Chapter 13

Mass Communication and Media Literacy

Communication In Our Lives, Fifth Edition by Julia T. Woods

Mass Media
Channels of mass communication the means of transmitting messages to broad audiences
books, film, television, radio, newspapers, magazines

Social Media
Means of connecting and interacting actively
cell phones, email, PDAs, iPODs, MP3s, the Web, etc.

Media in Our Lives

The Media Continuum

Uses and Gratification Theory

We choose to attend to mass communication to gratify ourselves

People are active agents who make deliberate choices

Agenda Setting
Selecting and calling to the publics attention ideas, events, and people

Media divert attention from some topics Gatekeeper

a person or group that decides which messages pass through the gates of media to reach consumers

Cultivation Theory
Television promotes a worldview that is inaccurate but that viewers nonetheless assume reflects real life

Cultivation Theory
(contd)
Cultivation
a cumulative process by which television fosters beliefs about social reality

Mainstreaming Resonance

Ideological Control
Media function as tools to represent the dominant ideology in a culture as normal and right

Understanding Social Media

Blur production and consumption

Alter conceptions of space

Invite supersaturation

Encourage multitasking
Promote visual thinking

Media Literacy
Understand the influence of media Access to media
Democratic Access
digital divide

Expose yourself to a range of media sources

Analyze media

Media Literacy
puffery

(contd)

Critically evaluate media messages

Respond actively
Use mass communication consciously Participate in decision making about media

Websites
Citizens for Media Literacy Media Literacy Online Project
University of Oregon Eugene

FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting

Society of Professional Journalists

More Websites
Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children
American Academy of Pediatrics Joint statement, Congressional Public Health Summit, July 26, 2000

American Society of Newspaper Editors