© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois 2015

Mass media, Technology and Cultural Change Chapter 12

Learning objectives At the end of this chapter, you should be able to: Describe the impact of globalization on mass media. Explain how mass media shape our thinking, doing, identities and communication Understand the influence of mass media on cultural change Identify skills in understanding media and culture

The world of mass media Mass media affect almost all aspects of our everyday life, shaping our thinking, doing and being from an individual to a cultural level. Global interconnectivity means we must now also consider these factors in a global context. Globalized media connectivity has the potential to either extend or inhibit intercultural understanding and connections.

Globalization, technology and mass media The mass media is just one of the many interconnected dimensions experiencing rapid change as a result of globalization.

Globalizing the media It is impossible to adequately consider the globalized mass media without an awareness of: Political economy of mass media – what is the role of state and economic power in the mass media? How do issues of privatization, concentration, commercialization and deregulation affect the media-society relationship?

Cultural studies Cultural studies scholars are interested in the role culture plays in both preserving and transforming social relations. Cultural studies scholars tend to focus on those popular (media) cultural forms that are not traditionally studied in academic settings (e.g. popular TV shows, rap music, and romance novels).

Internet technology and alternative media Internet technology has created another type of ‘hybrid’ media, called alternative media or blogging, to provide space for online users to make their voices heard and to make mass communication interactive. It is believed that alternative media are increasingly removing journalism from professionals employed by commercial organizations. Do you see any problems with alternative media? What are they? How do you think they can be best resolved?

Internet technology and social media Networked interactive digital platforms that enable the formation of social groups connected by patterns of two-way communication either one-to-one or one-to-many. Cyber-bullying usually refers to sending bullying messages to the victim by using communication technologies such as the Internet and mobile phones. What measures can we take to resolve the problem of cybebullying?

Media and symbolic social reality Lippmann (1922) made the crucial distinction between: Objective reality – the outside world of actual events. Social reality – our mediated knowledge of those events. The media play a key role in the construction of our social reality. We must therefore consider the potential impact upon our perception of: Agenda setting. Media effects.

Research on media effects: audience analysis How do people use the media? What influences this? Uses and Gratifications theory – asks how people use the media, how they perceive and what they gain from their interaction with media forms. Preferred readings – examines the meaning that an individual gains from a text and the factors that contribute to their particular reading. Media use in creating migrant cultural identity – examines the ways in which migrants typically make use of technology, such as to maintain home ties or to create new identity in host country.

Research on media effects: perception of reality How is our social reality mediated? Magic bullet theory – media directly affects a passive audience Two-step flow theory – Media messages are received and interpreted by opinion leaders in society who then disseminate to the remainder of society. Multi-step flow theory - Media messages are received and interpreted by a series of opinion leaders in society who then disseminate to the remainder of society Cultivation theory – the media influences people’s worldview, e.g. If someone is exposed to large amounts of television violence, they are more likely to perceive the world as threatening and violent.

Magic Bullet Theory Mass Media Message/ influence Audience

Two-Step Flow Model Mass Media Audience Opinion leaders Message/ influence Opinion leaders Opinion Leaders Opinion Leaders Interpreted Message/ influence Interpreted Message/ influence Interpreted Message/ influence Audience

Research on media effects: agenda setting Pseudo environment – we respond not real events but to a pseudo environment created by the media. Agenda setting theory and the CNN effect – the media influences which issues we perceive as significant and public policy responses to them.

Research on media effects: identity construction ‘Imagined communities’ – the media has long played a significant role in the development of identity at a national and cultural level. Often the very act of interacting with the mass media is seen as a means of affirming a national identity, e.g. all citizens receiving information about the same issues at the same time. How might these ‘imagined communities be affected by globalization?

Mass media and cultural change Media create awareness – by drawing our attention to particular issues, the mass media influences the way we respond to them. Media set agendas – by focusing on certain issues, people and phenomena over others, the media influences what we perceive as important in the word today and how that is reflected in policy. Media promote stereotypes – we rely on the media to ‘fill in the gaps’; to inform us of peoples and cultures with whom we have no personal contact or experience. Media accelerate change – focusing on particular issues creates a climate of awareness in which change can take place.

Mass media and intercultural communication Be conscious of ways in which the media may have affected your perceptions of a particular group. Use media as a tool for understanding what is important in other cultures. Broaden your background knowledge – as global citizens and students of media and communication, we need a broad general knowledge of cultures other than our own. Learn about different cultures. If you do not share the cultures of the society whose news you report, then that society will not see itself reflected accurately in the news.

Source: Retrieved March 18, 2009 http://english.ohmynews.com/index.asp Case Study: OhmyNews Source: Retrieved March 18, 2009 http://english.ohmynews.com/index.asp

Questions to think about… What issues do you think dominate the public agenda at present? Do you think these are the result of media agenda setting? Why or why not?