Lecture 9 media and power
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Transcript of Lecture 9 media and power
Power and the Media
Outline
Recap : power in society
What are the media?
Media effects
Case study : UK Newspapers
Assignment
Power in society
Society is socially stratified in multiple dimensions
Gender
Class
Ethnicity
Etc.
In each case one group has power over another, including the power to maintain that privilege
The media is part of that
What are the media?
How do we consume them?
How do they affect us?Norms Values
The media
Mass media – communications which are targeted at large audiences with no personal contact [broadcast media]
Social media – communications which are shared by individuals, often with some social contact/ interaction
How are these related?
Where does everybody get their news?
How much media do we consume?
Nearly half of people’s waking hours are spent engaging in media andcommunications activities.
Effects of mass media
• Hypodermic syringe model• Propaganda and advertising
• Uses and gratifications model• Selective exposure• Selective perception• Selective retention
The Media
Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’
• Agenda setting:– Controlling what issues come to public attention (and how much – 1st page)
The Media
Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’
• Norm-setting:– Sanctions– Deviant behaviour condemned– Conformist behaviour praised
The Media
Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’
• News Values:– Assumptions that guide journalists and editors when selecting news
The Media
Key concepts in the Sociology of ‘The Media’
• Moral panic:– Increased / exaggerated public concern about an issue created by media
attention
• Folk devil:– Groups / individuals seen by the media as a threat to the moral wellbeing of
society
Newspaper exerciseWhat stories are being reported? Where in the paper?
How do the newspapers differ?
How are they being reported?
What is being advertised? To whom?
Topic Key things to consider for each paper
nationalism/ethnicity Where are the stories based?Who is the Other?How are different ethnicities represented?
gender Are the genders evenly represented?How are they represented? (masculinity/ femininity)
class In which class is the reader expected to belong?Cultural capital?How are classes represented (the rich? tax payers?)
functionalism What are the norms and values being reinforced?How does the paper frame ‘society’?
Limits to media control?
• Law• Libel• Obscenity• Race relations act etc.
• Press Complaints Commission• OfCom• Competition Commission
• Limits to ownership of newspapers etc.
• BBC• Grassroots, indy media, social media?
Summary
Broadcast Vs Social Media
Importance of media in daily lives and society
Relationship between individual and media is complex but important
Assignment