Jour 3745 1st Edition Lecture 1 Outline of Last Lecture I Syllabus review Outline of Current Lecture I Mass Media and Popular Culture a Mass communication b Mass media c Mass media industries II Characteristics of culture a Mass media as cultural story tellers b Mass media as cultural form III John Storey s 6 Definitions of Popular Culture a Quantitative b High culture vs low culture c Mass culture d Folk culture e Gramsci hegemony struggle f Close modern culture IV High culture scholars a Popular culture scholars b Steven Johnson V Popular culture our approach Mass Media and Popular Culture Mass Communication Technology assisted process by which messages are sent to large audiences Mass Media Vehicles through which mass communication takes place internet print etc Mass media industries T V sports movies etc Culture Shared understandings beliefs values practices customs rituals traditions and symbols of a group of people Beliefs Our personal understandings it s really about opinion Values abstract goals or end states of human existence Customs Accepted behavior more formal than a habit Rituals A type of symbolic activity consisting of a series of steps Tradition A custom or ritual passed down through generations Characteristics of culture specific These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute socialization subcultures shared experience values belief change Mass Media as Cultural Storytellers A culture s values and beliefs reside in the stories it tells Our stories help define our realities shaping the way we think feel and act Audience Responsibility Question story tellers Mass Media As Cultural Forum Mass media has become a primary forum for the debates in our culture The loudest voices have the most power John Storey s 6 Definitions of Popular Culture 1 Quantitative Which media source has the biggest following 2 High Culture Vs Low Culture 3 Mass Culture basically commercial culture Popular culture is mass producing things 4 Folk Culture Anything that is pop culture is coming from the people 5 Gramsci Hegemony Struggle within a certain culture there is a dominant group that is powerful and controls media Subordinate receives challenges 6 Post Modern Culture the division between high and low culture does not exist Characteristics of Popular Culture Origin Where it emerges from Motivation What is motivating this creation Diffusion How is it culturally diffused Shelf Life how long something stays popular High Culture Scholars elite intellectuals Identify pop culture as low culture mass produced Only the few can truly enjoy high culture art wealthy intellectuals Questions Are Jane Austin s Emma and Gwenyth Paltrow s Emma and Clueless based on Emma high culture What makes a cultural artifact Song play book high culture o old o not obvious what the message is o you have to use cognitive activity o low commodity Why is this distinction or lack there of important popular culture dumbing down the masses edifying impulse expose people to high culture Popular Culture Scholars High vs Low culture Criteria is different Access Divide vs Unite many people like star wars across the globe this unites us Steven Johnson Everything Bad is good for you popular culture is not dumbing us down narrative complexity we use a lot of cognitive work while watching pop culture cognitive complexity then vs now Popular Culture Our Approach Entertainment Vs Critical thinking critical thinking negative vs positive Monolithic Approach cs Pluralistic approach Ongoing Research Questions Who creates pop culture Who influences the creation of pop culture Who benefits from pop culture and how Who is harmed by pop culture and how Players Involved in Popular culture Creators Producers Audience Sponsors