MDST*2020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ethnocentrism, Racialization, Individualism
Week 2: The Study of Media/Newsgathering and Journalistic Practices
Economics of Media
-Mass Media is set up to make money
-Capital and labour intensive
-Can sell a product to mass audiences
-Can make money through advertisements
-Challenge of Demassification
Mass Media
-Definition: Vehicles that carry messages; Creates and produces content to sell to
audiences or to earn income from advertisers
-How It Is Changing
• Traditional Mass Media -
• New Mass Media -
• Interactive Mass Media -
What the Media Does
-Provides us with information and news
-Representation or a mirror onto ourselves
-Contributes to our socialization
-Guardian of democracy/defender of public interest
-Provides a stabilizing influence on society
-Helps us make informed choices
-Allows public to be heard on issues
- Foster debate and contributes to public opinion
-What do you think the role of media is in our democratic society?
Popular Perceptions
-Overly romantic notions of media and democracy
-Relationship between democracy and media described as ‘social contract’
-Democracy requires way for information to flow
-Media needs independence
-What can we expect from the media in our society? What should we expect from
media?
“Without journalism there is no democracy, but without democracy there is no
journalism either.”--- James Carey
Media and Democracy in the Free Market
-Media can provide conduit between state and citizens
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Week 2: the study of media/newsgathering and journalistic practices. Mass media is set up to make money. Can sell a product to mass audiences. Definition: vehicles that carry messages; creates and produces content to sell to audiences or to earn income from advertisers. How it is changing: traditional mass media , new mass media , interactive mass media - Allows public to be heard on issues. Overly romantic notions of media and democracy. Relationship between democracy and media described as social contract". Democracy requires way for information to flow. Without journalism there is no democracy, but without democracy there is no journalism either. --- james carey. Media can provide conduit between state and citizens. Free market changes the kind of information that circulates. Media not as concerned with public affairs. Assumes government is only seat of power and oppression. Time to reconsider and perhaps revise perception that media is watchdog.
