Power and the Media

Outline

Recap : power in society

What are the media?

Media effects

Case study : UK Newspapers

Assignment

Power in society

Society is socially stratified in multiple dimensions

Gender

Class

Ethnicity

Etc.

In each case one group has power over another, including the power to maintain that privilege

The media is part of that

What are the media?

How do we consume them?

How do they affect us?Norms Values

The media

Mass media – communications which are targeted at large audiences with no personal contact [broadcast media]

Social media – communications which are shared by individuals, often with some social contact/ interaction

How are these related?

Where does everybody get their news?

How much media do we consume?

Nearly half of people’s waking hours are spent engaging in media andcommunications activities.

Effects of mass media

• Hypodermic syringe model• Propaganda and advertising

• Uses and gratifications model• Selective exposure• Selective perception• Selective retention

The Media

Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’

• Agenda setting:– Controlling what issues come to public attention (and how much – 1st page)

The Media

Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’

• Norm-setting:– Sanctions– Deviant behaviour condemned– Conformist behaviour praised

The Media

Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’

• News Values:– Assumptions that guide journalists and editors when selecting news

The Media

Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’

• Moral panic:– Increased / exaggerated public concern about an issue created by media

attention

• Folk devil:– Groups / individuals seen by the media as a threat to the moral wellbeing of

society

Newspaper exerciseWhat stories are being reported? Where in the paper?

How do the newspapers differ?

How are they being reported?

What is being advertised? To whom?

Topic Key things to consider for each paper

nationalism/ethnicity Where are the stories based?Who is the Other?How are different ethnicities represented?

gender Are the genders evenly represented?How are they represented? (masculinity/ femininity)

class In which class is the reader expected to belong?Cultural capital?How are classes represented (the rich? tax payers?)

functionalism What are the norms and values being reinforced?How does the paper frame ‘society’?

Limits to media control?

• Law• Libel• Obscenity• Race relations act etc.

• Press Complaints Commission• OfCom• Competition Commission

• Limits to ownership of newspapers etc.

• BBC• Grassroots, indy media, social media?

Summary

Broadcast Vs Social Media

Importance of media in daily lives and society

Relationship between individual and media is complex but important

Assignment