MASS COMMUNICATION-Spring of 2013

WELCOME!Mrs. Clark-after school in room 205ATTENDANCEAssigned seats (tomorrow)We may be changing rooms (I will

let you know)

Class Expectations

Be on timeBe prepared with your materialsBe prepared to participate in class

socratic seminars and other discussionsBe respectful5 points off for late homework, 10 points

off for a late project

You and the Media

We will now take a look at some of the main ideas and issues we will focus on this semester.We will also discuss your weekly Media Journal that will be due every Monday.1st Media Journal is due Feb. 4th

You and the Media

You have been using media all of your life – watching TV, playing video and computer games, listening to music, going to movies, reading books, magazines and newspapers, surfing the Internet and creating, posting and sharing photos, videos, music and other content online. By now you are somewhat of an expert in mass communication.

Continued…

But how much do you really know about the media you use? At the very least, you know a lot about popular culture, and probably have strong opinions about what you like and don’t like.

Questions Raised…

QUESTIONS RAISED…. Have you ever thought about how media

influence the way you act with your friends and family? Or how you dress? Or the expressions you use? How do media affect your attitudes toward people who are different than yourself? How do advertisers get you to buy products?

Questions Raised Continued…

What are the legal guidelines about downloading music and movies online? Who has access to photos or comments you post on social network sites? Who owns the media you use? What impact do American media have on other cultures? Do TV shows and movies affect how people from other countries view Americans? How does news shape what you know about the world? Why is freedom of speech and the press important in a democracy?

MEDIA JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS

Every Monday I am going to check your Media Journal. You are to view a news source three times during the week.

PLEASE WRITE DOWN THE ASSIGNMENT:

Get the daily news habit! Students are required to read or watch the news THREE TIMES during the week to develop news literacy skills.

MEDIA JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS

Select a print or electronic news outlet – newspaper, news broadcast or online news source

The Media Journal should have the dates you viewed the broadcast or read the article, the title or the topic discussed, and a brief summary of the topic. Please include the channel, source of website and time you read the article. Try and stay away from trending news on YAHOO.

Mass Communication:A Critical Approach

Chapter 1

Mass Media and Our Political Process

OUR OVERARCHING QUESTIONS:

1. What exactly is the nature of our relationship with media?

2. Could we sustain our social ties and our democratic practices if we were unable to connect to each other through mediated words, sounds, and images?”

The Media Storytellers THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY

STORY…..

At their worst, the media’s appetite for telling and selling stories leads them to exploit or misrepresent tragedy. Exploit or misrepresent events or people Hurtle from one event to another Lose their critical distance

Media Storytellers

At their best, our media reflect and sustain the values and traditions of a vital democracy.Help us understand events and

trends Engage and entertain

Medium vs. Media

Medium-an intervening material or substance through which something else is conveyed or distributed.Mass Medium=SingularMass Media= Plural

Mass Media Definitions

Mass media are industries that create and distribute the following to large numbers of people: Songs novels Newspapers movies Internet services TV shows magazines

Mass CommunicationDefinition

Mass communication: the creation and use of symbols that convey

information and meaning to large, diverse audiences through all manner of channels Examples of symbols:

Languages Morse codemotion pictures,binary computer codes

READING

Please read from the beginning of the chapter up THROUGH media convergence.

HOMEWORK

REMEMBER TO WORK ON YOUR MEDIA JOURNAL.

IT IS DUE MONDAY 3 entries DATE TOPIC/TITLE SOURCE SUMMARY

MEDIA JOURNAL TEMPLATE

Here is a look at the Media Journal Template I attached to the website.

You can print out multiple copies of this and use the template for each week.

http://admin.vhs.valhallaschools.org/cgi-bin/homework/homework.ssp?homeworkClassREC_ID=507092&rn=543823242187

HOMEWORK

Read pages 10-18 in Chapter One From Topic “Mass Media and the Process of

Communication TO “A Closer Look at the Social Scientific Model

We will have an OPEN NOTES/OPEN CHAPTER QUIZ on CHAPTER 1 Friday

Evolution of Mass Communication

Oral Era Information and knowledge circulates through spoken traditions-

poets, teachers, tribal storytellers. Philosophers worried that written word would hamper

conversation between people.

Written Era Written word emerges-creating manuscript culture- overshadows

oral communication. Manuscripts transcribed by philosophers, monks to record

religious works, literature, personal chronicles.

Evolution of Mass Communication (cont)

Print Era Gutenberg creates printing press in 15th century. Books become affordable to lower classes over time

and spawn new socioeconomic classes, spread of literacy, focus on individualism.

Electronic Era Telegraph makes transmission of media messages

instantaneous for first time in 1840s. Important electronic devices include film, radio, and

most important, television.

Evolution of Mass Communication (cont)

Digital Era Cutting-edge communication gadgetry emerges

smaller personal computers, cable TV, e-mail, DVDs, DVRs, Internet, direct broadcast satellites, cell phones.

Digital communication makes mass communication instantaneous, inexpensive, global.

Media Convergence

Convergence refers to the appearance of older media forms on the newest media channels.

Convergence also refers to newspaper, broadcast, and Internet outlets existing under one corporate roof (also known as cross platform).

Evolution of a New Mass Medium

Novelty, or development, stage: inventors and technicians try to solve a particular problem

Entrepreneurial stage: inventors and investors determine practical, marketable use for new device

Mass medium stage: businesses figure out how to market the new device as a consumer product

Media Literacy-the attempt to understand how media works and what impact they

have on our lives (Linear Model)

Senders-authors, producers, organizations Messages- programs, texts, images, ads Mass Media Channel-newspapers, books,

magazines, radio, television, internet Receivers- readers, viewers, consumers Gatekeepers-news editors, tv and movie producers Citizens and consumers return FEEDBACK, or

messages, to senders or gatekeepers through letters, phone calls or emails

“Mind Over Mass Media”

We are going to read the op-ed article together in class.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/opinion/11Pinker.html?_r=0

READ TOPIC

Read from Mass Media and the Process of Communication TO A Closer Look at the Social Scientific Model

Pages 10-18

“Mind of Mass Media” In class Reflection Response-

(30 points)

“Far from making us stupid, these technologies are the only things that will keep us smart.”

Please reflect on the article we just read. Do you agree or disagree with the author’s

opinion? Are these technologies helpful? Or are they hurtful? Can they be both? Explain.

Provide examples that connect to your everyday life or society as a whole.

Notes for Thursday-Debates over Media’s Role in Everyday Life

People have always debated media’s merits and dangers. Ancient Greeks -corrupt youth. Leaders at the turn of the 20th century feared that

“low culture” forms would undermine American values.

Modern people -media violence spawns real violence and media influences attitudes and behaviors.

Models of Mass Communication

Cultural Model: Individual cultural component Selective exposure Storytelling

Social Scientific Model: Tests hypotheses with measurable data Provides valuable insight into questions about

media Helps groups test their messages (politicians,

corporations)

Cultural Model

Culture as skyscraper: High culture-fine art, higher education, “good

taste” Low culture- pop culture, or “junk” Low culture driving out high culture-Big Mac

Theory Culture as map:

Culture is an ongoing, changing process. Provides familiarity and newness

Modern Period Values

Four values of the modern period (Industrial Revolution–1950s): Working efficiently Celebrating the individual Believing in a rational order Rejecting tradition/embracing progress

Postmodern Values Four features of the postmodern era (mid

twentieth century–present): Celebrating populism-the elite try to relate to

“ordinary” people Reviving older cultural styles Embracing technology Embracing the supernatural

Social Scientific Model

Gather data using content analysis, experiments, and surveys Code and count content of various types of

media Conduct experiments using randomly

assigned subjects Conduct surveys the federal government

funds and makes available

Critiquing Media

Read results of both cultural and social science researchers who have studied various aspects of media Understand their limitations View with critical eye

Learn to critique ourselves in methodical, disciplined way

Critical Process

Description Analysis Interpretation Evaluation Engagement

To Conduct Our Own Critiques

Obtain working knowledge of the particular medium Examples: TV show, film, magazine, video

game

Transcend personal preferences and biases

Benefits of a Critical Perspective

Reassess and rebuild the standards by which we judge our culture

Recognize the links between cultural expression and daily life

Monitor how well the media serve democratic practices

Ask and continue to ask important questions that shape our world

Read topic