Theory of media and society

1. Theory of media and society

2. 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

3. Dimensions and types of media theory Media-Centric Media-Culturalist Media-Materialist Culturalist Materialist Social-Culturalist Social-Materialist Society-Centric

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Primary social functions cont. • Continuity • Expresses dominant culture • Entertainment • Amusement • Mobilization • Used to campaign for societal objectives

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Media-Cultural theory

15. Themes of media-cultural theory • Quality of mass culture • Nature of popular culture • Impact of technology • Political economy and culture • Globalization • Identity • Gender • Ideology

16. 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