 Answer the following questions in complete sentences in your journal. ◦ 1. In what ways has technology changed the way we get our information in this country? ◦ 2. With the vast array of sources from which we get our information today, how can we ensure that the information we are getting is as unbiased & accurate as possible? ◦ 3. Would it be better to have several biased news media outlets with the freedom to present their information however they please, or to have a single media outlet, controlled by the government that presented a singular clear message? Why?

Science & the Mass Media

 Trace the major developments in the history of mass media & identify the types of mass media in the United States.  Explain how the sociological perspectives of mass media differ.  Analyze & discuss some contemporary issues in mass media.

 instruments of communication that reach large audiences with no personal contact between those sending information & those receiving

The Emergence of Mass Media as a Social Institution

 people in the earliest nomadic communities had little need for any mass media. Why?  Sumerians produced first form of writing, cuneiform, 5,000 years ago

 in the 1450s, Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type. ◦ made books less expensive, more widely available

 growth of cities due to industrialization encouraged more people to move to the cities  people made more money working in factories, children learned to read & write  1 st newspapers appear

 digital computer completely changes the way people store & access information ◦ Internet  Information Society: a community in which the exchange of information is the main social & economic activity

Print, Audio, Visual, Online, Convergence

 newspapers, magazines & books  substantial but declining audience

 sound recordings & radio  everyday, at least 75% of Americans 12 or older, tune into radio.

 movies, television, DVDs  98% of Americans have television sets

 internet offers many services such as , online chat/discussion groups & online shopping

 many experts believe that mass media is merging ◦ example: Smartphones, Kindle, Pandora, etc.  coincides with merging of media companies ◦ example: AOL & Time Warner Cable

 Listening Post: 2009 Iranian Election Listening Post: 2009 Iranian Election ◦ What effects do you think that the development of social media technology will have on the ability of governments to suppress, censor, or control information? ◦ What other implications do you see these technologies having for society?

Functionalism vs. Conflict Theory

 mass media perform functions that support the stability & smooth operation of society ◦ education ◦ information ◦ socialization ◦ entertainment

 purpose of mass media is to maintain the present social order ◦ encourage the acceptance of power structure ◦ Knowledge-Gap Hypothesis: as news information enters society, wealthy & better-educated members acquire it at a faster rate than poor & less-educated people ◦ Digital Divide: the gap between those with access to new technologies & those without

 Keith Olbermann on tax cuts Keith Olbermann on tax cuts  Sean Hannity on tax compromise Sean Hannity on tax compromise ◦ While watching both video clips, make notes of bias that you see. ◦ Why do major news sources present biased coverage or viewpoints? ◦ Is there any such thing as objectivity, or lack of bias, in the media?