Order 1088118: Media

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WhyStudyMediaStudies.pptx

Media Studies

Why do we teach/study about the media? What are the pros and cons?

Media Studies cont’d.

Media Studies analyzes the role of the media in society and studies media technologies, institutions, and the production, consumption, circulation, and content of media texts.

“Television had shrunk the world and had, in the process, become a great weapon for eradication ignorance and promoting democracy.” N. Mandela

Media Studies cont’d.

Pros:

1) Huge range of information

2) People are better educated/informed

3) Media can inspire and develop us

4) Media are truthful and informative

5) Media contribute to democracy and social accountability

3

Media Studies cont’d.

6) Media enable free thought and speech

7) Media are shrinking the globe (global village according to McLuhan)

8) Media give space/voice to different social groups and cultures

9) Media are agents for social change

Media Studies cont’d.

Cons:

1) Media offer worthless trivia aimed at lowest intellectual abilities

2) Media make us passive observers

3) Media corrupt children, desensitize emotions, and encourage violence and immoral sexual behavior.

4) Media serve minority political interests via false constructions

Media Studies cont’d.

5) Media principally serve worldwide commercial interests

6) Media control who we are and how we think

7) Make make us all the same

8) Media are a form of cultural imperialism

9) Media maintain the status quo

Media Studies cont’d.

Political economy: the media are determined by a combination of economic, social, and political factors, particularly ownership and control.

Cultural imperialism: domination of the world thru the dissemination of cultural products over traditional cultures and the intrusion of Western culture and values such as consumerism.

Media Studies cont’d.

Media homogenization: media products become similar, standard, and uniform due to financial pressures

Agenda setting: media producers set up the issues that the media will focus on and that audiences will subsequently perceive as important.

Newsworthiness: conflict, relevance, locality prominence, novelty, magnitude.