Media and Society Chapter 2
Media Economics Industrialization of Media Mass Production Mass Distribution Expanding Markets Standardized Products
Mass Media Development
Competition Better products, lower costs Economies of Scale First copy costs Marginal costs Media monopolies Barriers to entry
Ownership Patterns
Making Profits Direct sales Rentals Subscriptions Usage fees Advertising Syndication Licensing Subsidy
Market Segmentation Mass to Targeted Markets More channels ‘narrowcasting’ More channels More information about audiences Converged technologies Audiences as markets
Media Revenues
New Media Economics Personalization of media & information products Very low production & distribution costs Consumer input determines final form of media product
Critical Analysis Different approaches to understanding media texts and systems Marxist Feminist Ethnic Media criticism
Political Economy Marx: politics and economics must be considered together Hegemony: Supporting the ‘status quo’ Preserving ideas of ruling class Corporate and some non-commercial media reinforce these ideas
Political Economy Issues: Access to media Corporate media model Corporate responsibility Cultural implications
Feminist Studies Media serve patriarchy Depictions of women in media Presence of women in the media industries Gendered media
Ethnic Studies Uses ethnicity to view media texts Studies representation of ethnic minorities in media industries Stereotypes Inferior social roles Underrepresented in mass media
Media Criticism Search for symbolism in media Genre studies semiotics Genre studies Audience expectations & media selection
Social Functions of Media
Social Functions of Media Surveillance Important events, topics of interest Interpretation Information processed & correlated Values transmission/Socialization Teach & pass along ideas Entertainment Diversion as American lifestyle
Shaping Our News Agenda setting Gatekeeping Political power of the media Media shape public opinion Gatekeeping Media outlets determine coverage Which stories go in; which stories stay out
Shaping Our News Framing Media bias? Interpretation of particular stories Invisible self-censorship Media bias? Journalists claim objectivity Underlying interests of media professionals and corporations
Diffusion of Innovations
Technological Determinism Media determine shape & direction of culture Form, not content, that matters Marshall McLuhan High Culture vs. Mass Culture Postmodernism questions this distinction