Chapter 18 The Mass Media

Chapter Outline The Significance of the Mass Media Theories of Media Effects Domination and Resistance on the Internet

1 Mass Media The mass media are print, radio, television, and other communication technologies. “Mass” implies the media reach many people. “Media” signifies that communication is usually one way. There are few senders (or producers) and many receivers (or audience members).

2 Media Usage, 2005 (projected hours/capita)

3 Media Usage Hours in a year: 8,760 Hours per year the average American uses the mass media: 3,649 63% of waking hours assuming eight hours of sleep per day Increase since 1996 in hours per year the average American uses mass media: 11%.

4 Media Usage, 2005 (Projected dollars/Capita)

Question Which media source do you think has the strongest impact on attitudes and behaviors of your generation? a. Advertising b. Television c. Music and music videos d. The Internet e. Magazines

5 Development of the Mass Media Circa 100 Papermaking developed in China Circa 1000 Movable clay type used in China Circa 1400 Movable metal type developed in Korea 1702 First daily newspaper, London’s Daily Courant 1833 First mass-circulation newspaper, New York Sun

5 Development of the Mass Media 1837 Louis Daguerre invents a practical method of photography in France 1844Samuel Morse sends the first telegraph message 1875 Alexander Graham Bell sends the first telephone message 1877Thomas Edison develops the first phonograph 1895Motion pictures are invented 1901 Guglielmo Marconi transmits first transatlantic wireless message

5 Development of the Mass Media 1906First radio voice transmission 1920First regularly scheduled radio broadcast, Pittsburgh 1921First commercial TV broadcast 1922Long-playing records (LPs) introduced 1939Network TV begins in the United States

5 Development of the Mass Media 1952VCR invented 1961First cable television, San Diego 1969 First 4 nodes of the Defense Dept. ARPANET (precursor to internet) 1975First microcomputer marketed 1989 World Wide Web conceived by Tim Berners-Lee in Switzerland.

Question The mass media refer to communication technologies that: a. reach many people b. do not take place directly through face-to-face interaction c. are usually one way or at least one-sided in the sense of having few senders and many receivers d. all of these choices

Answer: d The mass media refer to communication technologies that reach many people and communication technologies that do not take place directly through face-to-face interaction and communication technologies that are usually one way or at least one-sided in the sense of having few senders and many receivers.

6 Causes of Growth of the Media 1. Protestant Reformation of the 16th century encouraged people to read the Bible themselves. 2. Democratic movements in the late 18th century encouraged people to demand literacy. 3. Capitalist industrialization in the late 19th century required rapid communication.

7 Magazine Advertising and Circulation Revenue, United States, 1960–2004

8 Theories of Mass Media Effects TheoryMass Media Effects Functionalism Coordination, socialization, social control, and entertainment Conflict Theory Reinforce economic inequality and core values of a stratified society. Interpretive approaches Effects are ambiguous and can never be assumed. Feminist approaches Gender and racial stereotypes in the media perpetuate inequalities.

Question According to functionalists, which of the following is not a function of mass media? a. coordination b. socialization c. strengthening of community d. social control

Answer: c According to functionalists, strengthening of community, is not a function of mass media.

9 Media Bias Advertising 93%of newspaper editors said advertisers tried to influence their news reports. 37% of newspaper editors admitted to being influenced by advertisers. Sourcing Most news agencies rely on press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by corporations and government agencies. These sources slant information to reflect favorably on their policies. Flak Governments and big corporations attack journalists who depart from official points of view. 60 Minutes refused to broadcast a damaging interview with a former Philip Morris executive because CBS was threatened with legal action by the tobacco company.

9 Media Bias Advertising 93%of newspaper editors said advertisers tried to influence their news reports. 37% of newspaper editors admitted to being influenced by advertisers. Sourcing Most news agencies rely on press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by corporations and government agencies. These sources slant information to reflect favorably on their policies. Flak Governments and big corporations attack journalists who depart from official points of view. 60 Minutes refused to broadcast a damaging interview with a former Philip Morris executive because CBS was threatened with legal action by the tobacco company.

9 Media Bias Advertising 93%of newspaper editors said advertisers tried to influence their news reports. 37% of newspaper editors admitted to being influenced by advertisers. Sourcing Most news agencies rely on press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by corporations and government agencies. These sources slant information to reflect favorably on their policies. Flak Governments and big corporations attack journalists who depart from official points of view. 60 Minutes refused to broadcast a damaging interview with a former Philip Morris executive because CBS was threatened with legal action by the tobacco company.

9 Media Bias Advertising 93%of newspaper editors said advertisers tried to influence their news reports. 37% of newspaper editors admitted to being influenced by advertisers. Sourcing Most news agencies rely on press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by corporations and government agencies. These sources slant information to reflect favorably on their policies. Flak Governments & big corporations attack journalists who depart from official points of view. 60 Minutes refused to broadcast a damaging interview with a former Philip Morris executive because CBS was threatened with legal action by the tobacco company.

Relationship Between Centrality of Values and Diversity of Media Opinion

10 Two-step Flow of Communication The two-step flow of communication between mass media and audience members involves: respected people of high status and independent judgment evaluating media messages members of the community being influenced by these opinion leaders.

11 Cultural Studies Cultural studies is an increasingly popular interdisciplinary area of media research. It focuses not just on the cultural meanings producers try to transmit but also on the way audiences filter and interpret mass media messages in the context of their own interests, experiences, and values.

Feminist Approach to Media: Abortion Study Study by Andrea Press and Elizabeth Cole of audience reaction to abortion as portrayed on TV shows. Over 4 years, they conducted discussion groups involving 108 women. The women watched shows focusing on abortion and discussed their reactions. The programs dealt with women who chose abortion to avoid poverty.

Feminist Approach to Media: Abortion Study 4 Opinions 1. Pro-life women from all social classes form the most homogeneous group. They think abortion is never justified. They reject the mass media’s justification for abortion. 2. Pro-choice working-class women 3. Pro-choice working-class women who aspire to middle-class status 4. Pro-choice middle-class women

Feminist Approach to Media: Abortion Study 4 Opinions 1. Pro-life women from all social classes 2. Pro-choice working-class women adopt a pro-choice stand as a survival strategy, not on principle. They fear laws restricting abortion would be applied prejudicially against women of their class. At the same time, they reject the TV message that financial hardship justifies abortion. 2. Pro-choice working-class women who aspire to middle-class status 3. Pro-choice middle-class women

Feminist Approach to Media: Abortion Study 4 Opinions 1. Pro-life women from all social classes 2. Pro-choice working-class women 3. Pro-choice working-class women who aspire to middle-class status distance themselves from “reckless” members of their own class who sought abortions on the TV shows. They tolerate abortion for such people but reject it for themselves and for other “responsible” women. 2. Pro-choice middle-class women

Feminist Approach to Media: Abortion Study 4 Opinions 1. Pro-life women from all social classes 2. Pro-choice working-class women 3. Pro-choice working-class women who aspire to middle-class status 4. Pro-choice middle-class women believe only an individual woman’s feelings can determine whether abortion is right or wrong in her own case. Many reservations about abortion, and reject it as an option for themselves. They staunchly defend the right of all women to choose abortion.

12 Representation of Minority Groups in Television

Question Which of the following groups was not highly underrepresented among American fictional television characters who appeared in prime-time and daytime series, films, and animated cartoons in the period ? a. poor people b. African Americans c. disabled people d. Hispanic Americans

Answer: b African Americans were not highly underrepresented among American fictional television characters who appeared in prime- time and daytime series, films, and animated cartoons in the period

13 Top 10 Countries, Millions of Internet Users

Question Of friends and relatives you keep in contact with at least once a year about how many do you stay in contact through ? a. None b. 1-5 c. 6 and up

GSS National Data Age< and Up None41.2%43.1%63.6% %25.4%13.6% 6 and up33.9%31.6%23.1%

14 Internet Connectivity Population Density

15 % Population With Internet Access United States59.1 UK57.4 Canada53.1 South Korea53.0 Japan44.1 Germany38.5 Italy33.4 France28.4 China3.5

Question How likely is it that you would be willing to pursue an Internet romance? a. Very likely b. Somewhat likely c. Unsure d. Somewhat unlikely e. Very unlikely

16 Media Imperialism Media imperialism is the domination of a mass medium by a single national culture and the undermining of other national cultures.

17 Media Convergence Media convergence is the blending of the World Wide Web, television, and other communications media as new, hybrid media forms.

Quick Quiz

1. Which of the following was not a factor that led to the rise of the mass media? a. the Protestant Reformation b. the Catholic Counter-Reformation c. the democratic revolutions in France, the United States, and other countries d. capitalist industrialization

Answer: b The Catholic Counter-Reformation was not a factor that led to the rise of the mass media.

2. According to conflict theorists: a. the mass media stimulate social conflict b. the mass media create widespread acceptance of social inequality c. the mass media are themselves a source of economic inequality d. b. and c. only

Answer: d According to conflict theorists: the mass media create widespread acceptance of social inequality and the mass media are themselves a source of economic inequality.

3. The two-step flow of communication refers to the fact that: a. ideas, fashions, and fads originate in the press and only later make their way to TV b. ideas, fashions, and fads originate on TV and only later make their way to other mass media c. respected people of high status typically evaluate mass media messages and then may influence the broader public d. b. and c. only

Answer: c The two-step flow of communication refers to the fact that respected people of high status typically evaluate mass media messages and then may influence the broader public.

4. Media convergence refers to: a. the restriction of access to the mass media to paying customers b. the blending of the World Wide Web, television, and other communications media into new, hybrid forms c. global inequality in access to the mass media d. the accumulation of vast amounts of wealth by media conglomerates

Answer: b Media convergence refers to the blending of the World Wide Web, television, and other communications media into new, hybrid forms.

5. Americans spend more time interacting with the mass media than they do working. a. True b. False

Answer: True Americans spend more time interacting with the mass media than they do working.