A Presentation by
Anam Wahidi
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Croteau and Hoynes (2003), ‘as citizens, we are partially reliant on
the news media for an informative and accurate account of what is
happening in the world around us.’
Croteau and Hoynes write (2003), ‘the public is often unable to
distinguish between image and reality’.
In recent interviews leading to the release of his autobiography, exPresident Bush has admitted (as he also does in his book) that
‘having a photograph taken of him peering out the window of Air
Force One at the Katrina-caused wreckage of New Orleans was a
"huge mistake."’
The Media’s role has become so central to politics and campaigns
that ‘staffs now organize campaigns with two primary tasks in mind:
fund-raising and media exposure.’
The media seems to take a strong liking to quantitative data, often
overwhelming its viewers with poll data and percentages without
necessarily explaining this information.
George Bishop (2010), he questions the meaning of presidential
approval ratings as a valid measure of a president’s performance
and ordinary citizen’s feelings about it.
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Hypodermic Model
The Hypodermic Needle Theory is also known as the Magic Bullet
Theory. It ‘implied mass media had a direct, immediate and powerful
effect on its audiences.’
The Minimal Effects Model
The Minimal Effects Model , ‘suggested that media messages acted to
reinforce existing belief rather than to change opinion’. This approach
acknowledges that audiences have pre-existing notions.
Mass Society Theory
This theory dealt with the concerns of an ever-changing,
modern society where everyone seemed to be losing touch with
one another and their roots. There was a general feeling of a
decline in interpersonal relationships that the theory argued was
a reason why ‘mass media played a crucial role in uniting (and
homogenizing) a disparate and atomized population.’
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Political Socialization Theory
This theory suggests ‘media influence may be especially strong in
the early political socialization of adolescents, who are old enough
to seriously consider politic issues but have not yet fully developed a
political orientation.’ Therefore, the media’s approach towards
politics and issues can be strongly influential in shaping its younger
audiences political affiliations and stance on issues.
Cultivation Theory
This theory was based on the long term effects of exposure to
media and suggests that this produces a ‘mainstreaming’ effect and
as a result viewers cultivate many similar views about issues in the
long term.
Agenda Setting
By far, agenda setting is the most realistic theory as it proposes
that although the media does not spoon feed its audience, the
issues of importance; it does have the power to pick and choose the
issues that it brings to their attention-it can ‘direct people’s
attention toward certain issues’.
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Social movements have two agendas when it comes to the media:
1) They desire attention to promote their cause and mission(s), and
2) They need this attention to be positive to maintain their image
and remain attractive to potential donors.
Oprah Winfrey was driving to
work when ‘she saw a
billboard that read, "Oprah:
Do a show about puppy mills.
The dogs need you."’ This was
Bill Smith of Mainline Animal
Rescue’s idea and it resulted
in an entire episode of Oprah
dedicated to investigating
Puppy mills and bringing
attention to the matter.
Croteau and Hoynes write, ‘The phrase active audience appeals to
our belief in the intelligence and autonomy of people.’
Interpretation is a simple process, that requires very little but the
results can be unexpected.
‘scholars use the term polysemy to describe the notion of multiple
meanings in media texts.’
This is one of the main reasons why action and sex is the most
popular theme in moves-because they are understood and perceived
quite similarly world wide.
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In the light of the technologies available today, people are able to weave
the media that influences them into their social lives.
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The meanings also differ depending on a range of varying
characteristics in the audience.
However, some audiences are putting up a ‘resistance’ and putting
in an effort to criticize the mainstream media. This has become a
lot easier with the convenience of the internet.
About-Face equips women and girls with tools to understand and
resist harmful media messages that affect their self-esteem and
body image. We do this through our three programs: Education Into
Action media-literacy workshops; Take Action, which enables girls
and women to develop and execute their own actions; and AboutFace.org, our web site.
◦ Within the span of the last decade many technologies have come
and gone.
◦ A Timeline of Sound & Broadcast Technology
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‘The Medium is the Message’.
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According to ‘Media Society’, ‘By 2001, only a small number of
best-selling e-books had sold as many as a thousand books’.
In mid 2010, Barnes and Nobles, the creator of the nook reported a
21% increase in sales and claimed that ‘e-book sales continue to
accelerate week-over-week’.