMENT OF ENEMY
Propaganda tends to …..
• Demonize (make evil or demonic)
• Dehumanize (describe as animals)
• Polarize (black and white issues)
• Symbolize (colors, animals and
objects)
• Generalize (“Germans
perfectionists”)
• Stereotype (“slanti-eyed”
gentlemen”)
• Caricature (poke fun at)
• Demean (“Useless,” “greedy”)
Military Control of Media of
Media
 Complete exclusion (front line)
 Controlled access
 Censorship of reports
 Edited reports
 Hidden body counts, coffins, stats.
 Cover-ups
 Faked pictures
 Scapegoats
 VIETNAM WAR (1954-1975)
 First real encounter with guerilla war
 Difficulty identifying enemy
(civilian)?
 Difficulty seeing enemy in
forests/jungle
 Ambushes and booby-traps

 Secret tunnels and bunkers

 Communist weapon supply evident

 Few clear victories, many casualties

 Bad military morale and drug use

 VIETNAM WAR environment
 Turbulent 60s (Hippie Culture and Civil
Disobedience)
 Vietnam was first television war
(development of color film and color TV)
 Carried into living rooms of people
 Witnessed uncivilized acts against civilians
 Revolted by what our soldiers were doing
 Recognized war could not be won
 Disillusioned with failure of modern weapons
 War dragged on too long (high casualties)
 Soldiers received hostile reaction when
returned
 Post traumatic stress syndrome
 Bad treatment in Vet Hospitals
ETHNOGRAPHIC CRITICISM
 What ethnic
culture/race/gender is
being portrayed?
 Is this culture unique?
 Is their treatment ….
 Stereotypical?
 Exploitative?
 Demeaning?
 Complimentary?
 Affirming?
 Accurate?
 Can you identify with it
from your viewpoint?
 Does it seem natural
and authentic?
 Who has the power?
 Are there victims?
 Is there justice or
equity in treatment?
 Perpetrators?
 Is there conflict? How
is it resolved?
REALITY ANALYSIS
 What is your  Are moral dilemmas
experience relating to handled sincerely?
the person/situation  Is the view of the
subject/environment? world distorted?
 Are the roles played  Is there balance in the
believably? issue or controversy
 How well is the presented?
character developed?  Does the film/video
 Do persons behave reflect society as it is?
responsibly?  How can distortions be
 Are problems over corrected?
simplified?
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

 How convincing is the role playing in the film?

 How are African Americans portrayed?
 Is Dr. Prentice typical of an African American?
Why?
 Why is the maid angry with Dr. Prentice?
 How are liberal whites portrayed?
 Is the situation over simplified? By whom?
 Why are the parents so uptight with their
daughter?
 Why are the parents suspicious of Dr. Prentice?
 What did they find out? Reaction?
Guess who’s coming to dinner

 What does this film teach us about ethnicity,

education, religion and culture? What are the
problems the couple will face?
 Of the two young people who is the more realistic.
Why?
 What are the problems the couple will face?
 How is society changing for the parents?
 What is the difference between the fathers’ and
mothers’ reactions to the marriage?
 What is the difference between the couples
friends’ reaction to the marriage?
 INFRASTRUCTURE
• Nationally available
• Relatively inexpensive for consumers
• Provides transport system and more (profit?)
• Compatibility with other systems
• Maintained or policed regularly
• Managed responsibly (traffic/capacity)
• Protected form predators (privacy)
• Fast or efficient as possible
 INFRASTRUCTURES
• A communication system is only as good as the
infrastructure that carries it
• Usually the infrastructure is in place when the
innovation is developed
• The cost of establishing the infrastructure is
dependent on governmental or corporate
funding (distributed over time)
• Infrastructure must be upgraded regularly
• Infrastructure must be efficient
• Competition among infrastructures occurs
 Infrastructure
• Where non exists, it needs to be established
• Where people are poor, government or private
corporation must fund it
• What technology will “leapfrog” absent
infrastructures?
• Satellite provide unique answer
• Limitations exist where TVs are few
• What needs are more important?
• Water? Health? Electricity, Schools?
 News at 11: Questions
• Does society have a right to know everything?
• Do people have a right to privacy?
• Do people have a right to a fair trial?
• Should the rights of a minor be protected?
• Should the privacy of a victim be protected?
• Are media free to publish any news stories?
• Do journalists have a right to refuse cover
certain stories?
• How important are ratings to a TV station?
• What is balanced coverage?
 NEWS AT 11
• Right to free press (all media?)
• Right of public to know (what government is
doing)
• Right of minor children to be protected
• Right of rape victim not to be identified
• Right to privacy
• Right to confidentiality (doctor, lawyer, priest)
• Right to fair trial (innocent before judged guilty)
• Right to fair or balanced treatment in media
(revealing all sides of the issue, situation, case)
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS OR
LIMITED FREEDOM?
 First Amendment Rights
 Freedom of political & religious speech
 Not free to defame or slander
 Not free to libel anyone
 Not free to show or promote obscenity
 Not free to carry out unlawful acts (riots,
sabotage)
 Not free to make deceptive claims in
advertisements
 Not free to invade privacy of individuals
 Not free to use “bad words” in broadcasting
 Not free to reveal military secrets
 ETHICS
Two Kinds
• (1) SACRED (DIVINE OR RELIGIOUS)
• (10 Commandments, Jewish, Christian, Muslim)
• Moses “ You shall not kill….You shall not lie, etc.”
• Jesus “Love God with all your faculties and your neighbor as
yourself” “ Do not apply standards to others you would not accept
for yourself”
• (2) SECULAR (CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIETAL)
• (Aristotle, Kant, Mills, Dewey)
• Aristotle’s golden mean “Virtue is between two extremes”
• Kant categorical imperative “Act in such a way that you wish was
universal law”
• Mills “Seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number”
• Dewey “Actions should be judged by results”
 APPLICATION OF ETHICS
• Pragmatic ethics
• The means justify the ends
• Situational ethics
• The situation determines what is ethical
• Relative ethics or cultural relativism
• Cultural values determine what is ethical
• Ethics of expediency
• What can we do to get the most out of it
• Hedonistic ethics
• What I want and what I feel is good
 Journalists’ Code of Ethics
Self-restraint is better than Censorship
• Seek truth and report it
• Be honest, fair and courageous
• Minimize Harm
• Treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings and
deserving of respect
• Act independently
• Be fee of any obligation to interest groups other than the public’s
right to know
• Be accountable
• Be Accountable to readers, listeners, viewers and each other
• (See chapter 14, page 438 , Media Now, Straubhaar & LaRose)
 PUBLIC RELATION ETHICS
(PRSA Membership Code)
• Advocacy
Responsible Advocates for clients
• Honesty
Standards of accuracy and Truth
• Expertise
Specialized knowledge and experience
• Independence
Objective counsel and accountability
• Fairness
Faithful to employers, clients, competitors, peers
 Internet Advertising
• Rules
Code of ethics
• Legal, decent, honest and truthful
• Disclosure of identity
• Contact with advertiser and marketer
• Cost of access
• If access is higher than telecommunications rate
• Respect for public groups
• Electronic news groups, forums or bulletin boards
• Users rights
• Privacy of data , opportunity of refusal, correction, blocking
• Advertising to children
• Respect for global audience sensitivity
 THE WATERGATE AFFAIR
Film- “All the President’s Men”
 Why did the men break into Watergate?
 Was this only the tip of the iceberg?
 Who paid for the men’s defense?
 Where did the money come from?
 Who authorized the payments?
 Of the Nixon Administration who was
involved?
 Why was the newspaper so hesitant to print
the story?
 What was the problem with “Deep Throat”
 What ultimately did the newspaper
accomplish?
 Where does the power of the newspaper
reside?
 Television and Politics
Questions
 Why is TV interested in political campaigns?
 Who takes advantage of media coverage?
 Which medium does best communicating
presidential politics? Other politicians? Why?
 How much does TV inform people’s voting
decisions?
 Does TV provide balanced or unbiased coverage?
Equal time?
 How well does TV cover presidential debates?
Others?
 Does TV emphasize image over substance?
 Do negative TV ads. work? Why? Why not?
 What influences the way people vote?
 What does Lazarsfeld’s Two-Step-Flow Theory
 Television and Presidential
Politics
Television coverage tends to ……
 Emphasize opinion polls over campaign issues
 Cover Democrats more than Republicans
(according to meta-analysis)
 Focus on conflict between candidates
(rather than stand on issues)
 Emphasize image over issues or stands on issues
 Feature negative messages in presidential
campaigns
 Influence “talkative voters” more than any other
medium
 Positively influence the way people vote in
 Problems with News
Shift towards entertainment
rather than information
More superficial or
simplified
Focus on dramatic events
Focus on crime, particularly
murder
Concerned with ratings and
profit
Less respectful of human
rights, particularly privacy
Less concern with
jeopardizing legal process
Watchdog role is inclined to
be negative
Journalists Influenced by
“pack journalism”
News less controversial or
confrontational
Fear of lawsuits prevents
tackling controversial
subjects
Tendency to have patriotic
bias
Convergence with other
media undermining
uniqueness
 MEDIA MANIPULATION

• Suppression by omission
• Attack and destroy (the target)
• Labeling as discrimination
• Face-value transmission
• False balancing
• Framing
• Image manipulation
• Publish first recant afterwards
 FINANCING MEDIA
Alternatives
• Federal Government subsidy
• State subsidy
• Licensing
• Foundations/sponsors
• Subscriptions
• Pay per view
• Advertising space and time
• Problem of dependency
 Profit vs.
Information/Entertainment
• Freedom of expression
• Market place if ideas/products
• Competition among peers is good
• Something important to say
• Convergence and Conglomerates
• Primary pressure to make a profit
• Concentration of ownership
• Monopolies of power
• Dismantling of Democracy??!!
 How to remedy the situation
• Encourage public rather than private
ownership of media
• Accept smaller profit margins
• Exploit improvements in technology
• Cultivate trust with reliable/good content
• Demonstrate “good will”
• Balance service with profitability
 Profit vs. Quality
 Profit only?
 Newspapers are profitable businesses

 Quality only?

 Public service is the primary objective

 Both quality and profit?

 Make a profit as well as serve the people

 How does this apply to other media?

 Broadcast Television the exception? Why?

MANIPULATION OF MEDIA?
Public Relations
 Creation of good images and relationships
 Repairing damaged images and relationships
 Publics are within and without organizations
 Use of all media to communicate messages
 Manipulation occurs if……
 Media do not have enough personnel
 Media do not have enough knowledge
 Media are lazy
 News Media are used to advertise for them
PROBLEMS WITH PR

• Clients usually in trouble

• Image transformation (deception?)
• Positive spin (ignoring the negative)
• Undermine credibility of opposition
• Use wealth to manipulate media
(bias)
• Use prominent people to voice
position
 PUBLICS
 Shareholders  Donors
 Customers  Clients
 Employees
 Volunteers
 Suppliers
 Members
 Financial
 Taxpayers
Institutions
 Government
 Legislators
 Community  Agencies

Activists  Voters
 Print/Broadcasting
Media
PROMOTION OF HARMFUL
PRODUCTS?
Cigarette commercials
Hard liquor commercials
Pharmaceutical commercials
Dietary commercials
Environmental commercials
Children’s toy/game commercials
Attention Deficit Syndrome
Superficial value systems
False priorities, values, goals
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
Most Important
Self Actualization Self fulfillment
Esteem Needs Self esteem
Relationship, Love, affection
acceptance friends, approval
Safety Needs Security, stability
Physiological Food, drink, sleep
Needs sex
Least Important
 CREATION OF NEEDS
Fat Diet pills
Smelly Deodorant
Dirty Soap, toothpaste
Slow Computer, fax
Unattractive Beauty products
Vulnerable Insurance
Unprotected Burglar alarms
Isolated Telephone
 PSYCHOANALYTIC
APPROACH TO ADVERTISING
• Rational awareness
• CONSCIOUS Ability to make decisions
Appeal to rational self If, necessary resist
Normal senses suggestion

• Repressed desires
• SUBCONSCIOUS Hypnotic state
Appeal to secret desires dream world, open to
Repressed suggestion

• UNCONSCIOUS • Sleep, unresponsive

No appeal possible total unawareness, no recall
 RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

Aristotle’s tri-fold approach to

persuasion

• Rhetorical criticism includes three Picture 4

approaches to persuasion:
• A rational or logical argument
• An emotional appeal
• The credibility of the persuader
 PERSUASION SEQUENCE
STRUCTURE
 Grab attention  Listen, sound, movement,
dramatic event, novelty

 Identify need  Show lack of something, tap

dissatisfaction, frustration

 Provide solution  Show how product works

solves problems

 Imagine satisfaction  Show joy, satisfaction

fulfillment, accomplishment

 Provide contact  Provide contact, easy access,

number, address, etc.
 ETHNOGRAPHIC CRITICISM
• What ethnic • Can you identify with it
culture/race/gender is from your viewpoint?
being portrayed? • Does it seem natural
• Is this culture unique? and authentic?
• Is their treatment …. • Who has the power?
• Stereotypical? • Are there victims?
• Exploitative? • Is there justice or equity
• Demeaning? in treatment?
• Complimentary? • Perpetrators?
• Affirming? • Is there conflict? How
• Accurate? is it resolved?
 REALITY ANALYSIS
• What is your experience • Are moral dilemmas
relating to the handled sincerely?
person/situation • Is the view of the world
subject/environment? distorted?
• Are the roles played • Is there balance in the
believably? issue or controversy
• How well is the presented?
character developed? • Does the film/video
• Do persons behave reflect society as it is?
responsibly? • How can distortions be
• Are problems over corrected?
simplified?
 Minorities and Media
Minorities (women?) Anglos
Ethnic Groups Hispanic 39 m
African Americans 37 m
Speak English? Native Americans 3 m
Speak ethnic languages Asian 10 m
Japanese
Adopted American
Chinese
culture? Others
Retain ethic culture and
roots
Concentrated in
specific areas
Diffused among people
 DIVERSITY ISSUES
 Broadcasting  Ownership of media
 Narrowcasting  English media
 Designated  Ethnic media
Channels  Marketing
 Segmentation strategies
 Targeting  Different localities
 Diversity in News  Choice of media
 Diversity in  Fairness/Balancing?
Entertainment  Stereotyping?
 Integration?  Melting Pot?
 Equal Opportunity  Salad Bowl?
 Stereotyping
 Generalizations about ethnic group, race class or
gender
 Purpose: literary device or convention to identify
people quickly and easily without much thought
 Does injustice to all of the above classes of
people: often interpreted as insulting or
demeaning
 Knowledge of motivation critical to interpretation:
careless or insulting or simple misrepresentation?
 Need for accurate and detailed description:
character development to correct
 Question: are the portrayals of persons realistic?
Believable? Authentic?
 Danger is superficial belief or acceptance:
development of negative attitudes and behaviors
 PROBLEMS FOR ETHNIC
GROUPS
(Hispanics)
 Crime and conflict coverage
disproportionate and overly dramatic
 Quality of program low with many
errors
 Stereotypes and clichés abound
 Polarization of issues into black and
white
 Need for fair and balanced coverage
 Need to reach out to various
communities
 TRENDS IN TV VIEWING
 Color line being crossed
 Children much more open
 Less racial consciousness
 Recognizing diversity within ethnic
groups
 New emphasis on multiracial society
 African American sitcoms fading
 Long way to go before fair and
balanced
 Competition from cable and satellite
channels
 Prophets of Doom
 Telephone ….end of Telegraph
 Radio…. end of Newspaper
 FM Radio…. end of AM Radio
 Television….end of Radio
 Television….end of Film
 Tape recording….end of records
 CD end of Tape
 Videocassette….end of Movie houses
 High definition TV….end of NTSC
 Digital technology…. end of everything!!
 New Innovations - The Third
Wave
 Innovations sometimes occur with frightening
rapidity, one innovation overwhelming another
like waves crashing on a sea shore. Those who
are swamped by them flounder for a while until
they can find sure footing. Some do not adapt to
innovations without a period of transition and
adjustment. Others are so threatened by them
that they retreat to safety until they are brave
enough to embrace the next. Part of the angst of
the present generation may lie in constant need
to adapt to the never ending flow of innovations
 Old and New Innovations
 When a new innovation overtakes an old
one, the old innovation is threatened, but
not destroyed. Rather, the old innovation
adapts to the new environment, exploiting
both its unique characteristics and the
new innovation, and prolongs its life.
Modified old and new innovations co-exist
long after their predicted demise.
Sometimes the old innovation finds
renewed support and interest and rises up
to challenge the new innovation
 Future Trends in Media
 Digital based media (convergence)
 High definition screens
(quality/plasma)
 Portable (wireless) palm sized
computers
 Direct broadcasting (satellite)
 Miniature appliances (weight and
size)
 Memory (greater/faster/storage)
 Future Trends
 Paperless society? (erasable paper)
 Projection of holographic images (3D)
 Video and sound computer editing
 Memory sticks (no movable parts)
 Fully automatic low light cameras
 Voice recognition computers
 Electronic
shopping/banking/transactions
 Encryption, protection
 Future issues in Media
• Advertising clutter/spam?
• Copyright and royalties (ethical)
• Pornography? (ethical)
• Privacy (data/habitual access)
• Legal ramifications of innovations
• Portrayal of violence?
• Reality shows?
• Increase of digital effects?
• Tabloid journalism?
 Media Literacy
Literature Film/Video
• Advantage of reading
• Disadvantage of illiteracy
• Not only informed by
content but by the medium
• Literary criticism
• Author's experience and
background
• Purpose in writing
• Structure of work /
organization
• Plot development
• Beginning-causal
connection-ending
• Advantage of Viewing
• Media illiteracy
• Technical achievements
• Special effects
• Media criticism
• Auteur Theory
• Experience & Background
• Purpose behind production
• Structure of film/TV show
• Organization
• Plot development
• Continuity and transitions
 Media Literacy continued…
– Conflict resolution
– Character development
– Grand metaphors/symbols
– Figures/images/illusions
– Genre/s
– Conformity
– Divergence
– Conventions
– Expectations
– Hybrid genres
– Synergism
– Timing