Ch t 15

Chapter
Keeping Pace
with Innovations

Adopting a Medium
Elite-Popularization-Specialization (EPS) Cycle
A theory of mass media
adoption: Suggests that all
mass communication media
are first introduced to (or by)
elites, get dispersed among
the popular masses, and
finally are expanded in
availability so that content
can become specialized

15-2

Adopting a Medium (cont

(contd
d))
Phase One: Elites
Expensive,
Expensive Traditional power structures
Federal Communications Commission
Established by the Communications Act of 1934; is responsible to
Congress and charged with regulating both national and
international communication in the U.S.

Phase Two: Popularization

Promotion,
Promotion Part of the culture
Informal self-literacy and Economic forces

Phase Three: Specialization

Demassification
Occurs when mass media saturate a given market and then
shift perspective to capture niche audiences

More media and audience specialization: Target

15-3

The Role of Change Agents in

the Diffusion of Innovations
Proposed by Rogers
Interpersonal networks sometimes have more
to do with the adoption of new ideas than the
ideas themsel
themselves
es

Innovators
Early Adopters
Early Majority
Late Majority
L
Laggards
d

2.5% of the average sample

13.5% of the average sample
34% of the average sample
34% of the average sample
16% of the average sample

Change agent
An
An individual who influences clients
clients innovation-decisions in a
direction deemed desirable by a change agency
15-4

Decentralizing Our World

15-5

Decentralizing
g Our World
(contd)
Decentralizing Government
Finding Government Information Online
http://www.state.ny.us/

Gate-Keeping
Many officials can be located and contacted
without much,, if any,
y, gate-keeping
g
p g

Bypassing the Traditional Media

Election campaigns
15-6

Decentralizing
g Our World
(contd)
Decentralizing Education
Self-Instruction
The user can teach himself

Decentralizing the Institution and the Classroom

Large rise in equipment being used
Decentralized campus

The Rise of the Virtual University

Distance Learning
Term used for courses delivered to students who are not physically
on campus

Decentralizing the Children

Internet access in every school and classroom
15-7

Decentralizing Our World

(contd)
Decentralizing the
Economy
The dot com era
The information
t h l
technology
sector
t

15-8

Decentralizing Our World

(contd)
Decentralizing the Economy (contd)
The Virtual Office
Work anywhere, anytime
Email is commonplace
Intranet
An internal Internet for employees to access information
about a company; not meant for public consumption

15-9

Decentralizing
g Our World
(contd)
Decentralizing the Community
Communityy discussions
Community networks 4 goals
Concept of community
Interest communities and the Internet

15-10

Decentralizing
g Our World
(contd)
Decentralizing
D
t li i th
the IIndividual
di id l
Logical Diversity and Desensitization
Sensitization versus Desensitization
Both at work

Social Isolation
Blessing
Curse

Lifestyle Impacts
Less time talking with friends and family
Less time with friends and family
Less time away from home at actual events
15-11

Resources: Keeping Pace with

the Internet
Keep on learning through
through.
Mailing Lists, Discussion Groups, and Online
Journals for topics of interest
Internet
I t
t Scout
S
t Report
R
t (http://scout.wisc.edu)
(htt //
t i
d )

News Alerts
Keep current with real-time news

Bookmark Web Sites

Remember favorites

Magazines
Computer magazines

Books
Greater
G t depth
d th
15-12