Journalism and Media Management
- Discuss what mass media convergence means and why it is essential? Analyze how mass media affect our everyday lives
Mass media convergence essentially implies the merging of outlets of mass communication. A good example is when music or videos are shared or accessed through television or the internet. Therefore the mass communication outlets are interlinked. This is important because audiences are attuned to access content through various media outlets. Through mass media, individuals can seek out information as well as interconnect with others. Mass media acts as both a vehicle and channel through which cultures are shared. To add on that, mass media enables people to interpret and view the world in a globalized setting. Ethics and morals are also spread through mass media.
- Give examples of mediated interpersonal communication.
Mediated interpersonal communication may entail a loudspeaker informing individuals to vacate due to the bad weather, a stadium announcer telling individuals to settle down, or radio conversations between presenters and listeners.
5- Criticism of mass media’s influence on our culture includes mass media’s frequent reliance on stereotypes. As discussed during lectures, some experts argue the existence of “positive stereotypes” in mass media. Provide one example of a “positive stereotype” and how it may result in adverse effects.
Mass media mainly focuses on stereotypes in the development of content for consumption. With this in mind, positive stereotypes are mostly adopted in the passing of messages through mass media. The stereotypes result in cultural prejudices that may favor certain norms or beliefs over others. While positive stereotypes are mainly opined as superior according to generalized world views, the effects can be negative. A good example is a stereotype that promotes sexual freedoms in the sense of promiscuity for women may result in immoral behaviors.
- What is the central concept behind the Agenda Setting theory?
Agenda setting theory entails the conception that the media, either intentionally or unintentionally, aims to paint a picture of the current happenings in the world. An agenda is therefore put forward in the development of messages or content. To put this into perspective, mass media promotes various ideas or notions of how things are currently going. This is depicted through the use of many forms of communication, including print, television, internet, or radio. The messages or ideas may be about social issues, political happenings, environmental concerns, or human rights.
10- Nicholas was raised in a home that valued education above all else. He is currently a college student who starts playing video games because he is bored over the summer break. Eventually, he becomes addicted to the games and, even after classes start again, spends less and less time on his homework, resulting in failing grades. This effect on his dedication to school work is _________________________________ (include type and valence).
Nicholas’s case presents a common occurrence in how media influences our lives. His case represents an emotional type of effect caused by the influence of the use of media. The effects are immediate, whereby boredom leads to him turning to video games over the long summer break. The valence of the impact in Nicholas’s case is a negative direction. The addiction to video games affects his school work.
12- Sandra is a very inquisitive media consumer. She reads The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal every day to stay informed about recent world affairs. Describe, for Sandra, what type of media effect becoming informed is.
Sandra’s consumption of media is mainly due to the need to stay informed about current issues affecting the world. Her case represents a cognitive type of effect from the media. Sandra’s inquisitiveness indicates that she reads the print media to access factual information. Her main media sources are The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. This indicates a careful and calculated selection for the best source of information according to Sandra’s perception.