(Sept. 20)
• Read Folkerts: Review pp. 18-21 in Ch. 1 “Use & Functions of Media in the Marketplace” and p. 393 through “Ideology” on p. 414.
• Blog: Read “Mass Communication Theories” at this URL.
• Blogtalk: Weekly comment on the readings, the WORD, or events about the mass media or the press.
• Quiz
I liked the Mass Communication Theories, they make a lot of sense. Thank you for the enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteThe Agenda setting and Gate keeping theories concern me the most when it comes to controlling the type of information we see and hear. The more research you do on who actually owns what ie. newspapers, news channels etc... the more you find out that the same big corporations are buying up these outlets therefore they have a lot of control over what we see and hear. Also another point I ponder is the effect this has on political power. One of the fundamental aspects of any political system has been the control over the information. Revert back to the Jackson era where there was little information outlets out there. Now with tv and internet in almost every household there are a lot more outlets for information. more information outlets=more political power to be bought right?
ReplyDeleteSheesh it's not posting my name, lol
ReplyDeleteCassie Gunnell
The most disturbing part of all the mass theories is the power laid in the hands of Americas media leaders. Oath or no oath a man or women is at all times entitled to believe however he or she chooses. Thus by gatekeeping and in some cases agenda setting biased media is presented whether it be to the right or the left. Americas information is left at the descrection of those whom present the information.
ReplyDeleteI understand James' concern, but remember that this has always been true: Ooog the caveman recorded HIS version of the mammoth hunt (maybe he expanded his heroism?); colonial printers included the government line, mostly, because the government licensed them, etc.... An old aadage is not to pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel--meaning that the person who controls the communication channels is hard to beat (which also is why insurgents in civil conflicts first seize control of radio/TV stations and shut down telecommunications links).
ReplyDeleteSo while we should be aware that media channels don't include ALL THE NEWS THAT'S FIT TO PRINT, and that all gatekeepers are selective in what they run (remember that a half-hour TV newscast contains only about 2/3 of the words that could run on one page of a newspaper--a small hole), if we can find credible sources of information, and if we confirm the news from other sources, we can eventually figure out what's real.
This is why the media literacy skills we start exploring in this class and continue in JCOM 2010 are such important survival skills in the information age.
Thus endeth the sermon (this time!).
TP
If America has turned lazy, then isn't it almost impossible to get the truth? The only way to find out the truth is to be your own investigator and do research to get your information. That would take up a lot of time considering the work schedules of most of us. I think that's why people have just stopped trying, it's a lot easier to just take information for face value than to dig deep and find the real meaning. I just wonder what we have to do or go through in order to get people motivated again. If we all are followers, we're bound to be susceptible to a disaster.
ReplyDeleteChelsea Ebeling
I have tried to get a link to a page in Key Mass Communication Theories
ReplyDeleteThe link to Project Censored the stories that fall in the “woods” without a sound, and did not reach the public agenda/consciousness
This is all it says about that page "Sorry, the page you were looking for has either been deleted or moved."
Would you have another link to that page?
ReplyDelete