Download Lies, damn lies & statistics

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