COMM Final Review SheetStudying Media and CultureWhat does this imply?- Understanding the Scope of Media Studies- Social Theory- Components and Players- Analyzing Current Headlines- Critical Thinking about Media Use (this means you and me)Topic, Scope, and Style of Course- Media and Societyo Symbiotic relationshipo Structures/influences our reality and identityWhat do we mean by Media?- Radio, TV, Internet- Movies, Sound Recordings,- Magazines, Newspapers, and Video game (etc.)“You miss to much these days if you stop and think.”-U2, Until the End of the World from the album Achtung Baby (1991)- Relevant about how media saturated we are in our time.- Reading -actively interpreting media messages- Social Construction of Reality – negotiate the meeting of reality, understand of reality comes from different influences; what society deems as normal; media images, TV shows, give us a sense of how the world works- Media - intermediary state between two things; medium that information passes through to reach us- Media Users – actively participate in what is out there for media (Facebook, Youtube, blogs) - Mass Media – broadcasts to a large “anonymous” audience (TV, Radio, Internet)2. Explicit Imagery - Nothing is accidental; everything is placed in images for reasons when advertising.3. Culture Jamming- Taking familiar media messages, and inverting them, and showing the oppositional message.Analyzing Media ImagesBeing critical and discerning is one thing, but to adopt a sense of denial about the intent and function of the media is to remain unaware as to how and why the media operate theway they do. AND this will only hold you back from comprehending the subject matter of this course.4. Select History of Mass Media***Printing Press (1450) – Johann Gutenberg – start of mass media- Played a significant role in bringing about social change and democracyBroadcast Media (Radio, TV, Internet)-No more need for media producers to physically distribute their products-Privatized and individualized media experiencesMedia SaturationAds alone (3000 per day):Billboards, logos (shirts, shoes, even back of my laptop!), TV, radio, newspapers, magazinesImplicit Teachings: Magical Happiness, Parenting, DeceptionConsider how our media patterns affect:The manner and nature of our socializing (through media interpersonally)Personal intimacy (sexual and emotional experiences via media instead of physically)Amount of quality of sleep and mental restHabits and degree of contemplation, meditation, self-reflectionWhat is culture?Definition: Learned and shared ideas about behaviorMechanisms: Stores, artifacts, and practices people construct to make sense of themselves as part of some meaningful social groupCultures are always in flux, they are never constantConglomeration and Integration***Conglomeration: when media companies are part of a larger corporationIntegration: Vertical and HorizontalVertical: One owner acquires ALL aspects of production and distribution of all single type of media productResult: Company can better control the entire process: creation, production, marketing and distributionHorizontal: One company buys different kinds of media, which can then help support each of the operationsWhat might be the ill-effects of horizontal integration?- Favoring of products that can best be exploited by other components of the conglomerate- Horizontal integration may encourage the publication of books that can easily be made into movies, while books that might not so easily be made into movies may never get published.- Increase in media cross promotion while there is a decrease in media products that arenot suitable for cross communicationFunding the Media- The primary purpose of the media is to sell advertising- Printed Mediao 2/3 of print revenue comes from selling ad space- TVo The only substantial source of broadcast revenue comes from advertising (commercials).o Essentially, 100% of revenue for TV comes for commercials.More News, Less Reporting- As one means to cut costs, network news programs have been cutting back on investigative reporting and increasing news “coverage”.- Essentially, what we get is more repetition in news shows and less investigative reporting.“Branded Media” ***- Product Placemento Actors, characters, setting that promote a product within the context of a show, music video, song, video game, or movie- Product Integrationo Building products into shows in order for them to get advertising time.Regulation and the Media: Overview- Concerns/Function/Issueso Freedom of Speech Origin of regulation comes from the Constitution and the first Amendment concerning Freedom of the Presso Ownership (How much? Monopolies, Public, Corporate)o Public Interest (Airwaves are public property, but is what is on the airwaves geared towards performing a public service or promoting corporate interests?)o Content: Censorship and Obscenity Laws (Is what is popular in the publics best interest?)o Regulation of Media: International Context- Keys for Understanding the Complexity of Media Regulationo All involved want there to be governmental regulation of the media. The key distinction is, What KIND of regulation?- The media Industry donates millions of dollars of Financial Support for Politicians (namely, Democrats and Republicans) pg. 76- Complexities of Media Regulationo Good, Bad, Ugly, Necessary? (All of the above, regardless of your particular political leaning)- Freedom of Speecho Micro broadcasting needs to be around in order for the public to havea voice and be heardo If people could tap into radio waves, then there would be to much competition, that’s why it is not allowedo Deregulation – argue that the public will tune in or they won’t: no need for government oversights, the marketplace will decideo The FCCs (Federal Communication Commission) Stance Public interest is varied Regulation cannot be written in stone- Liberal Stanceo If you don’t regulate what people can own, and how they can operate, you open the door for one huge conglomerate monopoly.o Should support diversity in the mediao Advocate for Public ownership of the media- Conservative Stanceo Support for property rights and free-market systemo Advocates for lassiez-faireo Dangers of government interventiono Profit motive leads to positive developments in the mediao Marketplace shall determine what works and what doesn’to Restriction of content (moral concerns)- Europeo Direct