Introduction to Mass Media Instructor: Shujun (Penny) Jiang Email: shujun.jiang@uaeu.ac.ae)

You are connected Q: What is your media experience of today since you wake up? Smart phones make all types of mass media --- books, newspapers, magazines, music, radio, movies, TV, Internet---available 24/7 on one small device Mass media keep you informed, entertained and sell you products.

Mass Communication becomes wireless Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) New tech give you any mass media in any location The "global village" defined by Marshall McLuhan come true. Examples about your amazing experience of using mass media anywhere you are

Mass Media Are Everywhere you are Radio in the car Internet newspaper News and updates from social media (facebook, twitter) Homework or download new songs, favorite TV sitcom, reading e-book, text a friend, email friends, which is more compelling? Q: Mass media or homework? Are we all addicted?

source: veronis suhler stevenson (http://www.vss.com/)

Media/Impact: audience Economically, socially, culturally The way you vote, spend money, eat, talk, work, study, and relax Basic needs: apparel, food, accommodation, transportation More needs: information, entertainment, education… Discussion: give an example how media have impact on you

Communication Process Three ways people communicate Intrapersonal communication Interpersonal communication Mass communication

Communication process H. Lasswell’s 5W model: Communication is a process through which who (source) says what (message) in which channel (medium) to whom (audience) with what effect? Who? Communicator With what effect? Effect To whom? Receiver In which channel? Medium Says what? Message

Communication Process Shannon-Weaver ‘s mathematical theory of communication, 1949

Mass communication Process Sender (source) e.g. cable provider/satellite company Channel (medium) Receiver e.g. TV set Noise : distortion, interruption, static Feedback: you receive the message and send response

Three characters of mass comm. A message is send out on some form of mass communication system The message is delivered rapidly The message reaches large groups of different kinds of people simultaneously or within a short period of time

Three key concepts of Mass Media The mass media are profit-centered businesses Technological developments change the way mass media are delivered and consumed Mass media both reflect and affect politics, society and culture

Mass Media are Profit centered business Do you think mass media is To fulfill public’s information need? To influence the country’s governance? To disseminate culture? To offer entertainment and provide outlet for artistic expression? Above all, profit-centered

The U.S. media industry collect $276 billion a year in income

Advertisers and Consumers Pay the Bills Most of the income the mass media industries collect comes from advertising People who want to sell you products pay for most of the information and entertainment you receive through the mass media Consumers support the media indirectly by buying the products that advertisers sell

Mass Media Industry: the case of US Books : 150,000/year, 1/3 from retail, e-books (kindle, ibook) Newspapers: 1,400 daily newspapers, moring, afternoon, weekly, Ad makes up over 2/3 spaces Magazine: 20,000 magazines Recordings: income from CDs and download, iTune is the largest music retailer Radio: 14,000 radio stations, AM/FM, 2900 public, mostly FM, online radio (Pandora)

Mass Media Industry: the case of US Movies: 40,000 theater in US, 600 pictures a year, oversea movie sales, downloads, 3-D TV: 1700 tv stations, ¼ is public, network NBC, CBS, ABC, cable and satellite tv service termed as subscription TV, 90% home wired Internet: fastest growing, 79% consumer online, a new mass media, an integrated sys for print, audio, video and interactive media, online shopping, social networking, e-business

Media Ownership in US All media are privately owned except PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), National Public Radio (NPR) survive on government support, private donations and minimal corporate sponsorship, less than 2% of Advertising Ownership is contracting, concentration of ownership

Concentration of ownership: US case Chains Broadcast networks Conglomerates Vertical integration

Chains In 1700s:Benjamin Franklin establish American’s first newspaper chain in Pennsylvania Gazette In 1930s, William Randolph Hearst newspapers accounted for 14% national daily, and 25% Sunday sales Today, U.S. newspaper chain giant is Gannett Co, 83 daily, USA Today

Broadcast Networks Radio and television stations Regulator: FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Four major TV networks: ABC (American Broadcasting Co.) NBC (National Broadcasting Co.), oldest, 1920s CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System), Fox, youngest, 1986, TV only

Broadcast Networks 1996, Time Warner Inc. --- WB (Warner Bros.), Viacom Inc. --- UPN (United Paramount Network) Affiliates are stations that use network programming but are owned by other companies 2006, TV networks offer shows on demand for downloading Today, available on all mobile media, smartphones, ipads

Conglomerates Conglomerates are companies that own media companies as well as businesses that are unrelated to the media business GE (General Electric Co.) other businesses e.g. financial services, appliance manufacturing, owns NBC Universal pictures, sold 51% to Comcast, nation’s largest cable company. Media properties are attractive investments,but some conglomerates are unfamiliar with the industry

Vertical Integration the most widespread trend One company simultaneously control several related aspects of the media business, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV, Gannett, largest chain of newspaper owner, owns TV and radio, a chain that is vertically integrated

Vertical Integration Walt Disney Co. owns Disneyland amusement park, Motion Pictures Group, the ABC TV network, the ESPN cable network, and ESPN: The Magazine. Time Warner owns Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO, Turner Broadcasting, CNN, TNT, TBS, Sports Illustrated, SI.com and the Cartoon Network.

Competition and Convergence Dominate since 1986, NBC, CBS, ABC have been sold to new owners more than once Fox Broadcasting Co. is a part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. which owns The Wall Street Journal, TV stations, magazines, and 20th Century Fox Film Corp.

Competition and Convergence Dominate Convergence: technological and economic One way to expand a company to take advantage of convergence is to acquire an established business that is successful Reasons for fast convergence: public ownership, publicly traded, stocks on exchanges Deregulation, FCC withdrew many restrictions

Why media properties converge Media properties can be attractive investments, newspaper and broadcast stations are scarce commodities; They are easier business to buy than to create; They have gone through a cycle of family ownership; The fast way to gain internet expertise is to buy one that had created internet presence or products The economic downturn in 2007 hit newspaper business and make it hard to survive

Concerns of Media Properties converge Supporters of concentrated ownership and convergence say a large company offers advantages that a small company can never afford Critics say concentrated ownership and convergence interfere with message pluralism.

Technology Changes Mass Media Delivery and Consumption 1st information communication revolution: The invention of phonetic writing in 1000 B.C. 2nd :The invention of movable type in 1455, Gutenberg, printing press, AD 1000, Chinese also invented a printing press 3rd: the invention of the computer Wireless digital tech make mass media personal and mobile

Media Take advantage of Digital Delivery Traditional communication: one way Today’s communication use broadcast, telephone, cable , satellite, computer technology: two way and interactive

Mass Media both reflect and affect politics, society and culture Multiple sources of information and entertainment makes different media environment for each people

What we should understand mass media and why? Media Impact