Slide 1

Joseph R. Dominick
University of Georgia--
Athens

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Slide 2

Part I

The
Nature and History
of
Mass Communication
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Chapter 2

Perspectives on
Mass Communication
Chapter Outline

Paradigms for Study

Functional Analysis
Functions of Mass Communication for Society
(macroanalytical)
Functions of Mass Communication for Society
(microanalytical)
Critical / Cultural Perspective
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Slide 4

Paradigms for Study

A paradigm is a model or pattern

that a person uses to analyze
something.

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Paradigms for Study

Functional approach to mass communication

How do people use it?
What benefits do people receive from it?
Critical/cultural approach to mass
communication
What are its power relationships?
How do people interpret it?
What does it mean to people?

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Paradigms for Study

Example: Operation Iraqi Freedom
March 19, 2003
War dominated media reporting for 6 weeks
Functional perspective
Why did people watch?
What did they get out of it?
Critical/cultural perspective
Questions of objectivity
Role of corporate ownership of the media

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Functional Analysis
Two levels of analysis
Macroanalysis
Wide-angle lens
What is the intention of the source?
What is the purpose of the communication?
Microanalysis
Close-up lens
What does the receiver receive?
What does the receiver do with the communication?

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Functions of Mass Communication

for Society (macroanalytical)
Surveillance
Warning surveillance
example: weather reports and storm warnings
Instrumental surveillance
example: stock market prices
Consequences
Speed of propagation of truth and error
Most news is not verifiable by receiver
Credibility and Conferral
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Slide 9

Functions of Mass Communication

for Society (macroanalytical)

Interpretation
Selective inclusion
Express viewpoints and analysis
Linkage
Buyers and sellers example: eBay
Specialized communities example: MMORPGs
Individuals and experts
Overreliance
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Slide 10

Functions of Mass Communication

for Society (macroanalytical)

Transmission of Values
Also called socialization function
Example: advertisements and motherhood
Entertainment
Also called diversion function
Diversion through mass communication
has profound cultural effects

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Functions of Mass Communication

for Society (microanalytical)

At micro level, functional analysis called

use-and-gratifications model
Needs satisfied by media called media
gratifications
Surveys are typical research approach

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Functions of Mass Communication

for Society (microanalytical)

Cognition
Information about current events
General information
Diversion
Stimulation Relaxation
Emotional release
Social utility conversational currency
Withdrawal creation of barriers
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Conditions on Functional Approach

Audience use of a medium depends on

Message content
Social context
Assumptions include
Receivers control their media usage
Competing activities exist
People verbalize their motivations
accurately
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Slide 14

Critical / Cultural Perspective

Contrast with functional perspective

More qualitative
More humanities-oriented
Macroanalytic
Role of media and its relation to
Ideology Culture
Politics Social Structure

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Critical/Cultural Perspective

History
Marx and the Frankfurt School
1930s 40s
Who controls the means of production?
British Modification
1950s 60s
Media/individual relationship is more complex
Feminist Movement Influence
1970s 80s
Patriarchical bias is reinforced by media

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Slide 16

Critical/Cultural Perspective

Culture
common values, practices, and rules that
bind people together
Text
object of analysis (programs, films, ads)
Meaning
interpretations audiences take away from
media text

2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Critical/Cultural Perspective
Polysemic
different person, different meaning
Ideology
text-embedded beliefs, particularly
social and political themes
Hegemony
domination and control accepted by both
groups with continual negotiation
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.