Intro to Mass Communications Chapter 1 Media in a Changing World Chapter Highlights Media Literacy 2 primary objectives to sharpen students critical skills and to prepare students for careers in mass media Basic Terms Mass Com Is just one form of mediated communication It differs from interpersonal communication in a number of essential ways History new media technologies and the changes Industry U S media dominate globally Reasons for media growth include economics of scale synergy and global competition Controversies based on impact legal and ethical issues Media Literacy The ability to understand and make productive use of the media there are two different but related perspectives to media literacy media criticism and career preparation Media criticism the analysis used to assess the effects of media on individuals on societies and on cultures This is based on well reasoned argument Career Preparation learning how to use media It helps us learn how to get a message to the public Basic Terms Communication refers to the process of human beings sharing messages Feedback messages that return from the receiver of a message to the source of that message Noise anything that interferes with the communication process Mediated Communication any type of sharing of messages conveyed through an interposed device rather than face to face Medium an interposed device used to transmit messages Media plural of medium Mass communication mediated messages that are transmitted to large usually widespread audiences Mass communication differs from interpersonal communication in that the former allows litter or no interaction between the message sender and receivers Interpersonal gives direct feedback and mass gives indirect Another difference is that gatekeepers determine which messages are sent Gatekeepers those who determine which messages will be delivered to media consumers Mass messages are more professionally developed Mass media also has a much wider impact on an audience Mediated interpersonal communication the sharing of personal messages through an interposed device This is like emailing a friend or talking to someone on a webcam you are using technology to communicate but it is to a smaller audience that allows feedback and conversation Converging Communication Media Convergence the merging of technologies industries and content especially within the realms of computer telephone and mass media It involves bringing together mediated interpersonal messages including telephone and email with the messages of traditional mass communication such as text and television Understanding Today s Media Industries American Dominance of World Media The U S sends out more mass media products movies recordings tv programs books than it imports Global mass media has been called the American Empire One reason for this is because English is so widely spoken Freedom of Expression has Worldwide Appeal the American notion of freedom has been embraced internationally Many consider this to be a mixed blessing much media is provocative and violent and is bad for younger and overly exposed children Many dislike how sexual and material it is Producing for a Diverse Audience U S media producers have to provide for a diverse audience that incorporates a large range of backgrounds and tastes This also makes it successful overseas Big Business and Popular Entertainment The big business structure of the American economy makes it possible to finance and produce expensive media products Cultural Imperialism the displacement of a nation s customs with those of another country Many people do not like America s impact on their societies and countries Some countries have limits on the amount of American media they will allow Many countries enjoy our products but do not like the moral portrayal it puts off and influences Foreign Media in the United States Films from other countries also inspire and emerge all over America Many of the TV shows and movies we watch all began in England Many overseas companies also have major corporations in America Reasons for Corporate Media Growth the 3 primary reasons why growth is profitable involve economies of scale synergy and global competition Economies of scale savings that come with mass production You pay tons of money for the first copy of something but once you are able to make many copies and mass distribute it you make profit Synergy Lets parts work together synergy is a combination in which the whole is more than the sum of its parts Businesses merge together to take advantage of this Cross merchandizing promoting a product in one form to sell it in some other form Such as magazines selling books Global Competition Favors Larger Companies companies feel like they have to be big to compete on the global stage Patterns of Ownership As media businesses grow they become structured in various patterns of ownership including groups and conglomerates Groups Group ownership the acquisition of the same type of business in more than one market area by one company such as television stations the Gannett group owns 23 Conglomerates large companies that own many different types of businesses One way these form are through vertical integration Vertical integration a business model in which a company owns different parts of the same industry Antitrust laws laws that prohibit monopolistic practices in restraint of trade Horizontal Integration corporate growth through the acquisition of different types of businesses When a television network buys a publishing company to produce books about its television shows Combined integration is most common most conglomerates combine horizontal and vertical integration Such as The Disney Corporation owns not only a group of movie studios but also movie theme parks where movie characters become attractions or owns a professional hockey team the Mighty Ducks Media and Governments Around the World Government Ownership In extreme cases like North Korea and China the government controls the media completely and it serves the government Private Ownership Government Control Less extreme media is privately owned but still requires media organizations to be controlled by the government Liberation another extreme this calls for media to be privately owned and free of government control No country uses this system Most countries have a mixed model such as private radio stations The U S Model American media and the American government are interrelated in 3 ways Media