The Media and Social Theory

Lecture 7

We discussed Functionalist and Conflict theories on the role of education in social mobility and covered a wide range of sociological debates on the subject.

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Last week :

Background/ key concepts The Digital Revolution Media theories; Functionalism, Pluralism &

Conflict Theories Media Audience: Hypodermic/Interpretive

models Media Representations Media Ownership

Today we will be covering the followings:

Oral cultures: For most of human history speech was the main means of communication where ideas and knowledge were transmitted across generations by word of mouth.

Writing cultures: Emerged initially in China 3000 years ago, once speech could be written initially on stone and then on paper.

Background:

First writing cultures 3000 years ago in China.

First movable type printing press: mid-fifteenth century, Germany.

First Cinema , Paris 1895 First Radio station 1920, USA First TV station, 1928, USA Internet 1969, USA World Wide Web 1990, Switzerland

Historical development of the Media:

Communication refers to the transfer of information from one individual or group to another, whether in speech or through the mass media of modern times.

Telecommunications: The communication of information, sounds or images at a distance through a technological medium.

Key Concepts: Communication & Telecommunication:

Mass media in 21st century communicate – instantaneously & simultaneously - to a mass audience, comprised of very large numbers of people, all around the glob.

The rapid pace of changes in this area was due to technological advancements such as advancements in the capabilities of computers, satellite communication, fibre optics and digitization of data.

The Emergence of Mass Media:

Of crucial importance to the development of multimedia, digitisation permits the development of interactive media, in which people actively participate in, or structure what they see or hear.

Research shows that more people use the Internet and they

do it for a wider variety of activities. Digital technology is changing people’s behaviour and demanding new social norms.

The patterns however are marked by inequalities and variations (gender/age/class/ ethnicity… etc) at both national and international level.

The Digital Revolution:

The process through which distinct media forms merge in new ways as a result of advances in technology and the rapid spread of the Internet. For example newspapers are now available online and radio channels are accessible through smart TVs and mobile phones.

Media Convergence:

Hypodermic Model Interpretative Model

How media audience receive media messages?

The audience passively and directly accepts the media contents and does not critically engage with it.

Media messages are perceived in more or less the same way by all members of the society.

Hypodermic Model:

Audience compare and contrast media contents and filter information through their own experiences.

The audience play an active role in analysing and interpreting media contents.

Audience shape the media through its engagement or rejection of its output.

Interpretative Model:

Social theory and the role of mass media within societies :

Functionalism

Pluralism

Conflict Theory

The media help to integrate and bind societies, social groups and communities together.

The media stabilise the social system by providing continuous flow of information, providing support for established social norms.

The media ensure continuity by forging common values, entertainment and reducing conflicts.

The Functionalist view:

The Internet will enable new combinations of work and self-employments, individual expression, collaboration and sociability.

Social networking strengthened web-based communities.

Manuel Castells (2001) for example argues that:

Functionalist views tend to consider the audience as passive consumers rather than active interpreters of media messages.

They ignore the negative impacts of the media particularly their destructive role towards society’s cultural vitality through their homogenising pressures.

Critiques of Functionalist view:

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The Pluralist View: Society is made up of many interacting but competing

sections who have more or less equal access to media resources.

The media reflect the views of society; if there’s diversity within society, there will be diversity in the media contents.

The media has some influence but they do not determine people’s views. People’ s perceptions and understandings of media messages are significantly influenced by their personal experiences, socioeconomic backgrounds, political views… etc (refer to interpretative model).

Media contents are being scrutinised and moderated by opinion-makers within communities.

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The Pluralist view has been strongly criticised by the Conflict theorists who regard the media sector as an industry and examine the ways in which the main means of communication have been privatised (media ownership by a few wealthy media magnets).

The media help to hide, justify or legitimise the interests of dominant groups in the society.

Through a wide range of strategies including the choice of terminology ( e.g. terrorist vs freedom fighter) the media support their own desired narrative or systems of thought.

Conflict Theories on Mass Media I:

Noam Chamsky (1991) for example argues that:

Economic interests in media ownership work to exclude those voices that lack economic power and voices that do survive are those that are least likely to criticize the prevailing distribution of wealth and power.

The mass media disseminate propaganda in support of the ruling groups in society and by doing so they prevent the airing of other significant issues such as unaccountability of corporations, or lack of democracy.

They enable intense surveillance of the society.

Conflict Theories on Mass Media II:

People can and do think for themselves – they can resist media propaganda (refer to interpretive model).

Alternative media sources offer different messages which enable a wide range of voices to be expressed and heard.

Critiques of Conflict Theory:

Is Chomsky right?• Yes

Here’s an example from Fox News in the US

• No

If it were wholly true how would people like Murdock; Berlusconi and Black ever get found out?

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The question on media representations relates to if, how often & how different social groups are represented by the mass media?

Research indicates that media representations are likely to reinforce rather than challenge stereotypical images of working class and minority groups (including minority ethnic groups, religious communities, homosexuals, transgenders and disable people).

Media Representations I:

On social class for example, given that the production of TV and the film industry is dominated by middle class professionals, consequently their representations of other classes could be distorted and negative.

Media representations of black and ethnic minority groups tend to show them as problematic social groups. For many decades ethnic minorities have been defined by the mainstream media as culturally different.

Disable people are represented as physically or bodily different, showing them as dependent, rather than as living independent lives and are included in media productions precisely because of their disability.

Media Representations II:

Until 1970s most media companies operated within specific domestic markets in accordance with regulations set by national governments. The media industry was also differentiated into distinct sectors – for the most part, cinema, print media, radio and television broadcasting all operated independently from one another.

By the start of 20th century, the global media market was dominated by a group of about 20 multinational corporations ( Monopolization). There also has been a shift from public to private ownership.

More recent changes in media ownership:

Effective from September 2015 | FY10 Sociology week 2 - Society sheffield.ac.uk/international-college

Media Ownership

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Effective from September 2015 | FY10 Sociology week 2 - Society

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The role of media in modern societies is of crucial significance to the sociological thought. As discussed, there are great deal of debates on the capacity of the media in shaping public opinions and their relationships with the sources of power.

Conclusion:

Review Giddens and Sutton (2015), Sociology, chapter 18, The Media (pp768-819) and take notes.

Revise lecture 7 and take some notes of your own reflections on the following topic:

Do the media control and shape our minds?

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Homework: