Mass Media Quiz

Questão	Responda
What is the mass media?	All forms of communication that reach large audiences. Is made up of: traditional media (newspapers, television, radio etc.) and new media (internet, satellite TV etc.)
What are the three main types of newspapers?	Red top tabloids, middle-market tabloid and broadsheets
What changes have taken place in the media since 1980? (get 3)	In 1980 there were just three terrestrial TV channels, now we have numerous digital TV channels which sometimes offer interactivity. Technologies can now come together on one product, for example some digital TV services allow people to access the internet, text etc. through their televisions. Internet allows people to access 24 hour news. It also enables them to produce their own content e.g. through twitter or through blogging.
What changes have taken place in media consumption? (get 3)	Over the last 15 years newspaper readership has declined. Household ownership of a digital TV service has grown, in March 2007 80% of homes had digital TV. Since the late 1990s internet access has grown rapidly however high-income households are much more likely than poor households to have internet access.
Explain the 'Hypodermic Syringe' approach.	An approach popular in the 1930s and 40s which hypothesises that the audience receive messages from television and newspapers which they passively receive and which influence their behaviour. For example being exposed to lots of violence on television could lead to an individual to develop a more violent or angry personality.
Explain the uses and gratifications approach.	Focuses on how members of the audience use the media to gratify their needs. For example watching television might meet someone's need for information and entertainment or provide a topic for conversation.
Explain the decoding approach.	Sees television viewers as active decoders of the media. The content of anything in the media (e.g. a television show) will have different meanings to different groups of people, depending on factors such as their social and cultural backgrounds. For example for daily mail reading Conservative voters Benefits Street could provide evidence that further cuts to benefits are needed whereas a Labour voting Guardian reader could see the show as 'poverty porn.'
Why has the hypodermic syringe approach been criticised?	Sociological research has shown children can show the difference between real and fiction violence. Other research has shown that children actively interpret, rather than passively accept, messages of television. This is evidence for the decoding approach over the hypodermic syringe approach. Finally studies of violent young people show no connection between screen and real-life violence.
Outline the concepts of moral panics, folk devils and deviancy amplification. What sociologist first developed these ideas?	A moral panic refers to a media-fuelled outcry about about particular social groups or issues. During moral panics the media exaggerate the extent and significance of a social problem. A particular group is cast as a folk devil and become seen as a threat to society's values. During a moral panic deviancy amplification occurs in which the extent and seriousness of deviance is exaggerated. These ideas were first developed by Stan Cohen when he wrote about 'mods and rockers' in the 1960s. Examples of moral panics include youth crime and benefit fraud.
What are some negative impacts of the internet?	People worry about invasion of privacy, fraud and children viewing undesirable content. Some sociologists argue this is an example of a moral panic.
Why could the concentration of press ownership be a problem?	It could give some individuals huge amounts of power over public opinion, for example in the run up to general elections. Critics argue that in order to protect democracy, we should prevent individuals from controlling too much of our media. There are two main approaches to this issue: the conflict approach and the pluralist approach.
Explain the conflict approach to press ownership. What evidence is their for this?	Press owners are in a strong position to put their own political views across. This is because they are able to control content and can do so in their own political and financial interests. Evidence for this includes the increased concentration of press ownership in the hands of a few companies and individuals and the emergence of multimedia conglomerates (such as news corp.). As a result much of what people read comes from a few multinational media empires.
Explain the pluralist approach to press ownership	According to this approach the wide range of views in society is reflected in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. This means all political views are represented and consumers can choose to buy these publications. Pluralists reject the idea that press owners control conflict instead suggesting that newspapers give people what they want to read. Companies that fail to do this will go bankrupt so it is the consumer who influences content through their market power.
What is 'agenda setting'?	The media focuses on some issues whilst ignoring others. In this way they set the agenda and therefore focus the public discussion onto these issues. This could give the media influence over people's political views on voting behaviour.
What do sociologists mean by norm referencing?	The media outlines acceptable boundaries of behaviour. The views/ behaviour of different groups are presented differently. For example the media tends to portray policemen and soldiers in a positive way and people on benefits in a negative way. In this way the media can influence public opinion.
How could the internet widen the distribution of power?	Because it allows everyone to create their own content rather than just consume it. For example through blogs. This enables everyone to join in public debates.
How could the internet help protect democracy? How could this view by criticised?	By spreading power to communicate more widely among different individuals and groups. The internet allows people to access information, express opinion and communicate with politicians thereby exerting influence. They can also find out about pressure groups such as Greenpeace. This can empower people by enabling them to participate in democracy. However most internet users go online to shop or for entertainment rather than for political purposes. Critics also argue that expensive technology is needed to participate in 'e-democracy'. This can create a 'digital divide' between those who have access to the internet and those who do not.
How can the media by seen as an agency of secondary socialisation? Give an example.	The mass media spreads ideas about modern lifestyles, for example young people might first learn about dance-music and clubbing from a dance-music magazine. Feminist sociologists argue that the media takes part in gender socialisation. The media therefore helps shape people's identity.
What is political socialisation and what role does the media play in this?	Political socialisation occurs when people acquire their political values and beliefs. These affect whether and how they vote in elections. The mass media are important in this process as for most people they are the main source of information about current affairs, political parties and politicians.
How can the press influence voting behaviour?	Most newspapers tend to side with a political party and some sociologists argue that a person regularly reading a certain newspapers is likely to be exposed to biased articles that could encourage them to vote for one political party over another. In addition negative coverage of politics and politicians can influence election turnout by discouraging people from voting.
How could press influence on voters be seen as a problem?	Elections are supposed to fair and aim to give citizens an opportunity to express their preferences. If the press are setting the agenda or influencing turnout then this bias may work against some political parties.
How have the media presented gender over the last 50 years?	In the 1960s and 70s women were stereotyped into traditional gender roles which didn't reflect their position in society. This has changed, for example children's books that present women and men in non-stereotyped roles are becoming more widely available. Cumberland (1990) found that in TV advertising gender stereotyping still existed, for example women were more likely than men to be young and blond. More recent research shows this stereotyping still exists, for example in 2009 Iceland use the slogan 'so that's why mums go to Iceland!' Modern men's and women's magazines still present unrealistic images of gender. For example men's magazines focus on stereotypically male interests such as cars, drinking and sport and also present women as sex objects. Feminists argue that the way gender is presented in the media contributes to gender socialisation.
How have ethnic minorities been presented in the media over the past 50 years?	50 years ago black people were either absent or underrepresented. When they were represented negative stereotypes were often used or they were presented in a narrow range of roles such as singers, dancers or sportspeople. Other research shows news tended to simplify race issues and report on them negatively. However problems facing countries in parts of Africa (such as war and famine) were often over-reported. During the 1990s representations of ethnic minorities became less stereotyped. More recent research has shown that the media still portrays people from ethnic minorities in a distorted ways. For example stories about Asians tend to focus on forced marriage, terrorism and a refusal to fit into society.
Define amplification in terms of the media. What can it lead to?	Where an increased number of reports of deviant behaviour are carried through the media leading to a moral panic. This can often lead to an increase in levels of deviancy as young people get tempted into rebelling against social norms.
Explain why censorship can sometimes be seen as necessary?	To remove content which is seen as objectionable, harmful, sensitive or inconvenient. For example by removing offensive words in songs played on the radio.
What is content analysis?	When sociologists record the types of images and messages in the media. For example it could find how many times women are featured in newspapers and whether they are presented as experts or sex objects.
Define desensitised.	When over exposure to a graphic images has reduced the power of these images to shock. Such images could therefore become normalised. This links to the hypodermic syringe theory.
What are gatekeepers?	Individuals responsible for the content of news we receive. These can include newspaper editors and journalists. The decisions these people make contribute to agenda setting.
What is globalisation?	A process whereby economies have become increasingly interconnected that an event in one county can have an impact all over the world. This means companies now operate globally and media conglomerates work across national boundaries.
What is hyper reality?	This describes a society so saturated by media-driven simulations it becomes hard to identify what is real and what is invented. Examples include 'reality' TV shows such as Made in Chelsea.
How can the media influence our identity?	The way it represents different groups in society affects how we see ourselves and how others see us. For example the media's objectification of women may make some girls believe they need to dress in a certain way to be accepted.
What is the popular press?	This consists of the highest circulation newspapers and magazines. These tend to be tabloid newspapers and have content designed for a large audience.
What is a postmodern society?	A wealthy and technologically advance society that is so heavily saturated by the media that it shapes our identities and where our understanding of the world is shaped more by the media than by our experiences.
Define semiology.	The study of signs, images and symbols, of which we are exposed to thousands everyday but which people interpret differently. The union flag is seen positively be many British people but to an Iraqi civilian such a symbol is likely to provoke fear and hatred.
Define stigmatisation.	When the media frequently criticise the behaviour off a single social group, for example people on benefits. This can lead to the group becoming isolated from the rest of society.

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	Criado por harry.vinall mais de 10 anos atrás