Mass Media Communication

Montana TechTC 2146

Living in a Media World

Resource Manual:Ralph E. Hanson’sMass Communication: Living in a Media World

Michael Jackson Case Study• Reinforces the fact that we do not need to

rely entirely on conventional media to engage in various levels of media communication.

• News of Jackson’s death was first reported by TMZ.com. (see page 3-4)

What is Communication?Communication is “social interaction

through messages.” (George Gerber)Communication is how we socially interact

at a number of levels through messages.Importantly, communication is a PROCESS

not a static thing.

Types of Communication• Intrapersonal Communication:

Communication you have with yourself• Interpersonal Communication:

Communication between two people• Group Communication:

Communication where one person is communicating with an audience of two or more people

• Mass Communication

What is Mass Communication?• When an individual or institution uses

technology:– To send messages– To a large, mixed audience, separated by

space and possibly time -- most of whose members are not known to the sender.

Feedback• Traditionally mass communication has

allowed only limited feedback but opportunity is growing rapidly. Examples?

• Mix of Levels. Can you think of where levels can cross over?

Players in Mass Communication

• Sender The corporation or individual responsible for the message being sent.

• Message The content being transmitted by the sender to the receiver.

• Channel The medium used to transmit the message.

• Receiver The audience for the mass communication message.

Mass Communication Models– Transmission Model (SMCR)

A dated model useful for identifying players in the mass communication process.

– Ritual ModelMedia use is an interactive ritual by audience members. Looks at how and why audiences consume messages.

Mass Communication Models– Publicity Model

Looks at how media attention makes a person, concept, or thing important.

– Reception ModelLooks at how audience members derive and create meaning out of media content.

Evolution of the Media World• 1100-1400 AD: Pre-mass media

communication networks• 1450s: Development of movable type,

printing• 1814: Steam-powered printing press• 1844: First U.S. telegraph line• 1866: First trans-Atlantic telegraph line

Evolution of the Media World• 1880s: Invention of the gramophone• Late 1800s: Development of radio • 1890s: Development of motion pictures• 1939: First television broadcasts• 1990s: Internet becomes a channel of

mass communication

Media LiteracyAudience members’ understanding of:• The media industry’s operation• The messages delivered by the media• The roles media play in society• How audience members respond to

these media and their messages

Basic Dimensions of Media Literacy• Cognitive Dimension

Ability to intellectually process information communicated by the media.

• Emotional DimensionUnderstanding the feelings created by media messages.

Basic Dimensions of Media Literacy

• Aesthetic DimensionInterpreting media content from an artistic or critical point of view.

• Moral DimensionUnderstanding the values of the medium or the message.

Seven Truths “They” Don’t Want You To Know About the Media

• Truth One: The media are essential components of our lives.

• Truth Two: There are no mainstream media (MSM).

• Truth Three: Everything from the margin moves to the center.

• Truth Four: Nothing’s new: Everything that happened in the past will happen again.

Seven Truths “They” Don’t Want You To Know About the Media

• Truth Five: New media are always scary.• Truth Six: Activism and analysis are not

the same thing.• Truth Seven: There is no “they.”