Theory
Cultivation Cultivation Theory
Examines the link between TV consumption and perception of social reality
Cultivation Theory
TV dominates the symbolic environment of its audiences and give ppl false views of what reality is like TV "cultivates" or reinforces certain beliefs in its viewers (society is violent, there are no old ppl) TV has a powerful cumulative effect on users
symbol sharing influences how we view the world
Mainstreaming
TV viewing can move heavy viewers towards a mainstream view/perception Example:
Heavy TV viewers in the Northeast and South become more similar in their views Light viewers have very different views
Resonance
Effects of TV are greater when the content is consistent with the real-life situation of the viewer
The impact of TV viewing is greater for those for whom the TV messages resonate
Question
Should anything be done to control violent entertainment content? Do you think media consumption really influences how you see the world?
If yes, to what extent?
Agenda Setting Theory
McCombs and Shaw
Agenda Setting Theory
Explains the relationship btwn. How the media cover a story and the extent to which we think that story is important
Shaw & McCombs (1977):
"Here may lie the most important effect of mass communication, its ability to mentally order and organize our world for us. In short, the mass media may not be successful in telling us what to think, but they are stunningly successful in telling us what to think about."
Assumptions:
1) The press and the media do not reflect reality; they filter and shape it 2) Media concentration on a few issues leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues.
Agenda Setting
Putting an issue on the media agenda to make it the subject of public discussion Function of the media
Agenda Setting
Cause
The press has to be selective News outlets act as gatekeepers
"selective control"
What the public knows and cares about is a byproduct of media-gatekeeping
Agenda Cutting
Diverting audience attention from certain issues by pushing them off the media agenda Topics not discussed in the media have proven to be irrelevant or less relevant to the public.
Process:
Media Agenda
Issues discussed on TV, radio, periodicals Media agenda is set by gatekeeper
Issues become personally relevant and are discussed among ppl Media creates the public agenda Issues become important to policy makers Leaders enact the media's agenda
Public Agenda
Policy Agenda
Agenda Surfing
A tactical effort to profit from the popularity of current/emerging issues Why?
To steer public discussion into a favorable direction
Agenda Surfing
Issue monitoring
Studying the "wave" of a theme
Chronological Media types (daily, weekly, TV)
Pattern:
Issues begin by appearing in news coverage of a particular area (economic news) They become a more frequent topic of discussion Main focus of news reports (nightly news) Coverage in other areas (political news)
4 types of media-source relationships (Reese, 1991)
High power source, high power medium
City mayor on TV Source and medium agree to set the agenda President in a local newspaper sets Source the agenda News story on a local community activist group Medium sets the agenda Story on a local group in school newspaper Agenda set by community
High power source, low power medium
Low power source, high power medium
Low power source, low power medium
Debate: Chicken or Egg?
Does the media agenda really cause the public agenda, or vice versa?
Tsunami v. Earthquake coverage
Tsunami received more extensive print and TV coverage
German News: 667 reports v. 66
Effect on behavior
Donation: 178 million v. 8 million
Consumer Confidence and Economy Coverage
Direct link btwn. the way economy is framed and consumer confidence Studied media coverage of the economy on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX Consumer Confidence Index trails media ratings by 1 month
Consumer Confidence follows Media Ratings
Mad Cow Disease
Winter 2001: surge of media stories
Led to a dramatic increase in public concern Beef consumption dropped 71%
3 months later, coverage died down in time for grilling season
Public awareness declined Consumption recovery lagged
Media Affect on Awareness
Media's Effect on Beef Consumption
Spiral of Silence
Chapter 29
Assumptions
Most ppl fear social isolation
Expressing dissenting opinion puts us at risk We can determine future trends
Mass media Interpersonal communication
Ppl have a "quasi-statistical sense"
Perceptions come from evidence in the environment
Public Opinion Process
To avoid isolation, we scan the environment to sense the climate of opinion We use these perception to figure out what CAN be expressed and what SHOULD be expressed
Silence
When private opinions are not expressed bc of fear of isolation When others go through this, the climate of opinion changes
Environment seems even more one-sided
Members of the perceived minority don't speak their opinions Perceived climate change reinforces unwillingness to speak out
Process continues until one opinion becomes dominant
The process can change private opinions of the undecided
Role of Mass Media
Media is an indicator of the climate of opinion "trend-setting" media: set the agenda for other media outlets
New York Times, Washington Post, Major TV networks Ppl sense public opinion via the trendsetting media
Mass Media: Agents of Social Control
Tell us about societal norms, though not necessarily accurate Effect what opinions can be expressed w/o fear of isolation
Glynn 1987
Frequent users of mass media perceived that they were dissimilar than their neighbors Those who relied on interpersonal communication perceived that they were similar to their neighbors
Misperception
"dual climate of opinion":
When the interpersonal climate is inconsistent with the climate portrayed in trend-setting mass media Misperception due to media bias
silent majority
Pluralistic ignorance
When ppl infer that a view is in the minority bc it is not publicly expressed Unexpressed views can be the privately held view of the majority
Remember:
Those who perceive themselves to be in the minority are not likely to publicly express their opinions, their opinions become less prominent
Perceptions of being in the minority produce conformity