September 8 2015 Why Study the Media Pop culture is seen as less important why study the Kardashians when there are more important things to study o Who studies the media o People are already thinking about media all the time so it really is important to study Education philosophy sociology economics any field of study What do we mean by media o Ways of transmitting messages internet radio television art newspapers magazines photographs music movies books video games ads apps branding o New media is the hardest to define o Communicate without the producer and consumer being face to face o Media is plural of medium sometimes we use the phrase the media so we would use it as a singular Roles of the Media o o o o Media as industry Even in recession the media is always growing an expanding as a business Most corporations spend a lot of money on advertisements Lobbyists focus on negotiating policies that work in the favor of companies Media as storyteller and entertainer Majority of America has TV s phones game consoles Internet etc 1 3 of all conversations are media related more so with strangers Many catch phrases come from the media Media as a forum for discussion and debate We want to hear different sides of issues Jon Stewart Shows like Crossfire feed politicians They have a responsibility to the public Movies have a way of bringing to light certain current topics social issues can be discussed critically through the media Media as an educator Can teach about people or places that we don t get to see o 2 Information about history and politics and social issues We learn about how our culture operates Can teach children how to read write etc We can learn how to cook and clean and how to better ourselves New words get added to the dictionary every year from the media s influence We learn what it means to exist in society the media starts to represent what is normal like Modern Family Media as site of identity and community formation Fandoms fan bases Give us a sense of cultural norms and expectations for certain groups minority groups genders etc Not necessarily always accurate of these groups Role models influence people a lot National identity what it means to be American Online sites can provide a space for building communities as well Mediation is Power o The media serves so many functions in our lives and is so intertwined with our everyday functioning that it is very important to study o To become a successful student and competent citizen individuals need to develop expertise about how to analyze media o Skills being critical about the biases of news sources understanding the bigger picture of what you re consuming solidify your own opinions recognizing satire researching topics keep an open mind