While media might enlighten us, these images also _______ reality.
distort
i.e. all mentally ill people are trying to kill you.
The power of media to influence what we think about and how we think.
Agenda Setting
“We judge as important what the media judges as important.” (McCombs & Shaw, 1972)
The media feels Ebola is important even though I have better odds of winning the lottery than catching it. I start to think it's important.
Also, OJ Simpson
Who sets the agenda in Agenda Setting?
News editors (Gatekeepers): decides which piece gets published and which does not.
Political candidates: Each election, a few political agendas simmer to the top and the media picks them up, gay marriage, Abortion
Public relations professionals: send out news releases to be published.
Interest Groups (Lobbyists)
News events themselves: A bombing would set the agenda
True or False: The agenda in Agenda Setting might not represent reality.
True
White girls kidnapped hit the media, but they were proportionately smaller than the number of hispanic/black girls etc were disappearing.
Examines the long-term effects of media: the more time people spend ‘living’ in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social reality portrayed on television.
Cultivation Theory
Positive correlation between TV viewing and fear of becoming a victim of a crime
Light viewing habits predicted 1 out of 100 odds of becoming a victim
Heavy viewing habits predicted 1 out of 10 odds of becoming a victim
Reality: 1 out of 10,000 odds of becoming a victim.
Music videos skewed perceptions of how much the average american consumes alcohol by 240%.
Leadership, dominance, or great influence that one group of people have over others.
Hegemony
Ads communicate strong values about what it means to be a man and a woman.
Hegemony in Ads
The process by which people consent to particular understandings as reflected in media representations.