Introduction
I never knew John B. Thompson is a writer in the field of social science and sociology until I read one of his books. He is the author of the book: The Media and Modernity: A Social Theory of the Media. As a professor of sociology and a fellow of Jesus College in Cambridge, he brings out the aspect of social science in the media through in his book. The book is among the most interesting books I have ever read because Thompson explains the relationship between media and modernity using the social theory of the media. As I went through the contents of the book, I could easily see how he uses his study of communication in social contexts.
Summary and Analysis
In the book, Thompson makes it easy for the reader to understand mass communication in depth. He focuses on the application of mass communication in the contemporary times. He begins by defining the word ‘mass’ in which he argues that the media today does not target the mass but niche markets. I agree with him on the fact that the term ‘mass’ is misleading. It appeals to a vast audience composed of millions of individuals. He uses the most popular day newspaper as an example to illustrate this argument. I see it in films and television programs too. The society that I live in has several categories of audiences. In all social gatherings such as church meetings and cases where the target group of distinct information consists of specific character traits, I normally observe what Thomson refers to as ‘undifferentiated individuals’ (Thomson13).
As I read the book, I got some insight on the use of the word ‘communication’. At first, I could not understand what Thomson meant by “overwhelmingly one way” (Thomson 14), until he contrasted it with face-to-face communicatio...
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...n to me. Through the book, one can easily see himself of herself in the description of the society today.
Conclusion
This is a resourceful book that I would highly recommend to individuals who desire to understand the original theory of the media and how it has affected the modern world. Security agencies and managers in the information departments can learn a lot from the book. It also shows the developments in the media industry from the emergence of printing to the recent media characterized by cutting edge technology. Thompson’s book is a perfect remedy for media-related challenges in the modern world because it explains with real-life examples how mass communication has developed over time. Even though the book offers a few suggestions about the future development of mass communication, a reader can certainly tell that it can only get better and more personal.
Dizard, Wilson, Jr. Old Media New Media: Mass Communications in The Information Age. New York: Longman, 2000.
Lorimer , R., Gasher, M., & Skinner, D. (2008). Mass communication in canada. (6 ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Joseph STRAUBHAAR and Robert LaROSE (2002). Media Now. Communication Media in the Information Age. 3rd Edition. Belmont, Wadworth/Tompson Learning.
The issue of the relationship between the mass media and the popular culture has always been a controversial issue in social sciences. The political economists insist on the role of the media industry in the creation of this phenomenon of the twentieth century. Though, advocates such as John Fiske, argue that popular culture is actually the creation of the populous itself, and is independent of the capitalist production process of the communication sector. Basing his argument on the immense interpretive power of the people, Fiske believes that the audience is able to break all the indented meanings within a media message. He also believes- by giving new meanings to that specific message they can oppose the power block that is trying to impose its ideology to the public. Consequently, this anarchistic activity of the audience creates the popular culture as a defence mechanism. Even when we accept Fiske’s ideas, we can not disregard the manipulative power of the media and its effects on cultural and social life.
Mass media is designed to reach large audiences through the use of technology. Its purpose is
The media, including television programming, cartoons, film, the news, as well as literature and magazines, is a very powerful and pervasive medium for expression. It can reach a large number of people and convey ideas, cultural norms, stereotypic roles, power relationships, ethics, and values. Through these messages, the mass media may have a strong influence on individual behavior, views, and values, as well as in shaping national character and culture. Although there is a great potential for the media to have a positive and affirming effect on the public and society at large, there may be important negative consequences when the messages conveyed are harmful, destructive, or violent.
David. "Mass Media and the Loss of Individuality." Web log post. Gatlog. N.p., 11 Sept. 2007. Web. 10 May 2014.
Mass Media. Ed. William Dudley. Farmington Hills, MI: Thompson Gale, 2005. 121-130.
Newspaper, radio, film, television. These are only a few of the various forms media can take. From the moment we open our eyes to the instant we shut them, we are surrounded by media and absorb the information it hurls at us in an osmosis-like manner. The news ranges from the latest terror attack and political scandals to supposed UFO sightings and scandals involving sandals. We as an audience tend to focus more on the message the media relays rather than on the medium in which it is presented to us. “What?” is asked more than “How?” The key claim Marshall McLuhan makes in his book, The Medium is the Massage, is that the form of media influences how the message is perceived. Let’s illustrate this with a scenario: it’s eight o’clock in the morning.
For years, the population has been exposed to different forms of media. Newspapers, magazines, television, films, radio, and more recently the Internet are ways of promoting ideas, spreading news, and advertising products.
Media or medium of communication has been conceptualized to effect and drive information to the greater masses because it’s the venue where information can be linear form of communication. This essay will discuss what it is meant by media according to online Business Dictionary defines as the communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data, or promotional messages are disseminated.” This may include broadcasting and narrowcasting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet, the Business Dictionary further includes in this definition.
Joseph STRAUBHAAR and Robert LaROSE (2002). Media Now. Communications Media in the Information Age. 3rd Edition. Belmont, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
Throughout the previous years, the effect of mass media has produced exponentially with the innovation of technology. Initially there were books, tabloids, journals, photography, movies, broadcast, TV, New Media of the Internet, and now mass media. Nowadays, each individual are most depended on the news media and gossips to preserve their lives moving within everyday accomplishments. We trust the mass media for the existing newscast and evidences concerning anything that is significant and what we must be conscious of. We rely on the media as a consultant for gossip, info, and amusement. The amount of authority varies on the obtainability of media. All of the customary mass media partake excessive impact throughout our existence. For example the 20th century port...
Mass communication is to use a source or medium to reach a large audience to communicate your message. People are communicating with each other since the evaluation of human, and with the passage of time it become more and more advance. After the emergence of media and development of new technologies, it gave birth to different media theories and these theories showed a transformation over the last two decades. Mass media communication theories divides in four following eras:
Media technologies are becoming an important aspect of today’s society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. Media is commonly defined as being a channel of communication. Radio, newspapers, and television are all examples of media. It is impossible to assume that media is made up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own control upon the information being supplied to media users. Since many people use media very frequently, it is obvious to assume that it has affects on people. According to the text book Media Now, "media effects are changes in knowledge, attitude, or behavior that result from exposure to the mass media," (386). This leaves us with many unanswered questions about media and its influences. This paper will look at how the effects of media are determined and explore the main affects on today’s society - violence, prejudice, and sexual behavior.