Lies, damn lies & statistics

Download Report

Transcript Lies, damn lies & statistics

Media in a changing world
Comm 101
Chapter 1
Media literacy

The Millenials
Born after 1980
 Access to unlimited information
 Voracious consumers of new technology



Mobile technologies
Multitaskers

Favor screen media over paper media
Media literacy

Why study media?
Information Society dominated by media
 Understand how we process information
 Media effects

Cognitive
 Social
 Political

Media literacy

What’s media literacy?


Ability to understand & make productive use
of media in our lives
What’s media criticism?

Systematic analysis of media effects on
individuals, societies, and cultures

Based on reasoned arguments
Media literacy

Reasons media today are better:
Plurality of voices
 Citizen journalism and individual voice
 Minimal role of gatekeeper
 Immediacy of coverage
 Viewers are also participants in action

Media literacy

Reasons media today are worse:
No gatekeeper = no quality control
 Mistakes amplified quickly through the
Internet
 Publicity of staged events
 Overemphasis on speed and competition
instead of accuracy

Media literacy

Critic vs. The Practitioner
Media professionals find criticism harsh and
unrealistic
 Critics find the bottom-line approach of
professionals simplistic, detrimental to
society

Basic terms

Communication
Refers to process of human beings sharing
messages
 Interpersonal


“One to one” or “One to a few”
Basic terms

Mediated communication

Messages conveyed through a medium
Print media
 Broadcast media
 Digital media
 Entertainment media


“One to many”
Basic terms

Mass communication

Mediated messages transmitted to large,
usually widespread audiences

Potential for great impact
Basic terms

Feedback
Messages return to source of a message
from receivers
 Interpersonal



Feedback central to conversation
Mass communication

Little to no feedback
Basic terms

Gatekeepers

Media producers decide:
What messages will be created
 How messages will be constructed
 When messages will be delivered


Determined by many factors:

Economics, ethics, law, audience
Basic terms
Model of human communication:
Basic terms

Converging communication media
Merging of computer, telephone, mass
media technologies
 Often merged in Web platform
 “Many to many” or “some to some”


Example: Blogs, message boards
Media history

Technology and change

Telegraph (1844)

Led to new journalistic writing style


Birth of Associated Press


Inverted pyramid style – get to facts quickly
Network of journalists
Objective style of writing
Media industry
U.S. products dominate globe
 U.S. allows broad freedom of expression
 Critics: Mixed blessing



Effects of violence, pornography
U.S. media target diverse audiences

Growth of niche products
Media industry

Cultural imperialism
American culture (via media) replace local,
traditional culture
 Critics: Form of propaganda

Clash of cultures
 Fight over values, ideals


Fuel for anti-American attitudes?

Studies: Americans are considered materialistic,
opportunistic, immoral
Media industry

Reasons for corporate growth

Economies of scale


Savings come with mass production
Synergy
Combination of forces results in a whole that is
more than the sum of its parts
 Success: NBC & Telemundo
 Failure: AOL & Time-Warner

Media industry

Economic survival

Global competition favors large companies

Can survive failed products

Most movies, TV shows, books lose money
Media industry

Economic survival
Capitalize on successful products
 Cross-merchandising or cross-promotion:


Time-Warner & Harry Potter


Books, movies, toys
Disney & Pirates of the Caribbean

Movies, toys, clothing, theme-park rides
Media industry

Group ownership, conglomerates
Own several related companies
 Large companies involved in several
businesses

Media industry

Vertical integration, horizontal integration
Media industry

Media conglomerates
Time-Warner
 Viacom/CBS
 Disney
 News Corporation
 NBC-Universal

Media industry

Monopoly

One company dominates a market


Oligopoly

A few companies dominate an industry


Microsoft & Windows
Movie, music companies
Entrepreneur

Independents, startups
Media industry

Media & government

Government ownership


Private ownership, government control


Tight control over information
Government threats limit information
U.S.: Mixed model
Government regulates broadcasting
 Little regulation of print, Internet

Media industry

Media & audience

Audience preference = success
Media content
 New technology
 Power to influence media by banding together

Media literacy

Skills in the Information Society
Critical thinking
 Communication skills and theories
 Online presence and representation



Digital video, blogs, wikis, etc.
Lifelong learning
Media literacy

Media criticism issues
Impact – societies and individuals
 Legal – adherence to or deferral from
legislation
 Ethical – principle issues of right and wrong
