Chapter One: Chapter One: Changing Media Environment
Media Convergence The convergence of communications technologies and social institutions – –Cultural processes – –Technical and economic processes
The Time Line Lesson: Convergence The integration of mass media, computers, and telecommunications into a common technological and institutional base. – –What does this mean for you? – –What does this mean for society?
Media Development The Internet model – –interactive medium – –distributed content The World Wide Web – –graphic, easy-to-use interface – –audio, video, text
What is digital? Computer-readable binary – –0’s and 1’s sample of analog wave – –bits and bytes
Convergence in the Digital Domain Telephone and computers: Digital Delivery Cable, TV, Internet and Digital TV: Digitized Content
Convergence in Industry Content and delivery companies merging Example: Telephone company merges or acquires a cable TV firm Example: Cable television company acquires an Internet portal
The Information Society: Sites of convergenceThe Information Society: Sites of convergence
Regulation of the Information Society The Telecommunications Act of 1996 – –removed entry barriers in telecom and media industries. Objectives of TCA96 – – more competition, better services, lower prices Have the policy objectives been met?
Communications Media Includes all forms of communication mediated through mechanical or electronic channels. – –Voice, visual, music, print…. Traditional distinctions are dissolving – –mass and personal
New interactivity World Wide Web – –Media convergence – –Audio-visual programming options Two-way communications replaces one- way – –Implications of interactivity for media theory Telematique and new media
Development of Communications Media Evolutionary economic development – –agricultural – –industrial – –information Overlapping phases – –production, distribution, consumption
Economy, Society, and Communications Pre-agricultural society - oral tradition Agricultural society - handwriting Industrial society - printing Information society - computer-mediated communication
Conventional View of Mass Media SMCR Model - Wilbur Schramm Gatekeepers – –editors Agenda-setting – –prioritizing what people think about
SMCR Model
Contemporary View of Mass Media Powerful audience – – agency – –interpretation of stories New emphases – – interactivity and feedback
Contemporary View of Mass Media Cultural studies’ emphases: Meaning Culture Decoding Feedback
The Digital Revolution Analog Communication Continuous wave Requires conversion to digital
What is Digital communication? Digital Communication
New media - technical issues Sampling and quality Channel compression Internet Protocol (IP) and Packet Switching Digitization of Radio, TV, Print, Film, Delivery