cultural convergence
the flow of content across multiple media, and the accompanying migration of media audiences/ media _ is not orchestrated by the media->We initiate it, using techniques we likely learned by interacting with others, either face to face or through social me
digital divide (Conflict)
The releative lack of access to the latest technologies among low-income groups, racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents and the citizens of developing countries
-The internet and other new media are becoming essential to economic progress, whether
dominant idelogy (Conflict: Contructing reality
A set of cutural beliefs and practices that help;s to maintain powerful social, economic and political interests
-Mass media decision makers are overwhelmingly white, male, and wealthy-> not a surprise that the media tend to ignore the lives and ambitions
gatekeeping (Conflict)
the process by which the reletively small # of people in the media control what material eventually reaches the audience
-The mass media constitute a form of big business in which profits are generally more important than the quality of the programming
-I
mass media
Print and electronic means of comm. that carry messages to widespread audiences/ is distinguished from other social institutions by the necessary presence of the audience
Func . Media's Narocotizing dysfunction
the phenonmemon in which the media provide such massive amounts of coverage that the audience becomes numb and fails to act on the info, regardlaees of how compelling the issue
-Citizens may take in the info but make no decision or take no action
-p. 132
Neitzen
A person who is actively involved in online communities and is committed to the free flow of info, with few outside controls
Opinion leader
Someone who influences the opinions and decisions of others through day to day personal contact and comm. (Politician, film critic)
-encourage their relatives, friends, co-workers to think positively about a particular candidate
-Despite them, members of
Stereotype
An unreliable generalization about all the members of a group that does not recognize indiv differences within the group/media may create false images of subordinate groups that then become accepted portrayals of reality
Functionalist perspective of media
-Often think the explicit purpose of the _ is to occupy our leisure time
-Socializes us, enforce social norms, confer status, and promote consumption-> important dysfunction is that it may act as a narcotic, desensitizing to us to disstressing events
Func: Media as agent of socialization
it increases social cohesion by presenting common, more or less standardized view of culture through mass comm.
-p. 129
-concern for its socialization function-> acting like a babysitter, etc.
Func.: Media as enforcer of social norms
often reaffirms proper behavior by showing what happens to people who violate societal expectations
-However, it somtimes also glorifies bad behavior (Physical violence, disrespect to authority, or drug use)
-Plays critical role in sexuality->widespread a
Func.: Media's conferral of status
-confers status on people, organizations and public issues
-celebrity status
Func. Media's promotion of consumption
-Advertisments on TV, movies (product placement)
-Young people cannot escape commercial messages
-Has several clear functions: IT SUPPORTS THE ECONOMY, PROVIDES INFO ABOUT PRODUCTS, and UNDERWRITES THE COST OF MEDIA
-Media advertising contributes to a CON
Conflict perspective of media
Emphasize that the media reflect and even exacerbate many of the divisions of our society and world, including those based on race ethnicity and gender and social class
-gatekeeping
-media monitoring, and construction of reality (dominant ideology)
Conflict media monitoring
used most often to refer to interests' groups monitoring of media content-> p. 133
-can also be applied to gov.'s monitoring of phone calls without the citizen knowing
-gov and major companies can monitor us
Feminist Perspective on Media
Share the view of coflict theorists that the mass media stereotype and misrepresent social reality
-The media powerfully influences how we look at men and women, communicating unrealistic, stereotypical and limiting images of the sexes
-women often shown
Interactionist perspective
point to the mass media as the source of major daily activity; some argue that TV acts as primary group for many individuals who share the same TV programming
-Online social networks have become a way to PROMOTE CONSUMPTION (advertising)
-Relationship mar
income ranges
-A 9 class system is used to describe systems
-Lower class= 0-29,000
-Middle class=29,000-150,000
-Upper class=150,000 and up
housing in lower class
generally however much you make, x that by 2 and that is the price limit for a house you can afford
lower class lifestyle choices
-Even poor people make lifestyle choices
-what food to buy
-how to raise children
-food stamps can help provide food for low income faimilies
poor in rural areas
50% of poor live in rural areas but receive less than 5 % of government assistance
-in rural areas: political power not as strong as in urban areas, don't have the voting power to vote for government funding
-may be illiterate
urban poor
urban have all of the opportunities to do well and make money
full time working poor
typically have hard jobs making minimum wages
-for some they receive more money from the gov that they may not work anymore
Generational Poverty
generation after generation relies on the government to provide assitance
schools in urban areas
tend to have unqualified teachers which leads to a poor education for children
audience
-can be defined as a finite group or a much larger undefined group
-micro level: focus on how _ members respond to media, interacting among themselves, in the case of live perf., how the influence the actual performer
-Macro: Examine broader societal cons