Lecture dynamics of mass communication (9th edition) chapter 2 joseph r dominick

THE DYNAMICS OF MASS COMMUNCATION Joseph R Dominick University of Georgia Athens McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Part I The Nature and History of Mass Communication McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Chapter Chapter Outline Perspectives on Mass Communication McGraw­Hill Paradigms for Study: Functional Analysis Functions of Mass Communication for society (mac Functions of Mass Communication for Society Critical / Cultural Perspective © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved (m Paradigms for Study A paradigm is a model or  pattern that a person uses to  analyzesomething McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Paradigms for Study ã Functionalapproachtomass communication How do people use it? – What benefits do people receive from it? • Critical/cultural approach to mass  communication – What are its power relationships? – How do people interpret it? Whatdoesitmeantopeople? McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Paradigms for Study ã ã ã • Example: Operation Iraqi Freedom March 19, 2003 War dominated media reporting for 6 weeks Functional perspective – Why did people watch? – What did they get out of it? • Critical/cultural perspective – Questions of objectivity – Role of corporate ownership of the media McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Functional Analysis Two levels of analysis Macroanalysis • “Wide­angle lens” • What is the intention of the source? • What is the purpose of the communication? Microanalysis • “Close­up lens” • What does the receiver receive? • What does the receiver do with the  communication? McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Functions of Mass Communication for Society (macroanalytical) Surveillance – Warning    example: weather reports and storm warnings – Instrumental – example: stock market prices – Consequences • Speed of propagation of truth and error • Most news is not verifiable by receiver • Credibility and conferral McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Functions of Mass Communication for Society (macroanalytical) Interpretation – Selective inclusion – Express viewpoints and analysis Linkage – Buyers and sellers – example: eBay – Specialized communities – example: MMORPGs – Individuals and experts – Overreliance McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Functions of Mass Communication for Society (macroanalytical) • Transmission of Values – Also called socialization function – Example: advertisements and  motherhood • Entertainment – Also called diversion function – Diversion through mass  communication has profound cultural  effects McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Functions of Mass Communication for Society (microanalytical) • At micro level, functional analysis called  use­and­gratifications model • Needs satisfied by media called media  gratifications ã Surveystypicalresearchapproach McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Functions of Mass Communication for Society (microanalytical) • Cognition – Information about current events – General information • Diversion Stimulation Emotionalrelease ã Socialutilityconversationalcurrency ã Withdrawalcreationofbarriers McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Conditions of Functional Approach • Audience use of a medium depends on  – Message content – Social context • Assumptions include – Receivers control media usage – Competing activities exist – Motivations verbalized accurately McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Critical / Cultural Perspective • Contrast with functional perspective – More qualitative – More humanities­oriented • Macroanalytic • Role of media and its relation to – Ideology Culture – Politics Social Structure McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Critical/Cultural Perspective History MarxandtheFrankfurtSchool ã 1930s40s ã Who controls the means of production? – British Modification • 1950s – 60s • Media/individual relationship more complex – Feminist Movement Influence  • 1970s80s ã Patriarchicalbiasreinforcedbymedia McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Critical/Cultural Perspective Culture commonvalues,practices,andrulesthatbind peopletogether Text  – object of analysis (programs, films, ads)  Meaning  – interpretations audiences take away from      media text McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Critical/Cultural Perspective Polysemic  – different person, different meaning  Ideology  – text­embedded beliefs, particularly social and     political themes  Hegemony  – domination and control accepted by both       groups with continual negotiation McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved  ...Part I The Nature and History of Mass Communication McGraw­Hill ©? ?20 07 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Chapter Chapter Outline Perspectives on? ?Mass? ?Communication McGraw­Hill...  example: weather reports and storm warnings – Instrumental – example: stock market prices – Consequences • Speedofpropagationoftruthanderror ã Mostnewsisnotverifiablebyreceiver ã Credibilityandconferral McGrawưHill ? ?20 07TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved... Social utility – conversational currency • Withdrawal – creation? ?of? ?barriers McGraw­Hill ©? ?20 07 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Conditions of Functional Approach • Audience use? ?of? ?a medium depends on