The 1948 Paramount Decision is a landmark Supreme Court ruling that came out of the 1948 court case, United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. The case was argued on February 9-11, 1948 and was decided on May 3, 1948. In a 7-1 decision, the Court sided with the United States government stating that the practiceContinue reading “1948 Paramount Decision”
Author Archives: profkozma
Ad Agency Structure
Ad Agency Structure is about the structures of business and the development of ads within an advertising agency. Many ad agencies divide the labor of creating an advertisement into four main parts: account planning, creative development, media coordination, and account management (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2017, p. 360). There are also two main types ofContinue reading “Ad Agency Structure”
Agenda Setting
Agenda Setting Theory is a media effects theory that explains how media affects the emphasis viewers place on certain topics happening in society. The ‘catch-phrase’ associated with this theory is that the media does not tell us what to think, it tells us what to think about. Bernard Cohen actually stated this is 1963 referringContinue reading “Agenda Setting”
Anthology Dramas
Anthology Drama is a term that is often associated with modern television programming that is running over multiple seasons (Campbell, Martin, Fabos, 2017). While the overall genera of these programs may differ from show to show, the overall principle that ties these dramas together is the sense of drama and tension, and multiple season runContinue reading “Anthology Dramas”
Association Principle
The association principle is a type of advertising technique that “associates a product with a positive cultural value or image” (Campbell, 2017). This persuasive technique is used even if the association has little to no connection to the actual product. The association principle attempts to convince consumers that there is an innate relationship between aContinue reading “Association Principle”
Affect and Glamour
Thrift’s Construction of Glamour in Practice In Nigel Thrift’s work “Understanding the Material Practices of Glamour” he defines glamour as a particular form of the technology of allure (Thrift, 2010). Thrift draws on concepts from Gabriel Tarde’s understanding of economies, and how they must be engaging, produce value and various mechanisms of fascination (Thrift, 2010).Continue reading “Affect and Glamour”
Avatars (Video Games)
Video game avatars are created by users on various platforms to represent themselves when gaming, either serious or not serious. By definition, an avatar is a “personalized graphical illustration that represents a computer user, or a character or alter ego that represents that user. An avatar can be represented either in three-dimensional form (for example,Continue reading “Avatars (Video Games)”
Banned Books Week
Each year during the last week of September, libraries and communities work to celebrate Banned Books Week. This week embraces books that have been banned or challenged over the years. “Banned” refers to the selection being taken off the shelf while “challenged” means that someone such as a parent or patron have requested to haveContinue reading “Banned Books Week”
Bechdel Test
The Bechdel Test is an examination of a film, book, or any work of fiction in general based on three criteria. For a work of fiction to pass the Bechdel Test, the work must a) have at least two women b) who talk each other c) about something other than a man. If the workContinue reading “Bechdel Test”
Birmingham School
The Birmingham School, better known as the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, was a research center at the University of Birmingham. Founded by Richard Hoggart in 1964, the school played a major role in the development of cultural studies not only in Britain, but across the globe. Cultural studies can be defined as the studyContinue reading “Birmingham School”
Cantril’s Psychology of Panic
In Hadley Cantril’s book The Invasion from Mars: A Study in the Psychology of Panic he examines the effects of the CBS War of the Worlds broadcast. His work used direct but inaccurate examples to analyze the after effects of the broadcast. After the broadcast he analyzed responses from interviewees to conclude that the realityContinue reading “Cantril’s Psychology of Panic”
Black Feminist Thought
Feminist media theory focuses on gender as a crucial instrument in creating and maintaining both symbolic and material worlds along with the experiences people have in them (Laughey, 2007). Black feminist studies falls under feminist media theory, where scholars investigate the roles of both gender and race as tools that shape our world. Black feminismContinue reading “Black Feminist Thought”
Chicago School
The first American academic institution to open a sociology department was the University of Chicago. The university itself was established in 1892, during the progressive Era. Robert E. Park was a very influential figure in the Chicago school, providing it with new perspectives and urban themes. Other key players were Ernest W. Burgess and Louis Wirth,Continue reading “Chicago School”
Citizen Journalism
Citizen Journalism is a grassroots movement in which average citizens, rather than trained/professional journalists, use the internet to relay information and stories. The term “citizen journalism” was created in the year 2000, according to the Salem Press Encyclopedia (Kivak 2016). This form of broadcasting became more popular as people felt a lot of important newsContinue reading “Citizen Journalism”
Collective Intelligence & Modding
Collective Intelligence in the realm of video games have been around since the industry’s formation. Collective Intelligence is the collaboration of gamers and fans of video games working together to share a variety of resources that enhance the experience of gaming. This includes but is not limited to strategy guides, walkthroughs, cheat codes, secrets andContinue reading “Collective Intelligence & Modding”
Commodity-Image System
At its most basic definition, a commodity is an object that is bought or sold in our society. The commodity image system is referring to the process of advertising of these objects and how advertising processes affect our culture. Sut Jhally is a professor at Amherst who wrote “Image Based Culture” in 1990. He saysContinue reading “Commodity-Image System”
Communications Act of 1934
The Communications Act of 1934 was passed on June 19, 1934, during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The means of this Act was for the Government to regulate telephone, telegraph, radio and other broadcasting forms for the public. Through this Act, the United States Government demanded that those licensed to broadcast do so withContinue reading “Communications Act of 1934”
Conflict-Orientated Journalism
Conflict oriented journalism is a term that exists through the continuous evolution of newspapers. Conflict oriented journalism is one of 8 approaches to journalism used in today’s newspapers. It is more of a modern journalistic approach that is more commonly used in today’s newspapers. This type of journalism is defined as front-page news that isContinue reading “Conflict-Orientated Journalism”
Consensus-Orientated Journalism
Consensus oriented journalism is generally found in smaller local newspapers. This particular type of journalism in usually found in small communities, newspapers that promote social and economic harmony by providing community calendars, and meeting notices (Campbell 2017, Martin 2017, Forbes 2017). Also, some of these articles talk about local schools, social events, town government, propertyContinue reading “Consensus-Orientated Journalism”
Critical Race Media Studies
Critical race media studies is defined as the interventionist research frame, with methodological variability, that examines the intersections of culture, race, law, and power in the media. The creation of Critical Race Media Studies comes from the combination of Critical Race Theory and Media Studies. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a critical examination of societyContinue reading “Critical Race Media Studies”
Cult Media
Cult media is a term that exists through the continuous evolution of its own definition. Although there exists no one fixed definition of cult media, several influential scholars have defined sets of criteria that function as a working definition of cult, which include the overlapping categories of audiences (Jenkins 1992, Janvocivh 2002), knowledge/trivia (Hills 2003,Continue reading “Cult Media”
Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies is an academic discipline stemming from the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies. Cultural Studies has its roots in post-World War II Britain, beginning with the Centre’s formation in 1963 (Murphy, 1992). Under a definition provided by the Center itself in early literature, Cultural Studies can be defined as “an interdisciplinary field which dealsContinue reading “Cultural Studies”
Cultural Theory
Culture theory is a concept created and published by Marxist theorist Raymond Williams. Williams published this theory in 1961 in his piece “The Long Revolution.” Williams’ culture theory was inspired by his curiosity in how the structure of feelings and culture/lifestyles changed from generation to generation in Britain. Williams determined that it would be impossibleContinue reading “Cultural Theory”
Culture Industries
In 1944, Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer published their article, “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception.” This article introduced the world to the theory of culture industries from the Frankfurt School. Adorno and Horkheimer developed this theory from living in Nazi Germany, where they witnessed people unthinkingly conform to whatever roles the government prescribed.Continue reading “Culture Industries”
Digital Blackface
Digital blackface is a term that describes types of minstrel performances in which individuals embody blackness through GIFs and memes available, and enabled, through the anonymity of the internet. Reaction GIFs and memes rely on excessive expressions of emotion which are associated with stereotypical displays of blackness. Minstrel performances date back to the early 19thContinue reading “Digital Blackface”
Data Colonialism and the Information Society
Data colonialism is altering society through the generation and collection of personal data. Surfacing at the start of the twenty-first century, large technology corporations including Google and Facebook represent data colonialism. The aspects of a data-driven society common within data colonialism provide grounds for the establishment of the information society theory. Comprised of both restrictedContinue reading “Data Colonialism and the Information Society”
Edward Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge is a well-known pioneer when discussing the development of film. Muybridge is credited as the first person to manipulate photographs in order to make the images appear to be in motion while simultaneously projecting them onto a screen (Fabos & Martin 215-250). He completed this project by using multiple cameras to take consecutiveContinue reading “Edward Muybridge”
The Decatur Study and Personal Influence
Conducted in 1950 by scholars Elihu Katz and Paul Lazarsfield, the Decatur Study surveyed hundreds of women with hopes in discovering the main influencers on their decision-making. Katz and Lazarsfield published the results in 1955 in their work, Personal Influence. The study concluded that face to face exchanges are more influential than mediated interactions inContinue reading “The Decatur Study and Personal Influence”
Digitized Public Sphere
The digitized public sphere has had an impact on Middle Eastern countries, in fact it was one of the causes of the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring uprising was started by people coming together online on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Facebook in particular was critical to the uprising in Tunisia because citizensContinue reading “Digitized Public Sphere”
Encoding/Decoding
The encoding/decoding model of communication is a system that describes how media messages are produced, circulated, and consumed by people in society. The model was developed by Stuart Hall, a cultural studies scholar and theorist, in 1973. Hall was an influential member of the Birmingham School and his creation of encoding and decoding has madeContinue reading “Encoding/Decoding”
Episodic-Chapter TV Show
Episodic-Chapter Shows are stories that have a recurring set of characters who deal with conflict and resolution (Campbell 2017). It is the opposite of serial programs, which are shows that have a continuous storyline (Campbell 2017). Episodic-Chapter Shows can be watched and completely understood by viewers who have never seen a single episode of theContinue reading “Episodic-Chapter TV Show”
Episodic-Serial TV Show
Episodic-serial TV shows are a type of fictitious tv programming that are commonly seen aired on major networks such as NBC, ABC, FOX, and HBO. These programs can vary in subject matter covered. An episodic-serial shows’ focus of the plot is usually over a whole season, rather than individual episodes. Shows like Game of ThronesContinue reading “Episodic-Serial TV Show”
Fairness Doctrine
The 1927 Radio Act stated that licensees did not own their own channels but could only license them as long as they operated to serve the “public interest, convenience, or necessity” (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos 2017). The introduction of this act brought private, sensitive matters to the eyes and ears of listeners all over theContinue reading “Fairness Doctrine”
Eroticism
Georges Bataille’s book Erotism: Death and Sensuality discusses eroticism in comparison to death, both as ways to escape discontinuity between beings. He addresses social structure through eroticism, death, and taboo. Bataille draws on the differences that are established between social hierarchies to support his notion that we are discontinuous beings. Discontinuity suggests that everyone isContinue reading “Eroticism”
Feminist Media Studies
Despite the growth and expansion of the feminist movement throughout the twentieth century, Feminist Media Studies did not become a known paradigm until the late 1970s. Feminist Media Studies uses feminist ideals and principles in researching and analyzing media, focusing on stereotypes, socialization, and ideologies of gender. Feminist media arguably began with the start ofContinue reading “Feminist Media Studies”
The Final Girl
Film Exhibition
Film exhibition, or the act of showing a film, has changed drastically over time in the United States. It began after the fall of the Edison trust and the Motion Picture Patents Company. With these institutions out of the way, theater were then allowed to expand on their own. This expansion began with the 1910’sContinue reading “Film Exhibition”
Fourth Screens
In contemporary media, screen technology is proving itself to be an enduring and critical piece of communications and media studies. The fourth screen has been recognized as a more accessible compilation of each of the earlier screening technologies. Therefore, to fully explain fourth screens, we must begin by identifying first, second, and third screens. TheContinue reading “Fourth Screens”
John Fiske and the Resilience of the Popular Economy
In 1987, John Fiske defined the theory of popular economy to discover how popular culture evolves from those who would consume the products of mass culture. His theory can be found in the final chapter of his book Television Culture that deals with the medium of television (Fiske, 2011/1987). The popular economy theory describes aContinue reading “John Fiske and the Resilience of the Popular Economy”
Framing
Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt School is unique in comparison to other communication and media studies schools in that it is the result of a culmination of many different subject materials and areas of study. Ultimately, the Frankfurt School approach is the combination of such subjects as social and critical theory, philosophy, economics, psychoanalysis, and Marxism (McLaughlin 1999).Continue reading “Frankfurt School”
GamerGate
The GamerGate controversy was a misogynistic firestorm concerning sexism in gaming culture that began in 2014 (Campbell 2017, Martin 2017, Fabos 2017) when computer programmer Eron Gjoni claimed that his ex-girlfriend, game designer Zoe Quinn, cheated on him with a writer at Kotaku, a well-known gamers’ website (Campbell 2017, Martin 2017, Fabos 2017). Hundreds ofContinue reading “GamerGate”
Gender Trouble
The lines between the perceived genders of male and female get blurred every day. This is how gender trouble is created. Judith Butler’s idea of gender trouble is that gender is not natural. Instead, gender is performative and when it is performed out of bounds this creates gender trouble (Butler, 1990). Media is a placeContinue reading “Gender Trouble”
Golden Age of Hollywood
The Golden Age of Hollywood began roughly in 1915 in Hollywood California, and lasted until its eventual decline during the post-World War II era. During this time Hollywood and the films, it produced underwent a drastic evolution which resulted in the development of a “Hollywood style”, technological innovation, fame for actors and actresses, and filmContinue reading “Golden Age of Hollywood”
Golden Age of Radio
The Golden Age of Radio is a term that refers to a specific time period in which radio started to become and was an extremely popular mass medium. In the 1920s, weather forecasts, farm reports, and regular radio news analysis began (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2017). The rise of serial situation comedies and the for-profitContinue reading “Golden Age of Radio”
Harold Laswell
Harold Dwight Lasswell Was born on February 13, 1902 and died December 18, 1978. Over the course of his life “he authored more than 30 books and 250 scholarly articles” (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica) and made major contributions to disciplines such as Political Science, Legal Education, and Communications. Following his undergraduate studies in philosophyContinue reading “Harold Laswell”
Heteronormativity
During the second wave in the 1970s, feminists closed in on what could possibly be the source of women’s oppression (Ingraham, 2017). Chrys Ingraham elaborated on the theory feminists proposed during this time to what is the central fountainhead of women’s oppression :heteronormativity. Ingraham summarizes what most feminists during this time period understood heteronormativity. SheContinue reading “Heteronormativity”
Hollywood Ten
During the heated time around the Cold War in 1947, members of Congress started investigating Hollywood for having suspected ties with the Communist Party. The House Un-American Activities Committee, or HUAC for short, began aggressively hunting for any communist ties or political radicals in the film industry which then led to the now famous, HollywoodContinue reading “Hollywood Ten”
Hyperreality and Simulacra
Hyperreality and simulacra are some of the most perplexing and sometimes ludicrous theories in the postmodernity area of media studies. Although when correctly understood, they can reveal a new dimension of postmodernity in which the very structure and creation of reality it critically dissected. Power and control are the underlying concerns of theorists in thisContinue reading “Hyperreality and Simulacra”
Hypodermic Needle Theory
The earliest definition of Hypodermic Needle Theory (HNT) comes from journalist Walter Lippmann’s book Public Opinion, saying that the growth of mass media culture has powerful effects on the minds and behavior of people (Lippmann, 1922). Although there was no actual evidence to back up his argument, his claim is the earliest version of HNTContinue reading “Hypodermic Needle Theory”
Illuminated Manuscripts
Illuminated manuscript was a method of communication during the medieval era in which book-like text was decorated using the likes of silver, gold, and decorative designs (Campbell et al., 2017). The main purpose of illuminated manuscript was to communicate an idea using visual aid or simple language due to the high illiteracy rates at theContinue reading “Illuminated Manuscripts”
Information Society
In the information society the media is the central holder of information that comes in many different forms like films, television, radio, and print. It is a society in which every aspect of information such as its “creation, distribution, access and use” (Karvalics, 2007, p. 10) are the height of economic and cultural activity. InContinue reading “Information Society”
Indie Films
Though indie films do not have a single or succinct definition, indie films are most commonly defined as films made outside the influence of the major Hollywood studio system. Typically, indie films are made with an extremely small budget or sometimes no budget at all. These films are known for being alternative to mainstream HollywoodContinue reading “Indie Films”
Interpretative Journalism
The idea of interpretive journalism is going beyond the typical fact-based, objective journalism and covering the more opinion based, larger background illustrations of journalism (Salgado & Strömbäck, 2011). There is more of an emphasis on the motives and significance of an event, stated by Salgado and Strömbäck (2011), rather than truth or empirical information ofContinue reading “Interpretative Journalism”
Intersectionality
Intersectionality can be defined as a way to bridge that gap between two or more identity positions. The article “On Black Feminist Thought: Thinking Oppression and Resistance Through Intersectional Paradigm” states: “A significant aspect of critical studies of intersectionality is their relation to power and stratification. What distinguishes black feminist thought is that it isContinue reading “Intersectionality”
Investigative Journalism
Investigative Journalism refers to the type of journalism in which the journalist conducts an in-depth examination on a topic with the goal to reveal corruption so that people in high power are held accountable for their wrong doings (Singh 2014). Investigative journalism is important in society because it is one of the ways in whichContinue reading “Investigative Journalism”
Lasswell’s Chain of Communication
Theorist Harold Lasswell created the chain of communication theory in 1948. This theory analyzes the way people communicate. Lasswell’s chain of communication was considered a “pioneering theoretical model of media effects” (Laughey, 2007, p.08). Lasswell focused on the five different types of analysis: control, content, media, audience, and effect (Laughey, 2007, p.09). These analyses haveContinue reading “Lasswell’s Chain of Communication”
Liberal Press Theory
Liberal press theory is an idea that goes back centuries. The idea of liberal press theory is that in order for the people of a society to be informed they must have the ability to speak freely and be able to their express ideas regarding what is going on in the world. However, throughout centuriesContinue reading “Liberal Press Theory”
Literary Journalism
Literary journalism is when artistic writing is inserted into a journalistic story to add value to a piece of writing. By allowing artistic creativity, literary journalism can tell a more robust story. Therefore, literary journalism is a genre of writing which incorporates a narrative prose with a little blur and exaggeration to relay a story.Continue reading “Literary Journalism”
Lumiere Brothers
Auguste and Louis Lumiere are two brothers from France who were known to be inventors and some of the first filmmakers in the history of cinema. They were born in Barsançon, France (Auguste in 1862 and Louis in 1864). Their father was a well known painter and started a photography business in Lyon, France, whereContinue reading “Lumiere Brothers”
The Male Gaze
Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze is based on Freudian constructions of the psyche. Sigmund Freud was a psychologist who developed the practice of psychoanalysis which examines the conscious and unconscious areas of the mind. Mulvey uses psychoanalysis to highlight the patriarchal structure of women in films. A Freudian concept that is present throughoutContinue reading “The Male Gaze”
McDonaldization
George Ritzer created his theory of McDonaldization in 1993. Ritzer was able to do this by analyzing the economic practices that McDonalds employs. Ritzer claims that these practices have a huge impact on the structure of global corporations as well as everyday life (Ritzer, 2013). Ritzer was able to utilize many past theorists because hisContinue reading “McDonaldization”
Marxist Exploitation Theory and Racial Inequality
Marxist exploitation theory is one which seeks to explain how people are mistreated within the production process and how workplace inequalities come to exist (Dymski, 1997). Ultimately, the goal of the theory is to not only point out the injustices which are taking place, but to also offer possible solutions for societal change. It claimsContinue reading “Marxist Exploitation Theory and Racial Inequality”
Mean World Syndrome
The term ‘mean world syndrome’ was created by George Gerbner who was a well-known journalist researching television content and the works of cultivation theory. George Gerbner was born in Hungary on August 8th, 1919 and moved to America when he was older to begin his college studies at University of California, Los Angeles. He thenContinue reading “Mean World Syndrome”
Media Oligopolies
The term oligopoly, according to Richard Campbell, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Farbos in Media and Culture: Mass Communications in a Digital Age, refers to “an organizational structure” in the economic systems of the media, in which “a few firms control most of an industry’s production and distribution resources” (221). This system of complete dominationContinue reading “Media Oligopolies”
The Medium is the Message
Myth Analysis
Myth analysis is one of the most important methods that can be implemented when analyzing advertisements and marketing campaigns. This is not, however, referring mythology and folklore—at least not in most cases. Rather, myth analysis refers to “a strategy for critiquing advertising that provides insights into how ads work on a cultural level; according toContinue reading “Myth Analysis”
Software Studies
Software studies is the study of evolution and use of software in media. Software has been evolving constantly throughout recent years. Media has become more and more reliant on technology in order to distribute itself to the masses much more efficiently. Using technology, media can appear anywhere in an instance using media like social mediaContinue reading “Software Studies”
Meritocracy
Meritocracy has several definitions, one being “a system structured around advancement of people who are selected on the basis of individual achievement” (Littler, 2018, p. 24). The ideal meritocracy is one where leaders are determined based on the successes they achieved through hard work and perseverance. Although meritocracy has histories all around the world, itsContinue reading “Meritocracy”
Nickelodeons
According to the book Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication by Campbell, Martin and Fabos (2013), “nickelodeons are a form of movie theater whose name combines the admission price with the Greek word for theater” (p.192). The first nickelodeon was introduced in 1905 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania by Harry Davis and pioneered in AmericaContinue reading “Nickelodeons”
Nielsen Media Research
Nielson has been the major organization that tracks and rates prime-time viewing audiences since 1950. They estimate what viewers are watching in the nation’s major markets. Nielsen main goal is to “provide advertisers, broadcast networks, local stations, and cable channels with considerable details about viewers-from race and gender to age, occupation, and educational background (CampbellContinue reading “Nielsen Media Research”
Objective Journalism
Objective journalism is a model within the journalism world that revolves around hard facts, instead of opinion. This type of journalism is supposed to be unbiased, which discredits any opinion columns. These articles must include verified facts, and if they aren’t verified, you as the writer are held accountable. It follows the inverted-pyramid style ofContinue reading “Objective Journalism”
Online Advertising
Prior to the internet, marketing had many physical obstacles, ranging from time zone differences to currency exchange rates. Today, the physical store has evolved into a virtual marketplace where sellers and buyers can do business all without ever leaving their home. The advent of web business also brought on web advertising. Online Advertising, also knownContinue reading “Online Advertising”
Pastiche
The topic of pastiche in modern society is extremely applicable to multiple different fields. Because of this, theorists like Fredric Jameson have written pieces mentioning the term pastiche and applying it to their respected fields. The initial focus in Jameson’s work was the way pastiche has an effect on and has been affected by theoriesContinue reading “Pastiche”
Patent Medicine Advertising
Patent medical advertising, also known as patent medicine advertising, or simply patent medicine, is a type of advertising that uses bright images and often false slogans to convince people to buy a product. The staple of patent medical advertising is over-the-top, colorful ads filled with unverified claims of remedy. Manufacturers could put things such asContinue reading “Patent Medicine Advertising”
Penny Press
Penny press is a term that refers to the one cent newspapers that began circulation in the 1830s because advancement in printing technology. These newspapers allowed news to become a mass medium because of their increased accessibility to the lower and middle class compared to the more expensive newspapers of the past. Benjamin Day, theContinue reading “Penny Press”
Trans Visibility
Transgender media studies are an avenue of study that focuses on the visibility, representation, and culture surrounding the transgender community. Central to the issues and theory surrounding the construction of the transgender identity are the ideas of taboo and the ideas of concealing one’s identity as opposed to visibility of one’s identity. The theory ofContinue reading “Trans Visibility”
Political Economy of Communication and Media
Political economy examines how power and economics are related, and how they influence mass media, social, political, and economic structuration. The tradition of political economy developed alongside the great capitalist revolution in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. In reaction to the social and commercial transformation created by capitalism early political economists looked toContinue reading “Political Economy of Communication and Media”
Postfeminism
Postfeminism acts as an antidote to feminism and believes in “the active disavowal of feminism as a necessary politics” (Banet-Weiser, 2018, 153). Feminism is a movement that endorses the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Feminism and the fight for gender equality have been around since first-wave feminism began in the late 19thContinue reading “Postfeminism”
Postmodern Feminism
Postmodern feminism explores the idea of gendered writing and rejects those concepts. Postmodern feminism can be broken down into postmodernity and feminist theory. Postmodernity traditionally refers to the social, political, technological, and economic changes that have led to a globalization and mass culture (Laughey, 2007). Feminism studies refers to the diverse ideologies and understanding ofContinue reading “Postmodern Feminism”
Primary Advertising Strategies
Advertisements come in many different shapes and sizes including, classified ads, business-to-business ads, and conspicuous ads which point to specific “advertisements that shape product images and brand-name identities” (Campbell, Maritn, & Fabos, 2017: 353). Vaughn (1979: 27) described advertising as an impersonal, one-way exchange experience. To make up for this, advertisements make greater use ofContinue reading “Primary Advertising Strategies”
Priming
Printing Press
A printing press is a device which aids in printing by transferring ink from one surface to another medium. The first printing press with metallic moveable type was developed amidst the Renaissance by a German inventor named Johannes Gutenberg. Though other methods of printing existed prior to Gutenberg’s press, this invention enabled mass production ofContinue reading “Printing Press”
Process School of Communication
In communication and media studies, models of communication guide processes of human interaction. In order to study communications, it is necessary to examine the use of models (Carey, 1982). The process school is a model of communication that is mainly concerned with the efficiency and accuracy of the transmission of messages. A message is definedContinue reading “Process School of Communication”
Product Placement
Product Placement is defined as the advertising practice of strategically placing products in movies, TV shows, comic books, and video games so that the products appear as part of a story’s set environment (Campbell, Martin, Fabos, 2017). It is used by marketing departments in companies to pair a certain product with a form of mediaContinue reading “Product Placement”
Production (Film)
Production has come along way since the early 1900’s. In the 1930’s movie production had become a booming business, the studios that promoted and exhibited these films controlled them. Making people that owned these studios extremely rich. This was completely shutdown in 1948, after a series of court appeals, the Supreme Court ruled against theContinue reading “Production (Film)”
Production Studies
Production studies is a term that developed during the rediscovery of the mass communication. In the 1970s, some social and political scholars focused on the mass communicator and their organization and industries. In the decades since this era of rediscovery, substantial research effort has been devoted to understanding how professional mass communicators, their organizations, andContinue reading “Production Studies”
Propaganda
Propaganda is any type of mass communication strategically placed in order to gain public support for an issue, program, or policy. It includes, but is not limited to, media such as advertising or publicity. (Campbell et al, 2017). Propaganda has traditionally been used by governments in order to rally people behind political agendas that inContinue reading “Propaganda”
Public Sphere
In 1964, German philosopher Jürgen Habermas defined the public sphere as “a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed” (Habermas, 1974, p. 51). Apart from this, he states that public sphere is the bridge that connects society and state (Soules, 2007). Because of the public sphere, individuals can congregate,Continue reading “Public Sphere”
Queer Media Studies
Queer media studies are the lens of queer principles and politics to researching media texts, processes, industries, and sociocultural constructions. It is methodologically and theoretically diverse. Specific psychological, political, and cultural codes have elevated heterosexuality to the status of a sexual “given”. Those codes include the fact that initially heterosexuality was used to describe behaviorsContinue reading “Queer Media Studies”
Queer Social Theory
What, exactly, is “queerness?” The term is used in reference to sex, gender, sexuality, and more, but to which of these does it actually apply? Further, what does “queer” oppose? Other terms we generally think of as being related have a seemingly direct antonym. Terms like “gay” or “homosexual” oppose “straight” and “heterosexual,” respectively, butContinue reading “Queer Social Theory”
Radio Act of 1912
Radio Act of 1927
The Radio Act of 1927, which began as the Dill White Bill, was passed on February 18, 1927 and signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on February 23, 1927. It is Public Law Number 632 by the 69th Congress. The law constructed the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), which was charged with regulating radio. InContinue reading “Radio Act of 1927”
The Repressive Hypothesis
A frequent topic of evasion is sex, simply because it is considered too taboo to talk about in everyday conversation. The rare time sex is freely mentioned is in the media, where it is frequently assigned a negative connotation. However, it is never thoroughly explained in the media and mostly just thrown into the mixContinue reading “The Repressive Hypothesis”
Ritual View of Communication
Ritual view of communication, while typically thought of as “archaic,” is a way of communicating and analyzing various aspects of communication through a sacred, religious way. It essentially derives from a view of religion that incorporates sermons and highlights the role of prayer in the construction of certain media (Carey, 2009: 15). Ritual views referContinue reading “Ritual View of Communication”
Selective Perception Theory
Selective perception theory, also known as selective exposure, is the theory that an audience’s interpretation of media is dependent on their personal beliefs. The public willingly chooses to consume media that aligns with their principals. If they consume media that does not reflect their ideas, the audience will view and construe the medium’s content inContinue reading “Selective Perception Theory”
Semiotic School of Communication
The Semiotic School of Communication is a term coined by John Fiske in his book Introduction to Communication Studies. According to Fiske, their are two ways of studying communication, one being the process school and the other being the semiotic school. The process school, in short, is centered on the transmission of messages and understandingContinue reading “Semiotic School of Communication”
Sitcom (TV)
Sitcoms are a television medium that typically air during primetime at night. Sitcom stands for situation-based comedy. They feature a recurring cast from season to season. The plot typically revolves around complications among the cast. There is minimal character development. The characters of the cast are static in their personalities. Instead of character development, theContinue reading “Sitcom (TV)”
Sketch Comedy (TV)
Sketch comedies also known as short comedy skits originated from variety shows which consisted of singing, dancing, and many other forms of entertainment (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2017). Sketch comedies are often played in front of a live studio audience and although they are scripted there are elements of improv in their segments as wellContinue reading “Sketch Comedy (TV)”
Social Gaming
Social Gaming is the term used within media studies to describe a style of gaming that involves social interaction among players. Social games are more commonly referred to as Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), or games that use the internet to connect tens of thousands of players into one playing platform at any given timeContinue reading “Social Gaming”
Social Media Advertising
Social media is a term for different online websites that may offer space for a wide variety of social actions allows users to create a personal profile and connect with others to share posts, images, and videos (Mercadal 2013). When companies utilize social media websites to advertise products they are implementing the use of socialContinue reading “Social Media Advertising”
Spectacle
Guy Debord was a French theorist that became an important part of postmodernity and shaped the theory of the spectacle and its role in society during the 1960s. He is particularly interesting with the fact that he often put his theory into practice with his creation of the situationist group that often protested against societalContinue reading “Spectacle”
Subliminal Advertising
Syndication (TV)
Technological Determinism
Technological determinism is a reductionist theory that claims that technology shapes society. According to this theory, technology inevitably enhances on a traceable path that can be followed and correlated with the enhancement of society. Determinism refers to a relationship between two things that involves a “predetermined result” (Papageorgiou, T.) Technology is defined as the useContinue reading “Technological Determinism”
Telecommunications Act of 1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is a federal law of the United States of America that governs the communications industries of telephone, internet, radio, television, and cable. (Econmides 1988) History of the Act Before the Telecommunications Act of 1996, there was a law known as the 1934 Communications Act, which governed telephone and television. (EconmidesContinue reading “Telecommunications Act of 1996”
Textual Analysis
Textual analysis is a method in cultural and media studies that critically examines and interprets the meanings of culture through texts (Campbell, R., Martin, C. R., & Fabos, B. 2017). Texts can be defined as any “unit of meaning for interpretation and understanding” (Ouellette & Gray, 2017), though cultural studies views texts broadly as anythingContinue reading “Textual Analysis”
Third Screens
In a media studies lens, computers are the third screen that consumers use to view content, with movie screens and television screens existing as the first and second, respectively (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2017). Computers can be used to access movies, television, books, magazines, newspapers, music, and a vast amount of other content. The technologicalContinue reading “Third Screens”
TV Show Genres
Two-Step Flow of Communication
The Two-Step flow of communication was originally derived by Lazersfield and a group of sociologist in 1944 (Katz, 1957). Eleven years later Katz adapted the model (Katz, 1957). The original hypothesis of the Two-Step Flow of communication, described a verbal flow of communication. In which mass media flows to opinion leaders and then audience (opinionContinue reading “Two-Step Flow of Communication”