Final Exam Study Guide What is media literacy?

Stanley Baran: The ability to effectively and efficiently comprehend and utilize mass communication.
Media scholar Art Silverblatt identified 6 fundamental elements of media literacy 1. The skill of critical thinking, enabling the audience members to develop independent judgements about media content. Thinking critically about the content we consume is the very essence of media literacy. 2. Understanding of the process of mass communication. 3. An awareness of the impact of media on the individual and society. 4. Strategies for analyzing and discussing media messages. 5. An understanding of media content as a text that provides insight into our culture and our lives. 6. The ability to enjoy, understand, and appreciate media content. Five characteristics of traditional mass media organizations: 1. produced by complex organizations (beurocracy and several levels of decisions) 2. oerganizations have multiple gatekeepers (a person or group controlling what informstion gets relreased to the public) 3. large operating expensses 4. exist to make a profit 5. highly competittive gatekeeper: a person or group controlling what informstion gets relreased to the public 5 emerging trends of modern mass media: 1. audience segmentation: media audiences are becoming less mass and more selective. 2. convergence (3 types: corporate (mergers), operational convergence (owners of several media properties in a market combine properties), device convergence) 3. multiple platforms (contents available through several methods or devices) 4. user generated content (web 2.0) 5. mobile media micro-level effects: individul personal level effects (attidues, values, beliefs, behaviours) macro-level effects: cultural/social effects (e.g. violence in media doesnt effect the individual but as a society it makes violence more accepatble) socialization: the ways in which individuals come to adopt the behaviors and values of a

group 6 agents of socialization: 1. parents 2. siblings 3. friends 4. school 5. personal experience 6. mass media cultivation analysis theory: George Gerbner and colleagues, heavy tv watching cultivates perceptions of reality consistent with the reality shown on tv. 2 steps of cultivation method: 1. analyze media content 2. survey viewers mainstreaming: individual differences due to social and cultural differences are diminished among heavy tv watchers. social cognitive theory: they learn from media behaviour then model their behaviour on it agenda setting: media chooses and emphasizes certain topics then the public percieves these topics as being more important stereotype: overgeneralized or oversimplified mental representations of social groups, 4 theories: 1. intergroup contact: contact hypothesis, positive contact leads to positive stereotypes and negative contact to negative stereotypes 2. limited contact: media steps in to fill the information void leading to building the stereotype 3. cultivation theory 4. social cognitive theory: stereotypes are learned in the media perceived realism: the extent to which media portrayal is perceived to be real dissonance theory: when you receive conflicting information you become mentally uncomfortable selective exposure: we expose ourselves to messages consistent with our preexisting attitudes and beliefs 5 core elements categorizing newsworthy events: 1. timeliness 2. proximity (physical and psychological proximity) 3. prominence (importance of a person is proportional to importance of a news source) 4. consequence (events that effect many people have builtiin news value) 5. human interest

hard news: 1-4 soft news: 5 (human interest) investigative reports: unearth significant information of public importance, unroutine info and gathering methods, uses lots of time and money 3 events in 50s shaped tv industry: quiz show: change from sponsoring hour ong programs to spot commercials Lucy: change of production from NY to Hollywood, pretaping shows (lead to reruns and syndication) mccarthyism: introduction of investigative exposes, role of broadcasting networks: the linking of affiliates (see my notes), deliver and sell users to advertisers advertising: any form of nonpersonal or promotional presentation of goods or services sponsored by a provider 3 ways to categorize advertising: 1. target audience 2. geographical focus 3. purpose (primary/selective demand, direct/indirect action) consumer advertising: directed to people who buy products or services for personal benefit business to business advertising: directed to people who buy products/services for business use primary demand ad: promotion of a product category rather than specific brand (like milk) selective demand ad: individual company to sell its particular brand direct action ad: usually contains a toll-free number, coupon email, web address or some similar device to enable the advertiser to see results quickly indirect action ad: works over the long run to build a companys image and increase consumer awareness target audience: the specific segment of the population for whom the product or service has a definite appeal perceived credibility is perceived expertise and trustworthiness Retail Advertiser: or local advertiser. They have customers in only one city or trading area. Want to attract customers to specific store or place of biz.

advertising agency: is an independent business organization composed of creative people and business people who develop, prepare, and place advertising for sellers seeking to find customers for their goods and services.
Full-service Agency: handles all phases of advertising for clients: plans, creates, produces, and places ads.

media buying agency: specialize in buyinhg radio and tv time then reselling it to advertisers and advertising agencies creative boutiques: specialize in creating ads. Public Relations: 1, work with public opinion, 2, concerned with communications, 3, is a management function Walter Lippmann: Public relations is images people have in their heads. 2 types of publics: 1, internal: people working for the organization. 2, external: hired from outside. 4 main steps in developing PR campign: 1, information gathering: organizational records, public records, surveys, trade journals, etc 2, Planning: Strategic: long-range general goals. Tactical: more specific, ie. what every dept must accomplish 3, communication: how to publicise the message: 1, press releases, 2, brochures, traditional media, 4, social media 4, evaluation: Look back at how effective the campaign was, usnig focus groups and surveys.

6 elements in communications process: 1. two or more communicators 2. one or more messages 3. one or more channels 4. noise/interference 5. feedback 6. setting/context euphemism: a socially accepted word or phrase substituted for an uncomfortable or unacceptable one Proxemics: use of space to communicate 4 stages of listening process:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Attending: choosing to listen Interpreting: interpreting Responding: any discernible reaction Remembering: retention and recall of messages

Fundamental Attribution Error: perceptual bias, overestimating internal forces and underestimating external forces Self Concept: impressions you form about yourself reflected back to you by your interactions with others Breadth: context of communication Depth: The amount of time communicators interact and personal information exchnged Conflict management styles: 1. Coercion: forcing the other person to accept your point of view 2. Persuasion: attempting to get the other person to change his point of view without coercion 3. Collaboration: working togther to reach a consensus, win-win. 4. Compromise: when members in a relationship give up something in order to achieve a resolution, negotiation 5. Accommodation: sacrificing some or all of ones point of view, downplays issues 6. Avoidance: attempt to avoid conflict by remainning silent or leaving the situation Task Avoidance: Excessive socialisation to postpone or forestall working on a group project Group Norms: expecctations established through interaction about how members should behave Explicit Norms: communicated in a direct fashion and often written to emphasize their mportance Implicit Norms: assumed to exist but rarley ofeten discussed Spiral of Silence: If people support my opinions I will speak up, if they do not I will remain silent Self Eficacy: peoples belief in their capabilities to achieve outcomes through the successful execution of behaviours. the more self eficacy the more one believes he can effect the outcomes and change so he will be more outspoken and active. Self eficacy is a major component of Albert Banduras social learning and social cognitive theories. Putnam noted a decline in community involvement. Authoritarian leadership: predominantly autocratic, may or may nnot seek opinions of others but ultimatelythe leader makes all the decisions

Laissez-faire Leadership: non-directive, hands-off Democratic Leadership: allows members toparticipate fully in the decision making process. Communication Networks: patternsof relationships throughwhich information flows Formal Communication: messages that follow channels of communication through organizations Downward Communication: messsaging from superiors to subordinates Upward Communication: communication from subordinates to superiors Horizontal Communication: between membersof equal power Attitude: the tendency to respond favourably or unfavourabluy to something Belief: something that has been acceptedas true or false althoughit hasnt been or cant be proved Value; a deeply held concept about what is good, right, andimportant with regard to conduct and existence Ethos: establishing credibility, identitifying with your audience, showing goodwill (empathising), (credibbility - increasing attractiveness) Pathos: appeal to emotions (positiveor negative) Logos: logical appeal, providing god argumentsand solid evidence Perceived Credibility: peope are more likely to beliveve message f the source is seen as credible 1. Perceived expertise 2. trustworthiness