1. Chapter 13 Relational Uses and Understanding of Media

2. Impact of Media on Our Lives People spend twice as much time engaged with media as they think People spend twice as much time engaged with media as they think People are often engaged with multiple media at once (concurrent use) People are often engaged with multiple media at once (concurrent use) Media use is also linked to relationships Media use is also linked to relationships

3. Early Views of Media Audiences ‘Mass’ audiences ‘Mass’ audiences Uniformly influenced by the media Uniformly influenced by the media Powerfully and inescapably influenced by the media Powerfully and inescapably influenced by the media Not affected by other factors such as culture, relationships, social systems Not affected by other factors such as culture, relationships, social systems

4. Changes in Media Outreach More diversity More diversity Fewer monopolies of public viewing Fewer monopolies of public viewing More focus of mediated messages to specific audiences – ‘mini-com’ More focus of mediated messages to specific audiences – ‘mini-com’ More targeted marketing of mediated messages to specific audiences More targeted marketing of mediated messages to specific audiences

5. Changes in the View of Media Audiences Audiences select and attend to media Audiences select and attend to media Selective exposure Selective exposure Selective attention Selective attention Media texts have many meanings for different audiences Media texts have many meanings for different audiences

6. Uses and Gratifications Theory People use media for one or more of four basic reasons: 1.Escapism (avoiding reality) 2.Reality exploration (understanding their world) 3.Character reference (looking for role models) 4.Incidental reasons (unique personal motives)

7. Relational Uses of Media Coming together as a family Coming together as a family Withdrawing from interactions Withdrawing from interactions Differentiating relationships Differentiating relationships Enacting/evaluating roles Enacting/evaluating roles Learning about relationships Learning about relationships Serving as an alternative to personal relationships Serving as an alternative to personal relationships

8. Functions of Media in Everyday Communication Something to talk about Something to talk about Becoming more aware of the media and its products Becoming more aware of the media and its products Disseminating (distributing) media messages Disseminating (distributing) media messages Enhancing media messages Enhancing media messages Promoting media literacy Promoting media literacy Recognizing connections with others Recognizing connections with others Enabling identity construction Enabling identity construction