Communication 130
Mass Media & Society

Professor Joseph Turow

Aim of this class:

Finish our discussion of “mass communication”

Mass media in our personal lives

Mass media in the life of society

One version of media literacy

Dominick:
The process by which a complex organization with the aid of one or more machines produces and transmits
public messages that are directed at large, heterogeneous and scattered audiences.

Turow:
The industrialized production or multiple distribution of messages through technological devices.

Dominick’s notion
of mass comes
from “large”

Dominick definition emphasizes:

complex organization

technology

public

large

heterogeneous

scattered

Turow’s definition of mass comes from “mass production”

Leaves open size and nature of audience

Turow definition emphasizes

industry

production and distribution

technology

The new media world challenges both definitions.

What of MySpace
YouTube
Flickr

And the ambiguities in them

Exampe: Lonelygirl115
and Marie Digby

Mass communication vs. other forms of communication

Mass communication and soap

Mass communication and mass media

Mass media in our personal lives

Entertainment source

Companionship

Surveilance—information source

Agenda-setting

Persuasion forum

Interpretation

Mass media in the life of society

What is culture?

What is society?

What are sub-cultures?

What do media have to do with them?

The mass media collectively as an institution

Media Literacy– applying critical thinking skills

6 principles:

Media materials are constructed.

Media materials are created and distributed within a political environment.

Media materials are created and distributed within a commercial environment.

Mass media present ideas through primary genres.

People are active recipients of media messages.

Media representations play a role in the way society understands its reality.

Media literacy skills

An understanding of the commercial forces and political influences behind media materials

An ability to examine media content

An ability to think about ethical implications

Ability to understand research

Awareness of ways public can influence media