GENDER and MEDIA CONSUMPTION

by

WAJID ALI
Roll No. AI-746037

What is Gender
Gender refers to the different sets of social and cultural characteristics that are widely, but falsely, thought to be inherent to each sex as a result of natural or biological reproductive difference. Gender is defined by FAO as the relations between men and women construct Gender. Gender is not determined biologically, as a result of sexual characteristics of either women or men, but is constructed socially.

Media Consumption
Todays fragmented media environment is characterized by an increasing number of media alternatives competing for consumer time. Consumers are simultaneously engaged in using various media formats such as Television, Radio, Newspapers and Internet to get information.

Media Consumption
Populations heavy use of Television, Radio, Newspapers and the Internet, highlights the importance of using various communication channels to fulfill their needs
 Women usually watch Cooking Shows, Fashion Channels,     Soaps and surf through Social Media. Men usually watch sports channels, love to hear political news and surf internet for such needs Children watch cartoons and specialized shows for kids Many people watch religious channels for their spiritual satisfaction Entertainment media are equally popular among all types of gender

Media Consumption
 Several studies show an increase in media multitasking, or simultaneous media usage. e.g.
Use of mobile phones/ipods while reading newspapers and/or watching television etc. Listening Music on a MP3 Player while working on computer in home or office.

Media Consumption
 Use of new digital media has been increased enormously and this increase is due to
Greater access to the computers in the home, business, and educational institutes Growing need to connect with the consumers Advancement in Technology

Media Consumption
 In the recent era, a mix of both traditional and new media communication channels is used to achieve goals and fulfill media needs  These channels have the potential to build awareness, influence attitudes and encourge the target audiences.

New and Traditional Media

 Television  Radio  Newspapers/Magazines  Direct Mail  Telephone  Internet/Interactive Media  E-Newspapers  Email Marketing  SMS/MMS

New Dissemination Tools

 Interactive Websites (Blogs/Forums etc.)  E-Newspapers  Organized Email Groups  SMS  RSS Feeds  Tweets

Internet NewsPapers

TV
Radio

Many forms of Todays Mass Media

InCar DVD

DVR

Video Cell Phone

Cinema

Laptop Video

InStore TV

8 ways the Media Consumption has Changed in the Digital Age

Media Consumption in Digital Age

1. Volume of information grows 2. Variety of information sources increases 3. Velocity of information speeds up 4. Venues change times and places to experience media enlarge 5. Vigilance attention to information and media expands 6. Vibrant immersive qualities of media are more compelling, more attractive 7. Valence relevance of information improves as customization/search tools emerge 8. Vivid social networks are more evident and more important

Research in Media Consumption

Research in Media Consumption

Much of the Research about media consumption have focused on television, and have been conducted under the title of cultivation research (signorielli, 1989) General viewership of Television cultivates in viewers, their opinions and attitudes towards gender equality (ibid) Media indeed occupy a critical role in the context of the construction of gender equality issues (Shaw & McCombs, 1977)

Research in Media Consumption

Medias framing of current problems and issues affect peoples attitudes and judgments (Domke, Shah and Wackman, 1996) A variety of studies have examined the portrayal of women in a range of media types including print media and television. Women are less likely than men to follow print media to follow public affairs, whereas print media is a citizens most important tool for increasing practical knowledge.

Research in Media Consumption

Newspaper readership is slowly declining but papers are still more significant than the internet for news gathering. TV news viewing figures have dropped too thanks to satellites, cable, entertainment media and increased commercial competition.

Media Consumption Patterns

Media Consumption Patterns

The Media Consumption as a heterogeneous experience, can also be explained on the basis of following two theories:  Selective Perception Theory  Uses and Gratification Theory

Selective Perception Theory

 For Selective Perception theorists, the consumption of media types is a purposive activity such that audience members with specific personality orient themselves to specific media types that are in agreement with their existing behavioral tendency. e.g. Individuals with aggressive dispositions are more likely to be drawn to violent media content.  Media content reinforces individual disposition and is chosen based on its congruence with existing beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. In addition, media content presenting counter-dispositional arguments is avoided since the individual audience member responds defensively to such messages (Atkin, 1985)

Uses and Gratification Theory

 This theory suggests that the motivations of individual users drives the consumption of mass media, with media types being used to satisfy individual needs of the audience (Blumler, 1979; Perse, 1990)  The different social and psychological contexts of media consumption involve the role of variables such as lifestyle, personality, loneliness, isolation, need for cognition, religiosity, family viewing environment and the like. (Rubin, 2002, p.532).  In summary, this theory argues that motives are central to the selection of specific media for audience gratification and that these motives vary within the population.