Real Communication An Introduction

532

ost of us, like Abigail and her family, spend a great deal of time with

these interconnecting media technologies, often using two or more

simultaneously (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010; Voorveld & van der Goot,

2013). In this chapter, we look at mass and mediated communication and dis-

cuss the blurred lines between the two. We explore the forces that shape how

media messages are made, such as the economics of the media industries and the

attempts at government influence, and we discuss the potential effects that media

have on us as audience members. Finally, we examine the benefits and difficul-

ties that the ever expanding array of media technologies presents for American

society, as well as what we can do to cope effectively with our media experience.

The Nature of Media

Although we may talk about “the media” all the time, media are not actually

one unified entity. They take many different forms and have many different uses

and effects, as we see with Abigail and her family. Some media communicate

messages very broadly (such as television), whereas others have more narrowly

targeted audiences (ranging from special-interest magazines all the way down to

Twitter updates targeting a specific list of followers). But different media also

have several qualities in common that distinguish them from face-to-face com-

munication, such as interpersonal or small group interaction.

Defining Mass and Mediated Communication

As we learned in Chapter 1 and have discussed throughout this book, mediated

communication occurs when there is some technology that is used to deliver

messages between sources and receivers. Media may be print (such as newspapers

or magazines) or electronic (such as television, radio, or the Internet). But just

having our messages mediated does not make communication “mass,” as we use

many forms of media (phone, e-mail, Facebook, blogs) to communicate in inter-

personal, small group, organizational, public, and intercultural contexts. When

mediated communication occurs on a very broad scale, we refer to it as mass

communication. Before the advent of the Internet and social networking, mass

communication was characterized by several factors:

c First, the types of media that we considered to be mass media had

extremely large audiences, typically described in millions (of viewers,

readers, listeners, and so on).

c Second, the sources of messages tended to be professional communicators.

These were people whose livelihoods depended on the success of communication—

publishers, actors, writers, reporters, advertising executives, or even the

guard at the studio gate.

c Third, traditional mass media outlets had less interactivity and opportunity

for feedback than other forms of communication, which made it more dif-

ficult for sources to know their audience.

After you have finished

reading this Appendix,

you will be able to

Define mass and

mediated communication

Describe how the

business of media and

the principle of free

speech shape the kinds

of media content you

encounter

Provide two explanations

for the effects of mass

media

Articulate how media

exert influence on your

attitudes and behaviors

Describe how the

convergence of media

technologies can

enhance or hinder your

participation in the social

and political process

Practice five skills for

becoming a more

mindful and media

literate consumer

chapter

outcomes

532

M

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