THEORY OF MEDIA AND SOCIETY. VARYING PERSPECTIVES OF MEDIA THEORY Progressive versus conservative...
-
Upload
beverly-benson -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
2
Transcript of THEORY OF MEDIA AND SOCIETY. VARYING PERSPECTIVES OF MEDIA THEORY Progressive versus conservative...
THEORY OF MEDIA AND SOCIETY
VARYING PERSPECTIVES OF MEDIA THEORY
• Progressive versus conservative• Progressive or leftist• Criticize power of media
• Conservative or Right• Criticize damage to traditional values
• Critical versus Applied • Critical• Expose underlying problems
• Applied• Provide understanding of communication processes
DIMENSIONS AND TYPES OF MEDIA THEORY
Media-Centric
Culturalist Materialist
Society-Centric
Media-Culturalist Media-Materialist
Social-Culturalist Social-Materialist
MEDIA-SOCIETY THEORY I
• The Mass Society• Concept began in 1800s with industrialization,
urbanization and modernization• Theory emphasizes interdependence and media as a
causal factor• Media content• Works in favor of those who hold social power• Provides content that maintains status quo with dependent
society
• Modern day implications• Nostalgia for more communitarian perspective• Political indifference
MASS SOCIETY THEORY II
• Political Economy Theory• Revision of Marxist Theory • 20th Century• Focuses on:• Media activity as economic process that leads to commodity• Other view: Media delivers audience attention to advertisers• Mass Media part of economic system
• Main Strength• Empirical testing• Centers on media activity as economic process
MASS SOCIETY THEORY II
• Political Economy theory and the Internet• Key = commodification of users • Relevance of political economy theory enhanced by
trends• Increased media concentration worldwide• Growing global information economy• Decline in direct public control• Growing digital divide
MEDIA SOCIETY THEORY III
• Functionalist theory• Primary tenets:• Explains social practices• Describes society• Media benefits
• Depicts media as:• Self-directing and self-correcting• Apolitical• Conservative bias
• Earlier versions discarded but survives with new forms
MEDIA SOCIETY THEORY III
• Functionalist Theory• Primary social functions of media:• Information• Provides information• Indicates power relations• Facilitates innovation
• Correlation• Explains and interprets meaning• Supports norms• Social and consensus
PRIMARY SOCIAL FUNCTIONS CONT.
• Continuity• Expresses dominant culture
• Entertainment• Amusement
• Mobilization• Used to campaign for societal objectives
MEDIA-SOCIETY THEORY IV
• Social constructionism• Society is constructed and open to change• Emphasizes action and choice• And the media: • News reality • Impact of mass media• Media is subjective view of social reality
MASS SOCIETY THEORY V
• Communication and Technology Determinism• Toronto School• Theorist H.M. Innis• After WW II• Attributed characteristics of society to prevailing
communication • Organizing principle:• Communication = monopolization
MASS SOCIETY THEORY V CONT.
• Primary Tenets of Media Technology Determinism• Communication technology is fundamental• Technology bias• Impact of communication inventions• Communication revolutions and social impact
• Modern implications of Media Technology Determinism• No single factor explanation• Development shaped by social and cultural context
MEDIA SOCIETY THEORY VI
• The Information Society Theory• More ideology than theory• Beginning• Post-industrial society• Decreased cost of technology
• Impact• No major transformations noted• Increased interconnectedness and globalization• Increased dependency• Increased awareness of risks
• Concept as theory• Not universally accepted
MEDIA-CULTURAL THEORY
THEMES OF MEDIA-CULTURAL THEORY
• Quality of mass culture• Nature of popular culture• Impact of technology• Political economy and culture• Globalization• Identity• Gender• Ideology
FRANKFURT SCHOOL AND CRITICAL CULTURAL THEORY
• Frankfurt School• Mid-19th century• Concerns regarding Marxist theory
• Critical Cultural theory• Studies ideology in media culture• Concerned with significance of media culture for specific
groups• Evaluates media interpretation