Research Questions on The Mass Media
Kimberly Wong Kristen IJC 05A23
GP: Research Questions on The Mass Media
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.What is Mass Communication?
Mass Communication is the term used to describe the academic study of various means by which individuals and entities can relay information to large segments of the population all at once through mass media.
Almost every university that has a journalism program also offer a distinct program - often from the same department - of studies in mass communication, which includes the technical aspects production of newspapers, radio programs, television shows, and films. Unlike journalism and related fields like public relations and advertising, the study of mass communication focuses less on the message that is delivered, and more on the means by which this delivery occurs. In today's world the Internet is playing a vital role in delivering news and information to remote places where traditional delivery means do not serve. The discipline also differs from media studies, which focuses on the effects that mass media have on the population.
Graduates of Mass Communication work in a variety of fields in traditional media, advertising, public relations and research institutes.
Such programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).
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2. What are the characteristics of mass communication?
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3.What is mass media?
Mass media is the term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation state). It was coined in the 1920s with the advent of nationwide radio networks and of mass-circulation newspapers and magazines. The mass-media audience has been viewed by some commentators as forming a mass society with special characteristics, notably atomization or lack of social connections, which render it especially susceptible to the influence of modern mass-media techniques such as advertising and propaganda.
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4. What are the different types of mass media?
Electronic media and print media include:
* Broadcasting, in the narrow sense, for radio and television.
* Various types of discs or tape. In the 20th century, these were mainly used for music. Video and computer uses followed.
* Film, most often used for entertainment, but also for documentaries.
* Internet, which has many uses and presents both opportunities and challenges. Blogs are unique to the Internet.
* Publishing, in the narrow sense, meaning on paper, mainly via books, magazines, and newspapers.
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5. Why has the mass media grown?
During the 20th century, the advent of mass media was driven by technology that allowed the massive duplication of material at a low price. Physical duplication technologies such as printing, record pressing and film duplication allowed the duplication ...
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* Film, most often used for entertainment, but also for documentaries.
* Internet, which has many uses and presents both opportunities and challenges. Blogs are unique to the Internet.
* Publishing, in the narrow sense, meaning on paper, mainly via books, magazines, and newspapers.
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5. Why has the mass media grown?
During the 20th century, the advent of mass media was driven by technology that allowed the massive duplication of material at a low price. Physical duplication technologies such as printing, record pressing and film duplication allowed the duplication of books, newspapers and movies at low prices to huge audiences. Television and radio allowed the electronic duplication of content for the first time.
Mass media had the economics of linear replication: a single work could make money proportional to the number of copies sold, and as volumes went up, units costs went down, increasing profit margins further. Vast fortunes were to be made in mass media.
In a democratic society, an independent media serves to educate the public/electorate about issues regarding government and corporate entities (see Mass media and public opinion). Some consider concentration of media ownership to be the single greatest threat to democracy.
Sometimes mass media is referred to either as "corporate media" or as the "mainstream media," and abbreviated as "MSM". Especially in the United States, usage of these terms often depends on the connotations the speaker wants to invoke. The term "corporate media" is rather used by leftist media critics to imply that the mainstream media is manipulated by large multinational corporations. This is countered by right-leaning authors with the term "MSM", the acronym implying that the majority of mass media sources is dominated by leftist powers which are furthering their own agenda (see Conspiracy theory, Media bias in the United States).
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6. What are the functions of the mass media?
* Advocacy, both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication.
* Enrichment and education, such as literature.
* Entertainment, traditionally through performances of acting, music, and sports, along with light reading; since the late 20th century also through video and computer games.
* Journalism.
* Public service announcements.
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7. What groups create or become news sources?
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8. When can news sources be trusted?
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9. Which influences the news media more- the duty to report events as they happen or economics/profits and why?
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0. What are the dangers posed by mass media?
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1. What is censorship?
Censorship is the use of governmental power to control speech and other forms of human expression. It is most commonly applied to acts which occur in public circumstances, and generally involves a suppression of them by criminalizing their expression. What is censored may range from specific words to entire concepts, and the ostensible motive of censorship is to stabilize or improve the society over which the government has control.
Sanitization (removal) and whitewashing (from whitewash) are almost interchangeable terms that refer to particular a form of censorship via omission, which seeks to "clean up" the portrayal of particular issues and facts which are already known, but which may conflict with the official point of view. Political correctness may also become a form of censorship.
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2. What are the functions of censorship?
The purpose of censorship is to maintain the status quo, to control the development of a society, or to stifle dissent among a subject people.
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3. What are the two forms of censorship?
Censorship can be explicit, as in laws passed to prevent select positions from being published or propagated (as in the People's Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, and to a lesser extent, Australia where certain Internet pages are not permitted entry), or it can be implicit, taking the form of intimidation by government, where people are afraid to express or support certain opinions for fear of losing their lives, their jobs, their position in society, or their credibility. In this latter form it is similar to McCarthyism.
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4. Establish arguments for censorship.
* The youth of our country should not be exposed to the content of some lyrics.
* Children are easily impressionable at that age and do not make mature decisions.
* Numerous reports show how easily obtainable music of all types is.
* The only information provided to parents is a little, inadequate "Explicit Content" label on a front corner of a CD.
* Some artists can't handle the responsibility of having the freedom of speech.
* Record companies deliberately target young adolescents in order to sell more copies.
* Artists, such as Marilyn Manson, will oftentimes use shock in their lyrics to sell a maximal amount.
* The artists that top the charts are the ones who use these types of lyrics. Common themes involve sex, drugs, and violence. Eminem is one of the most popular rappers. He constantly bashes gays, talks about torturing and killing his wife, and how his mother abuses drugs.
* Explicit lyrics labels are used to promote a CD or some are kept off when they should be on it. It is all marketing strategy.
* There are stats that prove teen violence; suicide, drug use, and sexual activity have all been on the rise. Doesn't it make sense that the catalyst promoting such ideals is to blame?
* Shock Rocker Marilyn Manson tears pages out of the Bible and throws a puppy into the crowd and won't sing until it is dead.
* It is impossible for parents to be fully aware of all the lyrics their kid hears. Especially with the poor labeling system used today.
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5. Establish arguments against censorship.
* "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." -First Amendment, ratified December 15, 17911[3]
* "Speech that is neither obscene as to youths nor subject to some other legitimate prescription cannot be suppressed solely to protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body thinks unsuitable for them." -Erznoznik v. City of Jacksonville2[4]
* If the United States government labels music, then what is stopping the placement of similar labels on other forms of artwork, such as paintings, books, newspapers, and perhaps even political debates? The point is that there is a line that must be drawn as to where restrictions can be implemented.
* Voltaire's defense of free speech: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."3[5]
* The Constitution doesn't start at age 18.
* Blaming the recording industry is an easy scapegoat. Rather than looking for a solution, it is easier to point a finger.
* The music doesn't create the problems, yet is a reflection of them. We must understand that the actual problem is much larger, and deals with violence, drugs, and underage sex being far too prevalent in our society, not just the music.
* Lyrics are often misinterpreted or are said to prove a point. The latter is what Eminem claims to be his reason for explicit lyrics in a personal interview.
* All music is not intended for everyone. It should be the parents' responsibility to oversee this. If the government begins to censor music, what they are really doing is taking away reasonability from the parents. This creates relationships that are more out of touch.
* The RIAA has put out voluntary, uniform labels on music containing explicit lyrics.
* Elvis was thought to be on the edge, and now he is on a postage stamp. Jimi Hendrix was thought to be radical, and now he is in the music hall of fame.
* Every generation rebels against their parents. It is only natural. Music is the story of the generation.
* Censorship often targets certain groups, in this case African Americans.
* The topic of censorship is upon us now mainly because of recent teen violence. Public policy should not be made in times of distress and chaos.
o If you don't like it, don't listen.
* Minors can't vote to represent themselves against the censorship that will affect them.
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6. List and describe Singapore's censorship categories.
* Films
* Videos
* broadcast media
* arts entertainment
* video games
* publications
* internet
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7. What are the potential dangers for young people going online?
The problems young people might encounter on the Internet fall into three broad categories:
* excessive use leading to a neglect of homework, outdoor or other social activities, and heavy telephone bills accidentally,
* deliberately, accessing inappropriate material: pictures, sounds or texts which are either dangerous, pornographic, offensive or unacceptable in some other way unwittingly
* making inappropriate contact with individuals who may wish to cause them harm.
