Aim: How can we define Mass
Tuesday
Media?
1/29/13
Do Now:
What do you think the word media
means?
HW: Bring in a print advertisement
(from a newspaper, magazine, online)
tomorrow.
Vocab Unit 5 Quiz on Friday!!!
Intro:
• Textbook Distribution
• Take a few minutes to thumb through the textbook.
• Overview of the course.
– Books, Advertising, Radio, Television, Film
• Projects– Children's book, Advertisement, Film
I. What are mass media?
(Grammar NOTE: Yes, I
mean ‘are’. There are many
types. “Media” is the plural of
“medium”. Have you heard of
the show Medium?
A. History of mass media
• Human desire and need to break
the barriers of time and distance
– Live beyond a lifetime
– Move beyond the distance we can
physically travel
– Like space…the final frontier
B. Definitions
• Medium: a channel or system of
communication
– Speech is most widely used
• Others: painting, sign language, written word,
music, images, smoke signals
• Mass medium: means of
communicating to a large number of
people
– Television, radio, newspapers, magazines,
books, films, recordings, internet
• Not possible until the invention of the printing
press in 1458 by Johannes Gutenberg
MORE Definitions
• Personal communication media:
– Method of communication through time and
space, but not involving the masses
• Broadcast media: radio and television
– Using electric signals to reach a large
audience
– Cable television: not broadcasting because wires are
used to carry the programs to specific households.
II. Global View of
Broadcasting
• A. USA:
– Radio – mostly music and DJs; all-news station and
talk show (sports)
– Television – daytime drama, sitcoms, adventure,
game shows, news, reality TV, PBS (culture and
education)
• B. Europe and Canada:
– More cultural and educational TV
– Governments believe that advertising should not
control programming
• Ex: BBC – no advertising / supported by tax paid
through TV and radio sales
• Small countries: buy US television shows (dubbed)
even if they are inconsistent with the country’s
perceived / accepted value system
• Communist and 3rd world nations: all broadcasting is
controlled by the government
– Governments use stations to encourage patriotism
and control news
• (governments own and operate most of the
world’s radio and television stations)
– Radio transmitters guarded by high fences and
machine guns
– Rebels attempt to overthrow government through
broadcast transmitters
Control of
broadcasting means
control of minds…
What do mass media produce?
• The Role of Celebrity (What need do
celebrities fill?)
– Concept expanded when technology made
possible the duplication and distribution of
images.
– Fulfill the public need of fantasy
• Audience identifies with celebrities who live out
fantasies
• “Stars” – different, but not too different
from their fans
– Celebrity = glamorous self
Celebrities - continued
• Development of Hollywood
– Stars must lead glamorous lives (created if
necessary) – pseudo events whose purpose
is to attract attention
– Recording industry followed the lead (Motown
Records)
Changes caused by mass
media
• Before Mass
Media
• Well-known people
were famous for
actions or
achievements
• Public knew and
admired heroes
• Since Mass Media
• Well known because
of manufactured
image
• Public knows and
admires celebrities
What is media?
• Take out a piece of paper and write
down the following terms.
– Culture
– Mass communication
– Mass media
Definitions
• Culture
– The symbols of expression that individuals, groups, and
societies use to make sense of daily life and to
articulate their values.
• Mass communication:
– The process of designing and delivering cultural
messages and stories to large diverse audiences
through media channels as old as the book and as new
as the Internet.
• Mass Media
– Are the cultural industries-the channels of
communication-that produce and distribute songs,
novels, newspapers, movies, Internet services, and
other cultural products to large numbers of people.
Topics for Discussion
• Oral and Written Form Begin the
Dialogue
• Printed Communication Spreads the
Word
• Electronic and Digital Communication
Bring Immediacy to the Message
• Media Convergence Comes of Age
Answers the following:
• What are the key
technological
breakthroughs that
accompanied the transition
to the print and electronic
eras?
• Why were these
technologies significant?
Pick an example of a popular
media product that you think is
harmful to children. How would
you make your concerns
known? Should the product be
removed from circulation? Why
or why not?
Although in some ways
postmodern forms of
communication, such as email,
facebook, etc., have helped
citizens participate in global life,
in what ways might these forms
be harmful?
Turn to page 16.
Examine the “Culture Skyskraper.”
Where do your interests fall? Do
you see your interests moving up at
all as you get older?
Media Literary and Steps in the Critical
Process (pg. 28)
• With a partner: write a brief outline of an
argument either defending or condemning
social media (Facebook, twitter, etc.).
• In other words, are social media more
useful or more harmful.
Summary:
• What is Mass Media?
• HW: Bring in a print
advertisement (from a
newspaper, magazine, online)
tomorrow.
• Vocab Unit 5 Quiz on Friday!!!
Case Study
• After completing this exercise we will read a case study
on pg. 15. (Staging Stunts Takes TV to New Low)