The Impact and Influence of Mass Media: Narcotics, Politics, Economy, and Social Cohesion, Exams of Nursing

Download The Impact and Influence of Mass Media: Narcotics, Politics, Economy, and Social Cohesion and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! 1 | P a g e UCLA COMMUNICATION 10 FINAL EXAMS WITH ACTUAL CORRECT QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED DETAILED RATIONALES ANSWERS LATEST 2024 (NEWEST) ALREADY GRADED A+ What are the 4 functions of mass media? Content Medium Manifest Latent What is Content? the media functions as a source of information ex: during elections: newspapers - give you information about election, candidates, etc. - key in helping one vote ex: influencing on how you dress by weather - key: specific information you get on weather What is Medium? the main function of the media lies within the elements of the medium itself ex: going to the movies on a first date in order to avoid having to talk a lot and thus giving each other a common ground to talk about What is Manifest? the function of the media that is obvious ex: read a book because one is interested in the plot What is Latent? the function of the media that is hidden, unintended ex: listening to radio during breakfast to avoid talking to husband What are the 6 (Societal) Functions of Mass Media? 2 | P a g e Status Confirm Pass on/Enforces traditions, norms, values Narcotizing Effect Services Political System Create Social Cohesion Services Economy How does it Confirm Status? Media confirms status of organization, people, event by reporting on them; thus making them important - media legitimizes people/issues ex: Gay student killed: media covered; gay rights got covered How does it Pass on/Enforces traditions, norms, values? Media tells what's right and what's wrong - certain news tells what to do and makes sure you follow them - usually mass media upholds status quo - giving homogenizing effect ex: man doesn't pay taxes: story comes out then he went to jail How does it have a Narcotizing Effect? narcotics: destroys senses - media blinds and distorts our senses; thus, failing to support critical thinking ex: media floods us with information so much that we're numb and don't have time to carefully consider - makes us apathetic; thus, failing to raise critical questions and thinking How does it service Political System? leaders use mass media to address public ex: tells you what's happening on your news feed - learn what candidates say helps political system work How does it create Social Cohesion? brings us together - gather around particular social website ex: jumps online to see what's going on during dramatic crisis ex: 9/11 -- victims, volunteers 5 | P a g e How much can be stored? ex: DVDs vs Computers What is Reproducibility? How easily/accurately can you make copies? ex: hand copying a book (ie Bible) vs digital media making identical copies What is Accessibility? How easy is it to get at that content? ex: VHS cassettes with movies can no longer transfer onto current devices What is Portability? How easy is it to move that content around? ex: ebooks vs physical textbook What are the 2 things that determine the content of mass media? - reflecting people's interest ex: media contribution, media audience, etc. - the product of the collective work of many different actors and supportive personnel What are the 4 factors that determine mass media content? Legal System Changes in Organizational Procedures Technological Constraints Cultural Conventions How does legal system determine mass media content? media can be copyrighted ex: no copyrights in European books; thus, American books became more expensive - laws had to be created so they could be distinguished from other authors How do changes in organizational procedures determine mass media content? media is overproduced in order to minimize risk and increase chance of success ex: only a small portion of books made are sold in stores How do technological strains determine mass media content? 6 | P a g e changes in tech shift content - switching from acoustic guitars to electrical guitars ex: black and white TV to colored TV How do cultural conventions determine mass media content? originally came from technologically constraints - became a cultural convention - vary from culture to culture - can also be made for technological advances ex: a conventional duration of a movie: ~2 hrs. ex: a conventional duration of a song: ~3 mins. - if you violate this rule. there's a potential threat that it might not be bought What is Persistence of Vision? - a fraction of the second after the image appears is still there - allow still images to blend; creating the illusion of motion and blending together What is Pictorial Realism? realistic pictures with movement emphasized What is Sustained Narrative? film that told a story ex: great train robbery (10 min film) What is a Nickelodeon? first motion house How is the Birth of a Nation film important? showed that film can generate emotions Who are the Motion Pictures Patent Company (MPPC)? - controlled every aspect of production, etc. - didn't want movies to be controlled - blocked actor identification (scared that actors might be too demanding) - thus, there were people that revolted (they moved from New York to Southern California--Hollywood) What happened during the Golden Age of Hollywood? crime rates increased, gangs increased: directors started making movies about them What are the 4 reasons that caused films to decline Post WW2? 7 | P a g e rise of television red scare paramount case re-emergence of foreign films How did the rise of television cause films to decline? diverted film audience from film habit - didn't take off until WW2 How did the red scare cause films to decline? fear of communism/communist - black list created = couldn't work in film industry - had chilling effect (didn't make movies that showed empathetic-ness) How did paramount case cause films to decline? oligopoly case - where a few companies dominate in an industry - had to break up vertical integration How did the re-emergence of foreign films cause films to decline? gave Hollywood competition - other countries started producing films - studios weren't happy so they tried new things: stunts, 3D, etc. What is Vertical Integration? Production - making movies Distribution - getting film out in market Exhibition - showing film in theater What is LCD (Lowest Common Denominator)? appeals to everyone regardless of class; wide and shallow approach What are Blockbusters? wildly successful films ex: Star Wars What are Aesthetics? more sensation than plot driven films What are Sequels? 10 | P a g e - theaters needed projectors (projection system) to be in compatible with the digital film - didn't help small theaters and drive-in theaters How did the Internet change films? changed all of its media - the internet was used for short films only - took technology to a higher quality (movies on demand or streaming) - studios prefer digital download because it's more profitable for them What separates film from TV? films are sometimes available as the same day as its released - theatrical and online debut What are the 4 ways that the mass media support itself? audience supported advertise supported audience AND advertise supported subsidized How does audience support support mass media? pay for the content directly ex: you go to a bookstore and pay it and you get a book How does advertiser support support mass media? advertisers are buying audiences - potential consumers ex: watch shows, but there's ads in it How do audience and advertiser support support mass media? consumers pay for the content directly and there's also ads in them ex: buying a magazine and there's ads in them ex: newspapers: there's ads in them How does subsidized support mass media? public subsidy - supported by the state/federal government ex: National Public Radio private subsidy - supported by corporations - supported by wealthy individuals 11 | P a g e What are the two things that are important to advertisers? - size of the audience - who these people are What does the Nielsen Company do? create statistics/data on how many people are watching/listening - sample of 41,000 households What is the People Meter? measures viewership not just in your own house - what shows and commercials are being watched How do you measure rating? number of people watching program / total number of potential viewers ex: 20 M / 100 M = .20 - it's called a 20 rating How do you measure share? number of people watching program / total numbers of viewers watching TV at that time - more accurate measure in relation to competition ex: 20 M / 50 M = .50 - it's called a 20 rating out of 50 shared When are Sweeps Months? February, May, November, July - the size of local audience are measured - shows that will excite people the most What is C3? measures within 3 days of individual broadcasts What is C7? measures within 7 days of individual broadcasts What is C30? measures within 30 days of individual broadcasts When are ads the highest? thursday nights - but now, it's wednesday nights are the best ones because they could watch it thursday, friday saturday, and sunday 12 | P a g e What age are the best to advertise to? 18-49 - important for advertisers - consumers are demanding whatever they want to watch, whenever, and wherever How is streaming on demand beneficial for advertisers? cannot be fast-forwarded; thus, being forced to watch ads What are the 5 composition of ad watchers? geography - where you are ex: frequent flyers are from big cities age - interested in 18-49 demographics ex: Kelloggs ads appear around kids shows sex - who they are ex: beer commercial around sports income - how much they make ex: classical music radio stations advertise luxury cars employment patterns - job status ex: ads at 2 am for unemployed people What do the gatekeepers do? controls what product is being released - can be coopted ex: publisher, editor, etc. How does the media minimize their risk? go with cultural conventions - follow what has been used before ex: movies about high school problems; chick flicks use proven talent - actors who have been successful before ex: casting Meryl Streep 15 | P a g e proximity personalization good film What are pseudoevents? events created just to be reported on ex: staged demonstration What are timely events? want to report things that just happened What is drama? stories with beginning, middle, end ex: presidential campaign What is proximity? closer to home, easier to cover What is personalization? building stories around famous people What is a good film? stories with good visual and sounds - "if it bleeds, it leads" What is the implication of shift from substance to sensationalism in media? - personalized news experience: filter/choose what you want - fragments: read unbundled individual stories instead of a collection of them What are the 13 unethical issues in mass media? privacy basic obligations to our fellow human beings conflict of interest court cases and trials gifts/payola crime coverage stereotypes accuracy of information undercover reporting techniques checkbook journalism reporting risks war photos taste 16 | P a g e How is privacy an unethical issue in mass media? public's right (or desire) to know ex: rape victims' names are released ex: sex lives of politicians are exploited technologies have violated privacy ex: if you work in a company, your emails are not private - people monitor what we do online - use this to pitch products on you How is basic obligations to our fellow human beings an unethical issue in mass media? should journalists intervene to a story? should reporters set themselves apart from being a human? ex: a man in Dallas a Soviet Union spy: "if you publish it, I'm going to kill myself." - they published an article about him and then he killed himself How is conflict of interest an unethical issue in mass media? duty to society ex: ABC is owned by Disney; there were scientists that did a study on Disney that were guests on Good Morning America - promoting instead of doing the study for the people sacrificing own security - the society has the right to know about the wars that are going on How are court cases and trials an unethical issue in mass media? - sometimes people are shown as guilty even before the trial even started - some people would lie, just want their 15 minutes of fame How are gifts/payola an unethical issue in mass media? some people give journalists gifts to write good coverage about them How is crime coverage an unethical issue in mass media? What details should be included in your article? - should you mention someone's race, gender, sexual orientation? - or might just it encourage certain stereotypes? ex: rape victims' names are made public - doesn't it just stigmatize rape? - when the rape case is made public, this can encourage copycats How is stereotype an unethical issue in mass media? 17 | P a g e negatively stereotyping certain types of people ex: portraying Italians as mafias How is accuracy of information an unethical issue in mass media? journalists aren't supposed to fabricate stories - not create misleading photographs ghost twitters - having someone use tweet for them and not actually celebrities themselves native ads - made to look like it's a real article, but it was just made by advertisers to fool people How is undercover reporting techniques an unethical issue in mass media? planting hidden cameras How is checkbook journalism an unethical issue in mass media? reporters should not pay for information - encourages people to lie - the juicier the story, the more money you get - tabloid journalists pay for stories How are reporting risks an unethical issue in mass media? should the media be responsible for posting accurate risks? - what if the media makes us scared to what's happening (going to happen)? ex: plane crashes (most of it covered; although there's a low chance that it'll occur) car crashes (not covered as much; although there's a high chance that it'll occur) How are war photos an unethical issue in mass media? should pictures of war photos be shown? when it's shown, some people may say: - it's cruel because it invades their intimate moment of suffering - we should know because we pay trillions of dollars for it How is taste an unethical issue in mass media? some people say it's bad taste forum - is it just bad taste to publish pictures of people jumping off the twin towers in 9/11? - what should be shown and what should not in matters of taste? 20 | P a g e the government cannot prevent you from saying anything or force you to say anything - the preferred remedy for harm speech is MORE speech What is the Watch Dog Function? telling people what the government is doing wrong - telling the government's mistakes Who are Absolutists? people who interpret the First Amendment literally ex: an entertainment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin defecated and threw his feces to the audience and said he was expressing himself What is Consensus? no restrictions are allowed simply because the majority believes you shouldn't say that What is Freedom for the Thought We Hate? will you allow (someone you hate) to say what they want to say? ex: celebrating Hitler's birthday in a city in Illinois that is predominantly Jews? What is the Social Harm Criteria? if the freedom of speech has so much social harm, government can regulate it What are the 12 exceptions to the First Amendment? slander/libel violation of national security violate people's privacy contempt of court copyright false advertising political statements clear and present dangers compelled speech speech codes threats/harassments schools How is slander an exception to the First Amendment? deals with falsely defaming someone's character - lying maliciously about someone else slander: verbal libel: written 21 | P a g e How is violation of national security an exception to the First Amendment? if what you say undermines and endangers the country, then the government can intervene - government has the right to keep certain information secret - however, the court does realize that the government can overuse it How is violation of people's privacy an exception to the First Amendment? people don't have the right to use your picture in a commercial without your consent How is contempt of court an exception to the First Amendment? you don't have that right to say anything you want anytime How is copyright an exception to the First Amendment? you can't use someone else's work and use it as your own - protects books, music, etc. exceptions: - Fair Use: --> use snippets specifically for artistic and educational purposes How is False Advertising an exception to the First Amendment? you don't have the right to lie about what your product can or cannot do How are Political Statements an exception to the First Amendment? if you advocate very specific action to overthrow an official, the government can stop that ex: saying you want to overthrow a certain official and then you set a time and set what to bring (i.e. bazooka) How is Clear and Present Danger an exception to the First Amendment? speech can be restricted if it's likely directly insight lawless action - you cannot interfere with the administration of justice ex: if what you say is going to lead to a murder, lynching, burning of a church, etc. How is Compelled Speech an exception to the First Amendment? judge can force you to say something in the court of law ex: if the judge believes that you have something that you're hiding, they can compel you to say something How are Speech Codes an exception to the First Amendment? deals with so called hate speech aimed at marginalized groups (ie. gays, African Americans, etc.) - safe spaces, trigger warnings, etc. 22 | P a g e How are Threats/Harassments an exception to the First Amendment? you do not have the right to threaten people, send threats, etc. How are Schools an exception to the First Amendment? teachers have the right to maintain discipline - have broad censorship rights What are the 2 problems of Freedom of Speech? defining exception carrying out the necessary cost-benefit analysis - generally, exceptions are based on social harm criteria - more social harm would come from preventing than allowing it How is Defining Exception a problem of Freedom of Speech? how are you going to define what's obscene? - it all depends on who you ask - time to time, place to place - different people with different standards - what good is to one person is what obscene is to another How is Carrying Out the Necessary Cost-Benefit Analysis a problem of Freedom of Speech? if costs are so great, we need to regulate it Cost: at the end of the day, if you allow this material: - exploit, objectify women and that is a bad thing - negatively influence attitude and behavior - leading to actual sex crimes - harmful to (sexuality)of children - harms family values Benefit: material can be outlet as artistic outlet of sex - leads to sexual satisfaction - educational value What is the earliest form of advertising? word of mouth What are the Different Mass Media? newspapers magazines radio 25 | P a g e ex: - companies fighting for homelessness, hunger, etc. - Budweiser encourages not drinking if you're driving Who is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)? protects trademarks/copyright ideas, etc. ex of False Advertising: - Haagen Dazs --> 100 calories when there's actually 250 calories What is a Corrective Ad? admit on your ad that you committed false advertising with an apology - if the FTC finds you guilty Who is the Federal Communication Commission (FCC)? they regulate counter ads What are Counter Ads? gives a different view to an issue ex: must run a health ad for every 3 cigarette ads What is Branding? places of creating on a consumer's mind a clear identity of a particular product of a company - making it appear that your product is unique What is Logos? how a company creates themselves in establishing themselves - typical logos don't last forever (15-20 years) - sometimes they revamp their logos ex: Uncle Ben - the Uncle Ben on the logo looked like a servant - "Uncle' --> white Southern folks referring to Black old folks How are successful Brand Names problematic? it's problematic if your brand name becomes successful and enters in the English dictionary, you can lose your rights to that product because everyone can use it What are the 11 Strategies/Techniques used in Advertising? appealing to people's rationality promises of status testimonials 26 | P a g e fear celebrity endorsement competitive ad music integrated advertising product placement TV in context virtual advertising How is appealing to people's rationality a strategy in advertising? shows why product a is better than product b How is promises of status a strategy in advertising? if you use this product, people would want to be like you How are testimonials a strategy in advertising? tales of use of product ex: Ms. Johnson uses "tide" to clean son's stubborn grass stains How is fear a strategy in advertising? make you feel inadequate in some way ex: You'll have a bad breath unless you use Orbit gum How is celebrity endorsement a strategy in advertising? uses a celebrity to promote - makes you want to buy it because a celebrity uses it ex: Rihanna uses Covergirl How is competitive ad a strategy in advertising? make direct comments on a competing company ex: Coke vs Pepsi How is music a strategy in advertising? help people remember product better; gives exposure to artists as well - cheaper when using non well-known artists How is integrated advertising a strategy in advertising? melding ads with entertainment content ex: Who Wants to be a Millionaire? - uses life line; at&t sponsors it 27 | P a g e How is product placement a strategy in advertising? product integrated into the plot of the show ex: In Mad Men, characters drink Jack Daniels How is TV in context a strategy in advertising? semi-integrated strategy; pairing ads with relevant scenes in a show How is virtual advertising a strategy in advertising? digitally embedding of a product within the show - initially for sporting events ex: uses this for reruns of series What are Overlays? part of it is interrupting what you are actually for online - ad is part of the screen - allows you to click on it and leads you to a video ex: ads on Youtube What are Hyper-Targetting Programs? companies look at what you like and specifically target a product to you - personalization of ads What are Flogs? fake blogs run by a corporation What is Viral Marketing? occurs through sharing and networks, spread spontaneously through friends ex: an ad so funny that you will send it around to your friends - you're doing the work, the company doesn't have to spread it around as much What are Informercials? talk show format, dramatizes a problem and then gives you a solution Describe the SuperBowl in relation to advertising most watched program in the year and has most expensive ads; people expect great quality Primary vs. Secondary Media Something you focus your attention on, vs. something you pay attention to secondarily, while primarily involved in something 30 | P a g e By exploring depictions of real or fictional worlds, we use media to decide who to be, and how to fit into the world Professional Tool Linkedin Facilitate Social Interaction - Shows and movies provide something to talk about - Or actually using social media to do interaction indirectly Substitute Social Interaction TV personalities provide companionship Emotional Release You want to relax so you play relaxing music Order,Organize, Ritualize our lives You watch a late night show and that signals that the day is done Media Storage Longevity Capacity Portability Accessibility Reproducibility Longevity How long does it last Capacity How much can it hold, in how big a container Portability How easily can it be transported Accessibility How easily can it be accessed? Does it require electricity Reproducibility How easily can one make copies, are they precise, and does this process degrade the original Persistence of vision 31 | P a g e - Allows images to blend and create an illusion of motion - It works the same way a kids' flipbook does Pictorial Realism - The first films focused on realistic depictions of motion. Like a horse running. Narrative was not emphasized Nickolodeon - The first permanent movie theaters. Admission cost a nickel. Birth of a Nation An important film by DW Griffith. A long and widely popular film, it was important because of its (racist) subject matter, cinematographic style, and narrative technique MPPC - Motion picture patent company - They controlled almost every aspect of production and distribution - Actors and directors chaffed under their heavyhanded oversight, leading a group of them to flee the MPPC in NY and establish the film industry as we know it in Hollywood Advent of Sound - Around 1930 - Made film more popular. The Jazz Singer - the first widely popular sound film - A new emphasis on verbal comedy - But required costly renovations to soundproof theaters Golden Age of Film • From 1930 to WWII (1939-1945) • The depression meant both socially conscious films and silly escapist films. • Film audiences were the biggest ever. People went to the movies incredibly often • Rise of the 7 big studios Four Reasons for Post WW2 Decline 1. Rise of TV 2. Red Scare 3. Paramount Case 4. Resurgence of Foreign Films Rise of TV From 1950 - 1960, film viewership declined greatly. TV ownership expanded greatly during this period. Red Scare 32 | P a g e Many actors were subject to McCarthy's HUAC trials, based on the perception that Hollywood was a hotbed of leftism and communism. Many talented people were blacklisted and unable to work Paramount Case A restraint of trade case. The argument was that the Big 7 Studios were an oligopoly and no one else could break into the market Vertical integration They went after the studios for controlling every aspect of film, from start to finish. This included: - Production - making the movie. Getting the script, actors, and shooting it - Distribution - getting it out to theaters and advertising it - Exhibition - showing it in theaters The ruling of the case was that studios had to get out of one of the three. The studios chose to get out of exhibition - they sold off the theaters they owned Resurgence of Foreign Films Europe and Japan recovered from the devastation of WWII and began making films that competed with Hollywood Studio Response to the decline o Higher quality movies with technical effects that TV could not match. Sweeping epics with big panoramic landscapes o Renovated the theaters o Gimmicks like hiring people to scream in the audience None of this was effective. Movies were no longer on top. TV was now to be the mass medium Non Hollywood Business Interests - Some of the attempts at large sweeping movies were big flops, threatening the industry financially and paving the way for non-Hollywood business interests to come in and buy up the studios - Independent films (Indies): pass on artistic/intellectual ideas that only appeal to certain subcultures United Artists - A group of independent filmmakers that paved the way for a new aesthetic of film during the 60s. At this time, lots of films were psychedelic or experimental • But this trend didn't last long. Soon, movies started catering to the lowest common denominator, because of the need for profit Youth Audience Young people were and are the biggest segment of the film audience. As such, they catered movies to young people Blockbuster Trend 35 | P a g e o All of this is done in an effort to combat the increasing reasons people have to stay home and enjoy their home entertainment systems New role of Studios Not really involved in production. This is done by hundreds of little companies. Mostly they do financing and distribution Relationship between Film and TV o At first, film was very frightened of TV. But soon they realized it would be more profitable to cooperate o Made for TV movies o TV is also a great place to make money from old movies that have already been made. They'll sell a station the rights to air an old movie Video first the studios were terrified that the advent of film would kill people's desire to go out to the movies. This proved false. The video market is very important. It's 2/3 of the revenue stream. Sell through market - the market for selling video copies of movies • This began with studios selling video copies to video rental stores • Then they realized people might want to own movies. They started with kids movies but now they sell copies of all kinds of movies to the popular audience. • They moved to a model where each copy is sold for less, but they sell way more copies Direct to video • This used to be only for movies that they knew would be terrible • But now its used for more purposes: Kids movies, sequels of all sorts of movies Audience for Film the current audience for film is very small compared to what it was during the golden age Male Teens - the biggest audience segment and thus wield a lot of power. They are impatient and like to see movies right away, which influences the size of the opening weekend and can sink or swim a movie. • The main audience for action films and certain types of comedies Female Teens - they go to the movies in large packs. They're an important segment for romantic movies. They're responsible for the success of movies like Titanic - they will go see a movie like this many times. Most Persuasive Medium o Film is the most persuasive medium because it connects to people on an emotional, not a factual level. Unlike many print media, it does not attempt to convey info or opinion o Film with its exaggerated emotions and visual spectacle, provides some of our most memorable media experiences o People go specifically to avoid the rigors of everyday life. Hitchcock said film was a slice of cake, not a slice of life. 36 | P a g e o Film draws you into its world. Unlike TV which tries to come into your world and competes for your attention You watch it in a comfortable chair, in the dark, free from distractions, drink in hand. This makes it better able to persuade o The government realized this in WWII with their propaganda 1915 Court Case a 1915 supreme court case said that films are not part of the press, they're not a vehicle for the expression of ideas. As such, they were not covered by the first amendment and the government had theoretically unlimited power to censor them Hayes Office and Hayes Code • As the flashy roaring 20s roared on, people clamored for the immoral lifestyles depicted by films and lived by actors to be regulated • The industry said it would regulate itself rather than face external regulation. • The creation of the Hayes office meant rather draconian regulation on explicit content in films - they were forced to be rather prim and proper • Films had to be submitted to the Hayes office for approval • Howard Hughes liked to use a certain buxom actress in his films and flaunted the authority of the office, showing that it was not omnipotent • It withered and disappeared in the 60s Miracle Case The supreme court overturned its earlier 1915 ruling and decided films were a vehicle for the expression of ideas, and were thus protected under the first amendment. The government could not longer censor films the same way MPAA • The industry did not want self-regulation to go away, so they created the Motion Picture Association of America • MPAA ratings - R, PG, PG 13. This created a way for the most vulnerable members of society - children - to be protected from prurient content • Actually led to more explicit in films, the idea being that it was ok to do now that kids would be protected from it • But pg13 movies make more money so a studio will often try to cut some of the racier content to get that pg13 rating • It's a voluntary system, but there's an element of coercion in that many theaters won't show movies without MPAA ratings Effect of Digitalization o Instead of shipping many heavy reels, films are now distributed digitally. This saves huge time and money. Those reels also would wear out and need replacing. o The use of computers allows cheap and realistic looking ways to simulate almost any environment or locale, real or imagined 37 | P a g e o However, there were high fixed costs associated with the purchase and installation of digital projection technology in the nation's many theaters Film and the Internet o At first there were technical problems, but now almost any film is available on demand online. o Film streaming is very big. Once again people are willing to sacrifice quality for convenience of access o The industry has tried to push for paid downloads, to make up for the huge decline in DVD sales that the era of online film has witnessed • However, streaming is much more popular • Paid streaming through Netflix, or sketchier ways that are free • This is more like renting 3D Film o a gimmick used first in the 50s as a way to win back audiences who'd fled to TV o it came back for similar reasons o it was popular at first but its losing steam, and people suspect it won't replace 2D film - good! o It's still popular in Europe, where it was introduced more recently Networks The linking of cities with coaxial cables made it possible for there to be networks of connected television stations. The network creates the content and distributes it to its stations O & O • Owned and operated by the network. At first there were laws intended to keep networks from getting to powerful, that said that a network could only own 7 O & Os. So they targeted the biggest cities • But they wanted to reach the entire nation, to maximize revenues. They could do this through affiliates Affiliates • Affiliated with the parent network, but not owned. They got directions and content from them, but had some local flexibility and autonomy. Like a franchise of a restaurant. • They also produced some of their own programming, but most of what they did sucked. To fill air time they looked to syndicators Syndicator Another content creator. They would produce a quality show and sell the rights to air it to various affiliates and local stations. Jeopardy is one such show Commercial Structure of TV • Mimicked that of radio (note that the networks were originally in radio, and initially much of TV content came directly from radio) • They had commercial sponsors who would pay for advertising time Video (TV) 40 | P a g e • Most video you see on the web is low quality. It's not professional. It's made by people like you with their iphones • This has to do with the democratization of the tools of mass media production. Anyone with basic technological possessions can be a creator and distributor of mass media Convergence of media Dominant trend in our time is the convergence of media. All the old media are available on the new medium, the internet. Everything is available together, in the same place. The internet has become multimedia-friendly, instead of just text. Now, almost any content is available through almost any platform - phone, tablet, computer, laptop, even some TVs Four Media Support Systems 1. Audience supported - Audience pays directly, like a book 2. Advertiser supported - Audience views for free. Advertisers pay for it, but place ads that the audience sees. 3. Audience + Advertiser hybrid - A combination of 1 and 2. Like a magazine. You pay for your copy, and then you see ads inside. Increasingly movies are like this - you buy a ticket and then they show you ads before the movie and product placement during 4. Subsidized - An outside entity, public or private, simply foots the bill. Individuals called angels will subsidize a medium if they agree with its message. They don't dictate specific content, they just say: keep doing what you're doing. What do advertisers want to know about the audience Size and composition Size of audience o Nielsen ratings o The Nielsen company collects information about how many people watch a certain programing. They do this with people meters - it's a device and you press a button to indicate that you're watching a show. They collect this data daily for the national audience Rating the proportion of total US households with TVs that watch a show • Households watching the show / households with a TV Shares the proportion of households with the TV turned on during that time slot, which is watching a given show. • Share is a better indicator of how a show is doing against its competition during that time slot • Households watching the show / Households with the TV turned on during that timeslot 41 | P a g e Sweeps • Advertisers like to know how a show is faring in the local market as well, but it would be cost- prohibitive to collect data every day in every local market • So they collect data during certain sweeps months. This allows advertising prices to be set for those local markets • Local stations try to show their sexiest programs during sweeps, to inflate the advertisers' assessment of their audience size and hence the price of their advertising slots • Traditionally, sweep data is gathered with viewing diaries • But this is fraught with even more inaccuracies, so Nielsen has been switching to people meters for the bigger local market sweeps. • Portable People Meters - a further improved technology that eliminates human error. You don't have to push a button, it does it automatically. DVR • Traditionally ad rates were based on how many people viewed the show live, when it aired. But now the data take into account viewers who DVR their shows and watch them within a week of the air date. • Stations like this because it inflates their ratings. Certain shows like modern family get big ratings boosts from DVR viewing Composition of Audience 1. Geography - They want to sell things to you based on where you are. More people in cities fly, so you see ads for air travel in big cities 2. Age - Younger people buy more things 3. Sex - Beer ads filled with sexy women are targeted at men 4. Income - More commercials for luxury cars on classical music stations, because those listeners have more money 5. Employment Patterns - Career ads late at night, because who is awake besides the unemployed? Concentration of Ownership o In recent decades, the vast majority of media outlets have been concentrated into the hands of very few companies. These 6 or so companies each own TV networks, movie studios, publishing companies, magazines, and news outlets o They are able to exert a huge influence over the media content and stories that audiences can see. Is this healthy for American democracy? Explosion of options 42 | P a g e At the same time that ownership has become concentrated, there's been no shortage of variety. In fact, there are more media options now than there ever were before. So many TV stations. As well as incredibly diverse internet content Selection of the News A process that determines which stories become news. So much happens every day, but the news media can only report a tiny fraction of it Agenda setting (News) o Those who influence selection of the news set the agenda by determining what we talk about as news o They can't control what we think, but they can largely control what we think about Gatekeepers o Those who influence selection and engage in agenda setting are called gatekeepers • The publisher who wants a certain kind of story, the editor who calls for using a certain word, the cameraman who shifts the camera to the left Mirror Analogy News media have defended themselves from the accusation of bias with the mirror analogy. They claim that they function as a mirror, reflecting the truth about reality for their audience to see. But plainly this suggestion is overly simplistic. Factors Influencing Selection of the News 1. Newsmen 2. Organizational Pressures 3. Technology 4. Factors within the story 5. Audience Newsmen Political values i. Those who call the media liberal point to the fact that individual reports on the ground tend to be liberal ii. But the media industry is a profit-seeking industry, and those who are on top, who are making the money, are conservative iii. The news is also conservative in the sense that it does not question the underlying assumptions of American society, such as individualism, capitalism, and Judeo-Christian values iv. Certain media outlets have explicit political leanings. Fox makes no secret of its conservatism v. Outlets tend to cater to the political leanings of their regions. Newspapers in liberal regions will use more liberal buzzwords like undocumented worker, or estate tax Subcultural bias i. There's a particular worldview associated with working in the news media ii. Journalists and news editors all hang out together. They went to the same schools and they go to the 45 | P a g e 1. Privacy 2. Obligation to fellow human beings 3. Conflict of interest 4. Media and Trials 5. Gifts and payola 6. Reporting Crime 7. Stereotypes 8. Accuracy of Information 9. Undercover reporting 10. Checkbook Journalism 11. Reporting of Risks 12. War photos 13. Taste Privacy a. Conflict between the individual's right to privacy and the public's desire to know b. Reporters swarm the funerals of famous people, with no sensitivity for the grieving loved ones i. New tech like long range cameras ii. Changing standards - Bill Clinton iii. Internet - boss can see your work email Obligation to fellow human beings Conflict between duty as journalist and duty as a person i. Reporters who helped up bob dole ii. Who outed a man as a spy, even after he threatened to kill himself if they did Media and Trials a. Cameras in court i. Judge does what he thinks the TV audience wants ii. Fame-seekers claim to posses important info when they don't iii. Real witnesses frightened to come forward b. Biasing jurors i. The media can try and convict before the trial begins Gifts and payola a. Started in radio industry i. Reverse payola: radio stations blackmail artists into playing at concerts b. Movie critics, food critics i. What if you don't write good reviews Reporting Crime a. Should rape victim's name be made public? b. Copycat crimes happen after reporting of specifics of crime c. What specifics should be reported 46 | P a g e Stereotypes a. Can influence people who are stereotyped/people who are stereotyping b. Don Imus c. Whitewashing Accuracy of information Information should not be purposefully falsified i. 8 year old heroin addict ii. Native ads: ads presented as regular articles Undercover reporting Ethical for a reporter to assume a false identity? i. Reporters got jobs using fake names and did an undercover expose of poor hygienic practices in a supermarket. ii. Important information for the public to learn, but was it ethical to obtain it this way? Checkbook journalism a. For serious news media, it's been traditionally frowned upon to pay for stories i. Doing so incentivizes sources to lie or exaggerate their claims b. But recently one mainstream outlet violated this norm, paying large sums for exclusive pics of Casey Anthony Reporting of Risks a. Media often report on the very rare risks that are especially frightening or captivating. i. Risks like shark attacks or plane crashes ii. These tend to make for good film b. This leads people to asses risk inaccurately and worry about the wrong things i. Statistically, it's much riskier to drive a car than to fly in a plane 1. But people fear flying because of media coverage of plane crashes ii. Ditto shark attacks vs lightening War photos a. Relates to privacy argument b. We need to know how horrible the war is VS. loss of war morale, helps enemy Taste a. Certain questionable media decisions simply violate the dictates of good taste i. TMZ publishing pictures of Rihanna's battered face ii. Or a newspaper publishing pictures of Bill Cosby's murdered son b. Doing so likely attracts viewers through sheer perverse sensationalism, but is it ethical to appeal to people's base nature this way? Regulation of Mass Media 47 | P a g e • Should the government regulate the content of the media, to ensure they act as a pro-social force? • Historically, broadcast media have been the most regulated media o Because of the scarcity of broadband space o And their easy accessibility by children Deregulation o Now there's a trend toward deregulation o Because new broadcast technology means bandwidth is not scarce o And technology enables one to restrict children's access Self-regulation o Every mass medium self regulates o Individual networks have Standards and Practices departments that must ensure all content is acceptable o The internet self-regulates. YouTube and search engines shut down the accounts of known terrorists o Newspapers used to advertise for strip clubs, but chose not to with no external pressure Who influences regulation? Interest Groups • Many of these come from the Christian right wing • They oppose sexual content on TV • They organize boycotts of the products advertised on shows they disapprove of Parents groups • Parents often protest the books their children have to read • Many parents groups come from the right, and they oppose the Three Ses: Sex, Swearing, and Satan Retailers • Walmart won't carry albums with explicit lyrics or covers • This influences record labels to release clean walmart friendly versions of albums Advertising in Different Media Newspaper ads • Readers are more focused, so the ads cost more • Readers are older - bad. But richer and more educated - good • Called the backbone of retail advertising • Used by local retailers seeking broad audiences Magazine ads • More permanent. Throw away less, passed around more - good • Specialized, targeted audiences • Selective editing allows even more precise targeting Radio ads • Radio is a secondary activity. Listeners not paying attention - bad • Relatively cheap • Allows for lots of repeat exposure TV ads