MEDIA FINAL
What are the connections between so-called neutral journalism and economics?
"If you're going to be a mass circulation journal, that means you're going to be talking simultaneously to lots of groups that have opposing views. So you've got to modulate your voice and pretend to be talking to all of them"
In what ways is conventional news like public relations?
Conventional news is like public relations because it tries hard to not cause conflict so it paints everything as good, thus created a public image that pleases producers and seems good to consumers.
How are the three basic structures of mass media organizations -- monopoly, oligopoly, and limited competition -- different from one another?
-monopoly: when one firm controls a whole industry -oligarchy: just a few firms control an industry -limited competition: when there are a lot of producers but not a lot of categories of a particular product
What contributions did Ivy Lee make toward the development of modern PR?
He viewed facts as being elusive and malleable, begging to be forged and shaped. He also had the idea that by improving the press's view, improves the way people see you. Believed in an open relationship between business and the press.
When did the internet reach the novelty (development), entrepreneurial, and mass medium stages?
Novelty - 1960's Entrepreneurial - 1970's (introduction of microprocessors (small, powerful, cheap), which also lead to development of PC's Mass Medium - 1993 (beginning of web browsers, World Wide Web, HTML hypertext markup language)
What are the differences between off-network and first-run syndication?
Off-Network Syndication- older programs that no longer run during network prime time are made available for reruns to local stations, cable operators, etc. First-Run Syndication- any program specifically produced for sale into syndication markets. ex) talk shows
What are the major reasons for the decline in U.S. circulation figures? How do these figures compare with circulations in other nations?
Rise of radio, network television, and the internet. While the US is experiences decreased readership, other nations are seeing an increase.
What is the significance of Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934?
SECTION 315: mandates that during elections, broadcast stations must provide equal opportunities and response time for qualified political candidates. Broadcasters claim that because no similar rule applies to newspapers or magazines, the law violates their first amendment right to control content. Supporters of the equal opportunity law argue that it has provided forums for lesser known candidates with less funding
What elements of today's digital world are part of the semantic web?
Semantic web is basically organizes the current web into meaningful categories. family, friends, calendars, mutual interests. Better enables people and computers to work in cooperation with one another
What were Lee DE FOREST'S contributions to radio?
Set up the Wireless Telephone Company to compete with American Marconi De Forest was interested in wireless voice and music transmissions (wireless telephony), eventually known as radio Developed Audion, which detected radio signals and then amplified them His improvements greatly increased listener's ability to hear dots and dashes and, later, speech and music on a receiver set His modifications were essential to the development of voice transmission, long-distance radio, and television Wireless medium moved from a point-to-point communication (wireless operator to wireless operator) toward a one-to-many communication tool
With regard to TV news, what are sound bites and happy talk?
Sound Bites: the TV equivalent of a quote in print news, a sound bite is the part of a broadcast news report in which an expert, a celebrity, a victim, or a person-in-the-street responds to some aspect of an event or issue Happy Talk: the ad-libbed or scripted banter that goes on among local news anchors, reporters, meteorologists, and sports reporters before and after news reports. This chatter is meant to create a more relaxed feeling on the news set to foster the illusion of conversational intimacy with viewers
What are the various ways in which major movie studios make money from the film business?
Studios make money on movies from six major sources: 1- studios get a portion of the theatre box-office revenue 2- DVD sale and rentals, digital downloads and streaming 3- pay-per-view, premium cable, syndicated TV market 4- distributing films in foreign markets 5- distribute work of independent producers and filmmakers, who hire the studios to gain wider circulation 6- merchandise licensing and product placements in movies
How has censorship been defined historically?
Supreme court decisions have defined censorship as PRIOR RESTRAINT: courts and governments cannot block any publication or speech before it actually occurs, on the principle that a law has not been broken until an illegal act has been committed.
How did the Telecommunications Act of 1996 change the economic shape and future of the television and cable industries?
Telecommunications Act of 1996- brought cable fully under the federal rules that had long governed telephone, radio, and TV industries allowed regional phone companies, long-distance carriers, and cable companies to enter one another's markets
What issues are at stake when First Amendment and Sixth Amendment concerns clash?
They go after each other, because one can't really happen with the other. People want a speedy, fair trial, but also want their freedom of speech to remain intact. There are gag rules in place to keep reporters from asking questions, and there are shield laws to protect the press. Cameras in the courtroom are another large concern
How did railroads and utility companies give the early forms of corporate public relations a bad name?
They paid for favorable news stories, bribed reporters with free rail passes for good press, etc. The PR company's success actually led to the decline of the railroads: Artificially maintained higher rates and burdensome gov't regulations forced smaller firms out of business and eventually drove many customers to other modes of transportation.
What did people like P.T. Barnum and Buffalo Bill Cody contribute to the development of modern public relations in the 20th century?
They shaped many of the lasting myths about rugged American individualism and frontier expression. They were also one of the first to use publicity—a type of PR communication that uses various media messages to spread information about a person, corporation, issue, or policy—to elevate entertainment culture to an international level.
Why did Thomas Edison and the patents Trust fail to shape and control the film industry, and why did Adolph Zukor of Paramount succeed?
Thomas Edison formed the Patents Company known as the Trust. They controlled a great amount of the movie industry. In order for them to fund any production, the production had to meet a list of requirements. Some producers refused to comply with the terms. Adolph Zukor and Fox found out ways to bypass the terms. They then worked at dominating the movie industry at a deeper level than just monopolizing patents and technology. They worked at the production (everything involved in making the movie), distribution (getting the films into theaters), and exhibition (playing films in theaters). This type of control was referred to as vertical integration (control of all levels of the movie industry) and turned the film industry into an oligopoly (a situation in which a few firms control the bulk of business). Zukor succeeded because he planned to control all levels of production, instead of just technology.
What was Guglielmo MARCONI's role in the development of the wireless?
Understood that developing a way to send high-speed messages over great distances would transform communication, the military, and commercial shipping Tried to make wireless technology practical Received patent on wireless telegraphy (a form of voiceless point-to-point communication), wireless Morse code signals Formed the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company and began installing wireless technology on British naval and private commercial ships Often cited as the "father of radio"
How did newspapers emerge as a mass medium during the penny press era? How did content changes make this happen?
Using cheaper, machine made paper lowered the cost of newspapers. The middle class was growing and becoming literate which set the stage for a more popular and inclusive press. The introduction of human interest stories- focused on ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges.
How does the World Wide Web work? Why is it significant in the development of the Internet?
WWW provides a link to data no matter where you are. HTML - all computers can read the same hyperlink even with different operating systems (windows vs mac) This allows easy communication, and information to be easily organized and used in a non-linear manner. Lead to browsers
What companies control the bulk of worldwide music production and distribution?
Warner Music Group Sony Music Entertainment Universal Music Group (BIGGEST SHARE) Independents
Who are the major parties who receive profits when a digital download, music stream, or physical CD is sold?
Wholesale - Walmart, Best Buy combined 18% Party? - Music label gets majority of profit, then the retailer, then artist, then songwriter.
How are MMORPGs, Virtual Worlds, and online fantasy sports built around online social interaction?
You compete against each other while socially interacting online
Explain the various models of the news media that exist under different political systems?
a) Authoritarian model- advocates that the general public needs guidance from the elite, educated ruling class. Government criticism and public dissent are not tolerated. News controlled by public enterprise. b) Communist or state model- the press is controlled by the government because state leaders believe that the press should serve the goals of the state...ideas that challenge basic government policy are not allowed c) Social responsibility model- Mass media had become too powerful and needed to be more socially responsible. Press functions as a fourth estate (unofficial branch of government that monitors the other branches). Press supplies info to citizens so they can make informed decisions. d) Libertarian model- Encourages vigorous government criticism and supports the highest degree of individual and press freedoms. No restrictions on mass media or individual speech.
What role did advertising play in transforming America into a consumer society?
by stimulating demand for new products, advertising helped manufacturers create new markets and recover product start- up costs quickly.
Why were books particularly important to women readers during the early periods of American history?
- just starting to gain social identity as individuals
Why did most of the earliest magazines have so much trouble staying financially solvent?
-Circulation and postal obstacles that Franklin put in the magazines way
What are the four main departments at a typical consumer magazine?
- Production and Technology - Editorial content - Advertising and Sales - Circulation and Distribution
What are the major criticisms of the public journalism movement, and why do the mainstream national media have concerns about public journalism?
- Public journalism panders to what readers wanted, and taking editorial control away from newsrooms -Critics worried that public journalism compromised the profession's credibility, which many believe derives from detachment -It turned reporters into participants rather than observers -It undermined the both-sides-of-a-story convention by constantly seeking common ground and community consensus -It does not address the changing economic structure of the news business Loss of editorial control, credibility, balance, and diverse views
Why was the development of the telegraph important in media history? What were some of the disadvantages of telegraph technology?
- The telegraph was the precursor of radio technology (invented in 1840s) - It sent electrical impulses through a cable from a transmitter to a reception point, transmitting Morse code (a series of dots and dashes that stood for letters in the alphabet) - Telegraph operators transmitted news and messages by interrupting the electrical current along a wire cable - Telegraph lines ran coast to coast and there was a transatlantic cable DISADVANTAGES - While it dispatched complicated language codes, it was unable to transmit the human voice - Ships at sea still had no contact with the rest of the world -- as a result, navies could not find out that wars had ceased on land and often continued fighting for months - Commercial shipping interests also lacked an efficient way to coordinate and relay information from land and between ships - Needed a telegraph without wires
What are the major magazine chains, and what is their impact on the mass media industry in general?
- Time Warner, Rodale Press, the Meredith Corporation, the Hearst Corporation, Conde Nast, Paris-based Hachette Filipacchi, and New York City-based PRIMEDIA. - In general, their impact on the mass media industry is limited b/c most American magazines are local, regional, or specialized and therefore less exportable than this country's movies and tv.
Why did anthology drama fade as a network programming staple?
- advertisers disliked anthologies b/c often presented stories containing simplex human problems that were not easily resolved - change in audience; affording it - expensive to produce - ones that dealt w/ changing social landscape were sometimes labeled "politically controversial"
Why have reporters become so dependent on experts?
-reporters use experts to create narrative conflict by pitting a series of quotes against one another, or on occasion use experts to support a particular position -the use of experts enable journalists to distance themselves from daily experience; they are able to attribute the responsibility for the events or issues reported in a story to those who are quoted
What is the significance of the Radio Act of 1927 and the Federal Communications Act of 1934?
1927: The act establish the Federal Radio Commission (FRC); with authority to limit the encumber of broadcasters, assign frequencies, and revoke licenses of broadcasters who did not comply. The standard is still in effect today. 1934:The FRC became the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with authority over the interstate telephone, telegraphy, and radio communication. As of spring 2015, possibly the Internet as well.
What were the major technical standards established for television in the 1940s? What happened to analog television?
1941- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an analog standard (based on radio waves) for all US TV sets 2009- Analog was replaced with digital signals. Digital translates TV images and sounds into binary codes and allow for increased channel capacity and improved image and sound quality.
What is the legal significance of the Falwell vs. Flynt case?
1983, Flynt, publisher of Hustler magazine, published a spoof ad depicting conservative minister and political activist Falwell as a drunk and as having had sexual relations with his mother. In fine print at the bottom of the page, a disclaimer read: "Ad parody, not to be taken seriously." Falwell sued for libel; jury rejected the libel suit but found Flynt had intentionally caused Falwell emotional distress awarding Falwell some money -the case drew enormous media attention the magazine was entitled to constitutional protection. Congress suggested that even though parodies and insults of public figures might indeed cause emotional pain, denying the right to publish them and awarding damages for emotional reasons would violate the spirit of the First Amendment libel laws also protect satire, comedy, and opinions expressed in reviews of books, plays, movies, and restaurants. Such laws may not, however, protect malicious statements in which plaintiffs can prove that defendants used their free-speech rights to mount a damaging personal attack
How did the radio networks develop? What were the contributions of David Sarnoff and William Paley to network radio? What were the contributions of David Sarnoff and William Paley to network radio?
A broadcast network is a group of interconnected stations that share programming and a parent company that supplies programming to stations. The first radio network was born in 1923 when AT&T connected its New York and Boston stations. David Sarnoff: worked for Marconi, became president of RCA, in 1926 he formed the first 2 national radio networks(NBC Red and NBC Blue) William S. Paley: In 1927 Paley bought money losing Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) from Columbia Record System. By end of WWII, CBS was the acknowledged leader in radio news.
Describe the map model of culture. What are its strengths and limitations?
A map model depicts culture in a more complex way, spreading in more directions. Culture phenomena - such as the stories we read in books or watch at the movies - offer places to go that are conventional, recognizable, stable, and comforting. Our culture's storehouse of stories may tend toward the innovative, unfamiliar, unstable, and challenging.
What is a pseudo-event? How does it relate to the manufacturing of news?
A pseudo-event is when circumstances or events are created solely for the purpose of obtaining coverage in the media. It's a staged activity aimed at drawing public attention and media coverage. This relates back to the manufacturing of news by creating easier subjects to report, but creates a fake feeling. People stage pseudo-events to take advantage of TV's appetite for live remote feeds and breaking news.
Explain the linear model of mass communication and its limitations.
According to the linear model, mass communication is a component system, made up of senders (the authors, producers, and organizations) who transmit messages (the programs, texts, images, sounds, and ads). Although the linear model explains certain aspects of the communication process, media messages do not usually flow smoothly from a sender at point A to a receiver at point Z.
What are the major divisions at most ad agencies? What is the function of each department?
Account Planning: develop and effective advertising strategy by combining the views of the client, the creative team, and consumers Creative Development: outlines the rough sketches for print and outline ads and then develops the words and graphics Media Coordination: staffed by media clients and buyers who choose the types of media that are best suited to carry a clients ads, reach the target audience, and measure the effectiveness of those ad placements Account Management: responsible for brining in new business and managing the accounts of established clients
What are the general divisions within a typical publishing house?
Acquisitions and development; copyediting, design, and production; marketing and sales; and administration and business
When and why did general interest magazines become so popular?
After the war and through the mid 1950's, because they covered a wide variety of topics
What are some socially responsible strategies that a PR specialist can use during a crisis to help a client manage unfavorable publicity?
Always a quick response with a public apology. Track public opinion nightly through telephone surveys and organized satellite press conferences to debrief the news media. Full discloser to the media and the immediate recall of any product.
Why have Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft emerged as the leading corporations of the digital era?
Amazon: has shifted from delivering psychical products to distributing digital products Apple: has hand in every media industry Facebook: central to communication and social media Google: translates its huge numbers of users into an advertising business Microsoft: competing in the digital wold with things like Bing search engine and its new tablet
Why did magazines develop later than newspapers in the American colonies?
America did not have -a substantial middle class -widespread literacy, or -advanced printing technology
Why did objective journalism develop? What are its characteristics? What are its strengths and limitations?
As the consumer marketplace expanded, facts and news became marketable products. More papers sold if newspapers appeared not to take sides. -maintain a neutral attitude toward events or issues -"fact-gathering" -inverted pyramid style -Strengths: efficient way to arrange a timely story, signaled journalisms break from the partisan tradition -Limitations: news come out homogenized, discourages readers from continuing beyond the key details in opening paragraphs
How does the association principle or, and why is it an effective way to analyze advertising?
Association principle: associates a product with a positive cultural value or image even if it has little connection to the product. -makes it easier for consumers to relate with the products being advertised
How did Edward Bernays affect public relations?
Bernays was the first person to apply the findings of psychology and sociology to public relations. He helped PR become a career for women too. Bernays made key contributions to PR education, teaching the first class called public relations. His PR encouraged women to smoke as a symbol of their newly acquired suffrage and independence from men.
What are the 6 main types types of social media?
Blogs Collaborative Projects - Wikipedia Content Communities - Youtube Social Networking Sites -Facebook, Twitter Virtual Game Worlds - World of Worldcraft Virtual Social Worlds - Second Life
What are the three major pay models for selling video games today?
Boxed game retail model - video game premier Subscription model - monthly fee (World of Warcraft) Free to play - Casual online games (Farmville)
How did cable pose a challenge to broadcasting, and how did the FCC respond to cable's early development?
Cable companies offered more channels and better reception Led the FCC to impose must-carry rules- required all cable operators to assign channels to and carry all local TV broadcasts on their systems
What are the main genres within digital gaming?
Casual, Strategy, Sports, Shooter, Role Playing, Racing, Action, Adventure, Children, Family Entertainment, Fighting, Other
Which of the four major digital companies are most aligned with the "open Internet" and which are most aligned with the "closed Internet"?
Closed internet - a corporation can restrict what you see over an internet connection (Facebook?) Open internet - any piece of info on the internet is equal to other pieces of info in the eyes of info producers, consumers, and government. (Google?)
How do collective intelligence, gaming Web sites, and game conventions enhance the social experience of gaming, and make games different from other mass media?
Collective Intelligence - gamers collaborate with each other to show short cuts or cheats to complete tasks Web Sites - Allow users to chat Game Conventions - Draws more than 45,000 professionals, investors, and developers
What are the current ownership patterns in the book industry? How do they affect the kinds of books that are published?
Commercial publishing is dominated by a handful of major corporations with ties to international media conglomerates.
What is the difference between consensus- and conflict-oriented newspapers?
Consensus- promote social and economic harmony in their communities - non-daily papers that carry articles on local schools, social events, town government, zoning issues, etc. -foster a sense of community -downplay discord or problems Conflict- national and metro dailies -front page news usually signifies events, issues, or experiences that deviate from the norm -offer competing perspectives on issues such as education, government, poverty, crime, and the economy -provide both sides of a story in order to generate conflict
Why has the federal government emphasized deregulation at a time when so many media companies are growing so large?
Deregulation led to easier mergers, corporate diversifications, and increased tendencies in some sectors toward oligopolies
How did the sponsorship of network programs change during the 1950s?
Diminished sponsors' role Increased program length, substantially raising program costs for advertisers and discouraging some from sponsoring programs
What was Edwin Armstrong's role in the advancement of radio technology? Why did RCA hamper Armstrong's work?
Edwin Armstrong was the first to discover and develop FM radio. Sarnoff was the president of RCA and he threw considerable weight behind the development of tv despite helping Armstrong set up the first experimental FM radio.
Why are cable companies treated more like electronic publishers than common carriers?
Electronic Publishers- cable operators are able to choose which channels and content to carry Common Carriers- services that do not get involved in content communities could "request" access channels as part of contract negotiations in the franchising process
Why is net neutrality such an important debate?
Every user has the right to same internet network, speed, and access. Major cable and telephone companies want to offer faster connection, to people willing to pay more, but net neutrality says you cannot do that. (Mobile phone companies offer faster data for purchase)
Using Disney as an example, what is the role of synergy in the current climate of media mergers?
For Disney, synergy allows for its product to be everywhere. With the merger of ABC and Disney, Disney movies can be discussed on shows like Goodmoring America, characters can be featured in Disney theme parks, books of the movie can be published through its bought up publishing company
Explain the key features of the digital era and the concept of media convergence.
In digital era, images, texts, and sounds are converted into electronic signals that are then decoded as a precise reproduction of a TV, magazine article, song, etc. Key features are cable TV, Internet, e-mail, and social media like Facebook or Twitter. Media convergence in a term that media critics and analysts use when describing all the changes currently occurring in media content and within media companies. It involves the technological merging of content across different media channels.
What political and cultural forces changed the Hollywood system in the 1950s?
In the unfolding of the Cold War and, Congress began investigating Hollywood for communist ties. The House of Un-American Committee (HUAC) led to the Hollywood Ten hearings. HUAC told the film industry to provide any names of people that may be tied to the communist party. Eventually, HUAC subpoenaed ten unwilling witnesses about their ties to the communist party. They were sent to jail. Also, the government increased its scrutiny of the movie industries aggressive business practices. It was said that ventrical integration had to be ended. The Paramount decision was then made (forced the 5 big companies that ruled the movie industry to start giving up theaters). However, the Paramount decision did not change the oligopoly of Hollywood. It failed to increase distribution but did help with the exhibition aspect of things. For example, art museums, exhibitions, drive-ins etc.
What are the two basic kinds of virtual communities?
Inside the game - virtual communities Outside the game - websites or face to face gatherings
How does vertical integration work in the film business?
It involves dominating all levels of the movie business-production, distribution, and exhibition- and gave studios great power, eventually creating an oligopoly.
Why did Hollywood end up as the center of film production?
It offered cheap labor, diverse scenery for outdoor shooting, a mild climate suitable for year-round production, and was geographically far from the Trust's headquarters Independent producers in Hollywood could easily slip over the border into Mexico to escape legal prosecution brough by the Trust for patent violations
How did magazines position women in the new consumer economy at the turn of the 20th century?
Magazines began positioning women as a growing and lucrative market that they could dive into, such as Ladies Home Journal
What distinguishes the manuscript culture of the Middle Ages from the oral and print eras in communication?
Manuscript Culture- a period in which books were painstakingly lettered, decorated, and bound by hand Oral- information was passed down through tradition and stories, but things were often lost and forgotten Print- led to the mass proliferation of books
What moral and cultural boundaries were blurred by rock and roll in the 1950s?
Many people did not appreciate the blurred boundaries between God and sexuality portrayed through Rock 'n' Roll music
How do global and specialized markets factor into the new media economy? How are regular workers effected?
Many regular workers are outsourced workers meaning they don't even have the means to purchase or use the product they are producing. The new economic markets of media however revolve around synergy where a company will try and buy up various businesses of a media conglomerate
How do the common persuasive techniques used in advertising work?
Merely create a mood or tell stories about products without revealing much else
Whom did the first ad agents serve?
Newspaper space brokers, who purchased space in newspapers and sold it to various merchants
What is the public domain, and why is it an important element in American culture?
PUBLIC DOMAIN: the end of the copyright period, which gives the public free access to the work The idea was that a period of copyright control would give authors financial incentive to create original works and that the public domain gives others incentive to create derivative works corporate owners have millions of dollars to gain by keeping their properties out of the public domain every innovation in digital culture creates new questions about copyright law and what falls under it
What role did magazines play in social reform at the turn of the 20th century?
Played a huge role in rapid social change, began to talk about topics such as corruption in big business and government, urban problems faced by immigrants, labor conflicts and race relations
What is the relationship between the book and the movie industries?
Publishers attempt to ensure popular success by acquiring the rights to license popular film and television programs. -influential figures, such as Oprah, promote books -the film industry gets many of its story ideas from books, which leads to enormous profit for the book industry and its authors
Why did hip-hop and punk rock emerge as significant musical forms in the late 1970s and 1980s? What do their developments have in common, and how are they different?
Punk rock rose in late 70s to challenge orthodoxy and commercialism of the record business Hip-hop was driven by democratic, nonprofessional spirit and was cheap to produce. Hip-hop required less maintenance (a mic a speaker and a speaker), punk had more instruments and equipment, as long as catchy beats and challenging lyrics. Hip-hop often less political
What are ratings and shares in TV audience measurement?
RATING: in TV audience measurement, a statistical estimate expressed as a percentage of households tuned to a program in the local or national market being sampled SHARE: in TV audience measurement, a statistical estimate of the percentage of homes tuned to a certain program, compared with those simply using their sets at the time of sample television is an industry in which networks, producers, and distributors target, guarantee, and "sell" viewers in blocks to advertisers audience measurement tells advertisers not only how many people are watching but, more important, what kinds of people are watching
Why was the RCA monopoly formed?
Radio Corporation of America Some members of Congress and the corporate community opposed federal legislation that would grant to government or the navy a radio monopoly GE developed a compromise plan that would create a private sector monopoly -- a private company that would have the government's approval to dominate the radio industry The RCA acquired American Marconi and radio patents of other US companies Upon its founding in 1919, RCA had pooled the necessary technology and patents to monopolize the wireless industry and expand American communication technology throughout the world Under RCA's patents pool arrangement, wireless patents from the navy, AT&T, GE, the former American Marconi, and other companies were combined to ensure US control over the manufacture of radio transmitters and receivers RCA administered the pool, collecting patent royalties and distributing them to pool members To protect these profits, the government did not permit RCA to manufacture equipment or to operate radio stations under its own name for several years RCA's initial function was to ensure that radio parts were standardized by manufacturers and to control frequency interference by amateur radio operators, which increasingly became a problem after the war RCA's most significant impact was that it gave the US almost total control over the emerging mass medium of broadcasting At the time, the US was the only country that placed broadcasting under the care of commercial, rather than military or government, interests RCA ensured the global dominance of the US in mass communication
What is the role of data mining in the digital economy? Ethical concerns?
The act of location and consumer habits used to provide specific marketing. Ethical concerns - people get freaked out by companies acquiring their personal info
How did sound recording survive the advent of radio?
They began to cooperate with eachother only after television became popular. Aided enormously by Rock 'n' Roll music. American Society of American Composers, Authors and Publishers collect copyright fees for songs played on the radio between $250-2500 weekly. Jukeboxes became standard entertainment in taverns
What are the key technological breakthroughs that accompanied the transition to the print and electronic eras? Why were these changes significant?
The rise of film at the turn of the twentieth century and the development of radio in the 1920s were early signposts, but the electronic phase of the information age really began in the 1950s and 1960s. The dramatic impact of television on daily life marked the arrival of a new visual and electronic era.
How did film go from the novelty stage to the mass medium stage?
The shift first started with the introduction of narrative films. These started popping up when audiences got bored with the clips of people dancing or waves against the shore. Secondly, nickelodeons (a movie theater who demanded an admission) helped with the shift. They were cheap to make and their silent movies were appealing to the incoming European immigrants who were looking for some kind of entertainment and did not speak English very well. The craze peaked by 1910.
Describe the skyscraper model of culture. What are its strengths and limitations?
The top floors of the building house high culture, such as ballet, the symphony, art museums, and classic literature. The bottom floors - and even the basement - house popular or low culture, including such icons as soap operas, rock music, radio shock jocks, and video games.
What has been the main effect of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 on radio station ownership?
changed the rules concerning ownership of the public airwaves because the FCC eliminated most ownership restrictions on radio -the 1996 act allows individuals and companies to acquire as many radio stations as they want, with relaxed restrictions on the number of stations a single broadcaster may own in the same city: the larger the market or area, the more stations a company may own within that market - fewer and fewer owners control more and more of the airwaves (e.g. Clear Channel, Cumulus, CBS Radio) - as a result of the consolidations permitted by deregulation, in most American cities just a few corporations dominate the radio market
Why is getting a story first important to reporters?
competition: news media competes to be the first to report important developments and because of the battle for newspaper circulation and broadcast ratings. Editors are often reluctant to back away from a story once it starts circulating. journalistic scoops and exclusive stories attempt to praise reporters more revenue more audience cultural: we expect things quicker, look down on news organizations that don't get us this information quickly Although readers and viewers might value the aggressiveness of reporters, the earliest reports are not necessarily better, more accurate, or as complete as stories written later with more context and perspective
What is the basic philosophical concept that underlies America's notion of free expression?
freedom of the press and the First Amendment Freedom of the press- John Milton --> opposed government licenses for printers and defended a free press --> argued that all ideas, even false ones, should be allowed to circulate freely in a democratic society because eventually the truth would emerge
Explain why patent medicines and department stores figured so prominently in advertising in the late 1800s.
medicines- most made from drugs that could be addictive. cure for many illnesses stores- advertise to make profits b/c big stores like Walmart
What role do satirical news programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report play in the world of journalism?
news satires tell their audiences something that seems truthful about politicians and how they try to manipulate media and public opinion these shows use humor to critique the news media and our political system much greater range of emotion is presented -- a range that may match our own -- rather than we get from our detached "hard news" anchors: more amazement, irony, outrage, laughter, and skepticism while these shows mock the formulas that real TV programs have long used, he also presents an informative and insightful look at current events and the way "traditional" media cover them satirical news offer entertainment and a way to stay current with what's going on in the world
What is news?
the process of gathering information and making narrative reports -- edited by individuals for news organizations -- that offer selected frames of reference; within those frames, news helps the public make sense of important events, political issues, cultural trends, prominent people, and unusual happenings in everyday life
Why do many conventional journalists (and citizens) believe firmly in the idea that there are two sides to every story?
time and space constraints do not always permit representing all sides; in practice this value has often been reduced to telling BOTH sides of a story, instead of ALL this misrepresents the complexity of social issues. People whose views fall somewhere in between two extreme positions are seldom represented balance becomes a narrative device to generate story conflict the balance claim is also in the financial interest of modern news organizations that stake out the middle ground
How do a few large film studios manage to control more than 90 percent of the commercial industry?
vertical integration --> oligopoly they have all the money
