SOCIOLOGY OF THE MASS MEDIA
The Role of the Mass Media in American Society
I.
Mass Media = media that reach a relatively large audience of usually anonymous readers
II.
Two major factors that create change in media industry:
a.
Economics
= changes in how media content is paid for and by whom; audience vs. advertisers
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media outlets do not sell content, but access to desirable audiences
b.
Technology
= the tech changes that occur in the production and distribution of media content;
(1) improved existing media and (2) created new forms of media
III.
Major forms of mass media
a.
Media is a plural of medium, derived from “medius” which means “middle”
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communication media
are the different technological processes that facilitate communication between the sender & receiver
of a message
b.
1700/1800’s – newspapers, books, magazines; “dime novels”
i.
Partisan
= took clear political and religious positions when covering news & events
ii.
Distributed by the Pony Express – limited to specific geographical regions
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regional focus
c.
1855 – invention of printing telegraph
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disseminated over large geographic areas
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change in focus
d.
Advances in steam engine & development of transcontinental railroad
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deliver to different regions
e.
1814 & 1837 – invention & improvement of photography; media included pictures with stories (Civil
War)
f.
1892 – invention of motion picture
g.
1871 – first formal advertising agency established; by 1880s full page ads running in
newspapers/magazines
i.
1872 – first mail-order business established by Aaron Montgomery War in Chicago
h.
1891 to 94 – invention and improvement of Radio - Nikola Tesla & Guglielmo Marconi
i.
1900-38 – radio growth; beginning of government involvement in mass media in licensing broadcasters
i.
1912 Radio Control Act regulated broadcasts & content
ii.
1920 KDKA in Pittsburgh begins regular schedule = BIRTH OF RADIO ERA
iii.
1924 – over 1400 stations to 3 million radio sets; targeted a “general” audience
iv.
1930-42 – first radio serial airs – “Little Orphan Annie”
v.
1934 – half of US homes have radio
vi.
1950 – average US home has 2 radios
j.
1900-38 movie industry growth
i.
1908 “set up shop” in Hollywood & produced first animated cartoon “Fantasmagorie”
ii.
1913 full length feature films produced
iii.
1922 – 40 million tickets weekly; 1938 – 80 million tickets weekly
iv.
1928 – television sets put in three US homes as a test
k.
1900-38 Advertising: three big changes
i.
1917 – formed American Association of Advertisers to collectively respond to government
legislation
ii.
Changed how they viewed consumers
1.
Initially viewed consumers as rational – felt need to convince us to buy product; focus
on FACT
2.
Found could use emotional appeals – focus on VALUES, EMOTION, LIFESTYLE
iii.
Began to focus on desirable demographics or those that want/afford products
l.
1939 – television introduced to mass public at NY World Fair
m.
1939 to 1980: the TV era
i.
TV not immediately popular – slow adaptation b/c dominance of radio, expensive, B&W
ii.
1951 COLOR television
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- Fall '11
- cheatham
- Media, Mass Media, i.
-
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