Real Communication An Introduction

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rEAl rEfErENCE A Study Tool

Define mass and mediated communication:

c Mediated communication occurs when there is

some technology that is used to deliver messages;

when it occurs on a very broad scale, we refer to it

as mass communication (pp. 532–533).

c Media convergence means the blurred distinc-

tions between traditional and digital media forms,

and we often engage in media multitasking, us-

ing more than one media type at the the same time

(p. 533).

Describe how the business of media and the prin-

ciple of free speech shape the kinds of media content

you encounter:

c Most media are businesses that must attract audi-

ences and advertising dollars to remain profitable.

Exponentiality means that relatively few items

bring in most of the income (p. 535).

c Media often cater to low culture in order to at-

tract broad audiences, but they have also found

success in programs with narrative complexity.

They target niche audiences through narrowcasting

(pp. 535–536).

c Media producers minimize risk by conducting

extensive audience research and engaging in self-

censorship, as well as by relying on proven formu-

las for success (pp. 537–538).

c The courts have allowed some restrictions on First

Amendment freedoms when it comes to broad-

casting (there are limitations on broadcasting

indecency, for example) (pp. 539–541).

c Like all forms of communication, mass communica-

tion can be biased. Framing refers to the particular

ways that issues are presented in the news (p. 542).

Provide two explanations for the effects of mass media:

c The uses and gratifications perspective argues

that we make media choices in order to satisfy

our needs and goals. The expectation that media

can satisfy all these needs can lead to media

dependence (pp. 542–543).

c We often make media choices in order to reinforce

our existing attitudes and tend to think that media

messages have more of an effect on others than

they do on us, a phenomena known as the third

person effect (p. 544).

Articulate how media exert influence on your atti-

tudes and behaviors:

c Social cognitive theory argues that we learn

behavior by watching how media models behave

(p. 544).

c In cultivation theory, a steady, long-term diet

of TV viewing can distort our perceptions of the

world (p. 545).

c News coverage can have an agenda-setting effect—

we tend to judge the importance of issues by the

amount of new coverage they get (pp. 545–546).

Describe how the convergence of media technolo-

gies can enhance or hinder your participation in the

social and political process:

c A benefit of converging media is that traditional

media no longer serve as the sole gatekeeper for

information and creative content (p. 546).

c Media connections allow marginalized or geo-

graphically dispersed groups to build social

capital—valuable resources like information and

support that come from having connections and

relationships among people (pp. 547–548).

c Modern media also empower individuals to be-

come citizen journalists and to create other kinds

of user-generated content, fostering greater com-

petition in the marketplace of ideas (p. 548).

c Digital disparities persist between those who

have media access (and use it) and those who do

not (p. 549).

c neffective participation in the digital world can be I

the result of information overload. A failure to

think critically about media also hinders participa-

tion (p. 549).

Practice five skills for becoming a more mindful and

media literate consumer (pp. 550–552):

c Monitor your media use and exposure

c Consider the source of media messages

c Be aware of media effects

c Understand the grammar of media

c Actively evaluate media messages

Now that you have finished reading this Appendix, you can

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