INTRODUCTION TO

MassCommunicationMedia Literacy and Culture

Stanley J. BaranBryant University

~ Connect_ Learn_ Succeed'"

r-

SEVENTH EDITION

Brief Contents

Preface xv

PART ONE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK 21 Mass Communication, Culture, and Media Literacy 2

2 Convergence and the Reshaping of Mass Communication 32

PART TWO MEDIA, MEDIA INDUSTRIES,AND MEDIA AUDIENCES 54

3 Books 54

4 Newspapers 84

5 Magazines 114

6 Film 138

7 Radio, Recording, and Popular Music 170

8 Television, Cable, and Mobile Video 202

9 Video Games 236

10 The Internet and the World Wide Web 260

PART THREE SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES 29611 Public Relations 296

12 Advertising 322

PART FOUR MASS-MEDIATED CULTUREIN THE INFORMATION AGE 354

13 Theories and Effects of Mass Communication 354

14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics 390

15 Global Media 422

Glossary G-1References R-1Credits C-1Index 1-1

v

Preface xv

PART ONELAYING THE GROUNDWORK 2

Mass Communication,Culture, and MediaLiteracy 2

What Is Mass Communication? 4Communication Defined 4Mass Communication Defined 6

What Is Culture? 8CuLture as Socially Constructed Shared Meaning 8Functions and Effects of CuLture 9

Mass Communication and Culture 14Mass Media as CuLturaLStorytellers 14Mass Communication as CuLturaLForum 15

Scope and Nature of Mass Media 15The RoLe of Technology 17The Role of Money 17

• CULTURAL FORUM: Audience as Consumer or Audienceas Product? 18

Mass Communication, Culture, and MediaLiteracy 18

OraL CuLture 19The Invention of Writing 19Literate CuLture 20The Gutenberg RevoLution 21The IndustriaL RevoLution 23

Media Literacy 23ELements of Media Literacy 24Media Literacy Skills 26

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Living a Media Literate Life 28

Resources for Review and Discussion 30

Contents

Review Points 30Key Terms 30Questions for Review 30Questions for CriticaL Thinking and Discussion 31Important Resources 31Internet Resources 31

Convergence and theReshaping of MassCommunication 32

Industries in Transition 35

The Good News for Media Industries 35

Changes 37Concentration of Ownership and CongLomeration 37GLobaLization 39

• CULTURAL FORUM: Concentration, Conglomeration, andServing Democracy 40Audience Fragmentation 42

Hypercommercialism 43Erosion of Distinctions Among Media: Convergence 44

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: The Fraction of Selection 46

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Reconsidering theProcess of Mass Communication 47

Interpreter A-The Content Producer 47The Message 48

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Read "the Trades" 49

Feedback and Interpreter B- The Audience 50The ResuLt 51

Resources for Review and Discussion 51

Review Points 51Key Terms 51Questions for Review 52Questions for CriticaL Thinking and Discussion 52Important Resources 52Internet Resources 52

vii

PART TWOMEDIA, MEDIA INDUSTRIES,AND MEDIA AUDIENCES 54

Books 54

Book Timeline 56

A Short History of Books 56Books Corne to Colonial North America 56

Books and Their Audiences 60The Cultural Value of the Book 60

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: The Role of Books inSocial Movements 62Censorship 63

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Our Bodies,Ourselves 64

Aliteracy as Self-Censorship 65

Scope and Structure of the Book Industry 67Categories of Books 68From Idea to Publication 68

Trends and Convergence in Book Publishing 69Convergence 69Conglomeration 72Demand for Profits and Hypercommercialism 73Growth of Small Presses 75Restructuring of Book Retailing 76

• CULTURAL FORUM: Is Google Making Us Stupid, orR U Reading? 78

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: The Lessonsof Harry Potter 80

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Start a Citywide(or Campuswide)Book Conversation 81

Resources for Review and Discussion 81

Review Points 81Key Terms 82Questions for Review 82Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 82Important Resources 82Internet Resources 82

viii Contents

Newspapers 84

Newspaper Timeline 86

A Short History of Newspapers 86The Earliest Newspapers 87

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Truth as a Defense Against Libel:The Zenger Trial 89The Modern Newspaper Emerges 90

Newspapers and Their Audiences 93

Scope and Structure of the Newspaper Industry 93Types of Newspapers 93

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: When the StoryHits Home: The New Orleans Times-Picayune andHurricane Katrina 94

• CULTURAL FORUM: Smaller Is (Sometimes) Better 98

The Newspaper as an Advertising Medium 100The News and Feature Services 100

Trends and Convergence in NewspaperPublishing 101

Loss of Competition 101Conglomeration: Hypercommercialism, Erosion of theFirewall, and Loss of Mission 102Convergence With the Internet 104Changes in Newspaper Readership 107

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Interpreting RelativePlacement of Stories 109

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Help a School Start an OnlineNewspaper III

Resources for Review and Discussion III

Review Points 111Key Terms 112Questions for Review 112Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 112Important Resources 112Internet Resources 113

Magazines 114

Magazine Timeline 116

A Short History of Magazines 118The Early Magazine Industry 118The Mass Circulation Era 118The Era of Specialization 119

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Taking On the Giants:Muckraking in the Magazines 120

Magazines and Their Audiences 123

Scope and Structure of the Magazine Industry 123Categories of Consumer Magazines 123

Magazine Advertising 125

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: No Ads? NoProblem: Consumer Reports 126Types of Circulation 126

Measuring Circulation 127

Trends and Convergence in MagazinePublishing 128

Online Magazines 129Custom Magazines 129Meeting Competition From Cable Television 130Advertorials 131

• CULTURAL FORUM: Advertorials Aimed at Young Girls 132Advertiser Influence Over Magazine Content 133

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Recognizing thePower of Graphics 134

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Teach Teens AboutMagazines 135

Resources for Review and Discussion 136

Review Points 136Key Terms 137Questions for Review 137Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 137Important Resources 137Internet Resources 137

Film 138

Film Timeline 140

A Short History of the Movies 140The Early Entrepreneurs 142The Coming of Narrative 144The Big Studios 146

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: African AmericanResponse to D. W. Griffith: The Lincoln and MicheauxFilm Companies 147Change Comes to Hollywood 148

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Self-Censorship in Hollywood:The Movie Ratings 151

Movies and Their Audiences 152

Scope and Nature of the Film Industry 155Three Component Systems 155

• CULTURAL FORUM: Will We Continue to Go tothe Movies? 156The Studios 159

Trends and Convergence in Moviemaking 160Conglomeration and the Blockbuster Mentality 160Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business 163

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: RecognizingProduct Placements 164

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Smoke-Free Movies 166

Resources for Review and Discussion 167

Review Points 167Key Terms 168Questions for Review 168Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 168Important Resources 168Internet Resources 168

Contents ix

Radio, Recording,and PopularMusic 170

Radio/Recording Timeline 172

A Short History of Radio and Sound Recording 172

Early Radio 173Early Sound Recording 174The Coming of Broadcasting 175The Coming of Regulation 176Advertising and the Networks 177The Golden Age 177

Radio and Its Audiences 179

Scope and Nature of the Radio Industry 179

FM, AM, and Noncommercial Radio 179Radio Is Local 180Radio Is Fragmented 180Radio Is Specialized 181Radio Is Personal 181Radio Is Mobile 181

'The Business of Radio 182

Radio as an Advertising Medium 182

Deregulation and Ownership 182

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Problems WithRadio Ratings 183

Scope and Nature of the Recording Industry 184

The Major Recording Companies 185

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Rock 'n' Roll, Radio,and Race Relations 186

Trends and Convergence in Radio andSound Recording 189

The Impact of Television 189Satellite and Cable 190Mobile Phones and the Sound of Money 191Terrestrial Digital Radio 191Web Radio, Podcasting, and Social Network Sites 191Digital Technology 192

• CULTURAL FORUM: The Future of the Music Business? 194

'The Internet and the Future of theRecording Industry 194

Industry-Approved Downloading 196P2P Downloading 197

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Listening toShock Jocks 197

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• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: College Radio 198

Resources for Review and Discussion 199

Review Points 199Key Terms 200Questions for Review 200Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 201Important Resources 201Internet Resources 201

Television, Cable,and MobileVideo 202

Television Timeline 204

A Short History of Television 205

Mechanical and Electronic Scanning 205The 1950s 206

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Can't Find Them or They Aren'tThere? Where Have Allthe Boys and Minorities Gone? 212

The Coming of Cable 213

Television and Its Audiences 214

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: The Creationof Sesame Street 215

Scope and Nature of the Broadcast TelevisionIndustry 216

The Networks and Program Content 216How a Program Gets on the Air 217

Cable and Satellite Television 219

Programming 219

Trends and Convergence in Television andCable 224

VCR 224DVD 225DVR 225Digital Television 225Television on the Internet 226Video on the Internet 226

• CULTURAL FORUM: Brand X: Controlling the Flow ofInformation 228

Interactive Television 228Phone-Over-Cable 229Mobile Video 230

• DEVElOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: RecognizingStaged News 231

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Turn Off Your TV 232

Resources for Review and Discussion 233

Review Points 233Key Terms 234Questions for Review 234Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 234Important Resources 235Internet Resources 235

Video Games 236

Video-Game Timeline 238

A Short History of Computer and Video Games 238Today's Games Emerge 240Rapid-Fire Developments 241

Games and Their Players 243What Is a Video Game? 243

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Using Gamesfor Good 244

Who Is Playing? 245

Scope and Nature of the Video-Game Industry 246

Trends and Convergence in the Video-GameIndustry 248

Convergence Everywhere 248Hypercommercialism 250

• CULTURAL FORUM: Revolt of the Griefers 252

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Using theESRB Ratings 254

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Become a Game SmartAmbassador 255

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Games Under Attack: Addictionand Violence 256

Resources for Review and Discussion 256

Review Points 256Key Terms 257Questions for Review 258Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 258Important Resources 258Internet Resources 258

The Internet and theWorldWide Web 260

Internet and World Wide Web Timeline 262

A Short History of the Internet 263Development of the Computer 264Military Applications 265The Personal Computer 266

The Internet Today 267The World Wide Web 269

The Internet and Its Users 272

Changes in the Mass Communication Process 272The Double Edge of Technology 273McLuhan's Renaissance 273

Reconceptualizing Life in an InterconnectedWorld 275

The Internet and Freedom of Expression 275Freedom of the Pressfor Whom? 276

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: The Online NewsAssociation and the Btaggers' Cade af Ethics 278Controlling Internet Expression 280

Pornography on the World Wide Web 280

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Rating the Web 281

Copyright (Intellectual Property Ownership) 282Privacy 283Virtual Democracy 287

• CULTURAL FORUM: Is Broadband Fast Food or Power? 288

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: The Five InternetFreedams 291

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: The Privacy Avengers: TheFacebaak User Revolt 292

Resources for Review and Discussion 293

Review Points 293Key Terms 293Questions for Review 294Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 294Important Resources 294Internet Resources 294

Contents xi

PART THREESUPPORTING INDUSTRIES 296

PublicRelations 296

Public Relations Timeline 298

Defining Public Relations 298

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: The MADDCampaign 301

A Short History of Public Relations 302Early Public Relations 302The Propaganda-Publicity Stage 302Early Two- Way Communication 304Advanced Two- Way Communication 305Shaping the Character of Public Relations 306

Public Relations and Its Audiences 307

Scope and Structure of the Public RelationsIndustry 308

Public Relations Activities 308

• CULTURAL FORUM: Busted, Big, and Battered: Protecting aCompany's Good Name in the Era of Social Media 312Public Relations' Management Function 312Organization of a Public Relations Operation 314

Trends and Convergence in Public Relations 314Globalization, Concentration, and Specialization 314Convergence 315Trust in Public Relations 316

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Boosting Smoking AmongWomen 317

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Recognizing VideoNews Releases 318

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Practice Public Relations 319

Resources for Review and Discussion 320

Review Points 320Key Terms 320Questions for Review 321Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 321Important Resources 321Internet Resources 321

xii Contents

Advertising 322

Advertising Timeline 324

A Short History of Advertising 324Early Advertising 326Industrialization and the Civil War 327Magazine Advertising 328The Advertising Agency and Professionalism 328Advertising and Radio 328World War II 329Advertising and Television 329

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Effecting PositiveSocial Change 330Advertising and Its Audiences 332Criticisms and Defenses of Advertising 332Specific Complaints 333

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Boosting Smoking AmongChildren 335

• CULTURAL FORUM: Challenging Advertising: Adbusters andUncommercials 336

Scope and Nature of the Advertising Industry 338The Advertising Agency 338Types of Advertising 339The Regulation of Advertising 341Measuring the Effectiveness of Advertising 342

Trends and Convergence in Advertising 343New and Converging Technologies 343Increased Audience Segmentation 346Psychographies 347Globalization 348

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: InterpretingIntentional Imprecision 349

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Checking Brands'Ethical Claims 351

Resources for Review and Discussion 351

Review Points 351Key Terms 352Questions for Review 352Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 353Important Resources 353Internet Resources 353

PART FOURMASS-MEDIATED CULTUREIN THE INFORMATION AGE 354

Theories andEffects of MassCOminunication 354

Mass Communication Theories and EffectsTimeline 356

The Effects Debate 356Micro- Versus Macro-Level Effects 358Administrative Versus Critical Research 359Transmissional Versus Ritual Perspective 360

Defining Mass Communication Theory 360

A Short History of Mass CommunicationTheory 361

The Era of Mass Society Theory 361The Emergence of the Limited Effects Perspective 363Cultural Theory-A Return to the Idea of PowerfulEffects 370The Meaning-Making Perspective 375

The Effects of Mass Communication-FourQuestions 377

Does Media Violence Lead to Aggression? 377

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Television and theDesignated Driver 380

Do Portrayals of Drugs and Alcohol IncreaseConsumption? 380What Is Medias Contribution to Gender andRacial/Ethnic Stereotyping? 382

• CULTURAL FORUM: Spare Us the Drama? Coverageof Health Care Reform 384

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Be a Media EffectsResearcher 386

Do Media Have Prosocial Effects? 386

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Applying MassCommunication Theory 387

Resources for Review and Discussion 387

Review Points 387Key Terms 387Questions for Review 388

Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 388Important Resources 388Internet Resources 389

, I.~ \..~-;- :14 Media Freedom,

Regulation, andEthics 390

Media Freedom, Regulation, and EthicsTimeline 392

A Short History of the First Amendment 394Early Sentiment for a Free Press 394Defining and Refining the First Amendment 394

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Josh Wolf asTom Paine 396Other Issues of Freedom and Responsibility 401

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Larry Flynt and Protectionfor Expression We Don't Like 403

Social Responsibility Theory 406

Media Industry Ethics 407Defining Ethics 407Three Levels of Ethics 408Balancing Conflicting Interests 408

• CULTURAL FORUM: Citizens United v. FEC: Expanding FirstAmendment Rights for Corporations 412Codes of Ethics and Self-Regulation 414

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Media Reform 416

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Free Culture or Free Beer? 418

Resources for Review and Discussion 419

Review Points 419Key Terms 420Questions for Review 420Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 420Important Resources 420Internet Resources 421

Contents xiii

Resources for Review and Discussion 448

• DEVELOPING MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS: Making the InvisibleVisible: Comparative Analysis 445

• LIVING MEDIA LITERACY: Support the Media LiteracyMovement 447

Global Media 422 Review Points 448Key Terms 448Questions for Review 448Questions for Critical Thinking and Discussion 449Important Resources 449Internet Resources 449

Global Media Timeline 424

A Short History of Global Media 425International Mass Media Before Satellites 426

• CULTURAL FORUM: AI-Hurra or al-Abda? 428

Satellites and Global Mass Media 429

Global Media Today 431Comparative Analyses 433

• USING MEDIA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: A Revolution Definedby Twitter: #lranElection 438

MEDIA HISTORY REPEATS: Helping or Hurting Freedomof Expression in China? 440

Programming 442

The Debate Over Cultural Imperialism 443The MacBride Report and the NWIO 443The Case for the Global Village 444The Case Against the Global Village 445

Glossary G-IReferences R-ICredits C-IIndex I-I

xiv Contents