Sociology Paper 2: The Mass Media Pt 1

Mass media refers to the different forms of mass communication that reach large audiences. The media can be divided into new and old media

Old media

Different types of media

Patterns of media consumption

New media

This includes newspapers and terrestrial new television based on old technology. So the term new media refers to the various media that are based on new technology such as digitisation, rather than on older technology

This includes the internet which is an electronic medium and digital television which is interactive

Broadcasting - This includes television and radio

Electronic media - This includes the internet and email

Press - This includes newspapers and magazine

The digital divide

This is the term used by Boyle in 2005 to describe the division between those who have access to media technology and those who do not.

The media and socialisation

The media helps people make lifestyle choices

The media can reinforce society's values

The media also provides political socialisation which can affect whether they participate in the political process

Media developments

Some of then changes in media developments over the last 30 years include the internet, digital TV, Social networking and Downloading music

These changes give people instant access to information across the world. We are said to live in a "Global Village" as technology has in effect made the world smaller. The spread of this new technology around the world is known as globalisation

The digital divide

This is the term used by Boyle (2005) to describe the division between those who have access to media technology and those who do not

Ownership of the media

Much of the media is owned by a small number of "barons" who own large media companies or empires. E.g. Rupert Murdoch and news international

In Britain media ownership is concentrated in a few hands so potentially this could give some individuals a lot of power to influence the general public and critics of this system say the ownership should be spread out more

There have been changes in the patterns of media consumption like the decline in readership of popular newspapers in the last 15 years, household ownership of a digital TV service has grown steadily since the 1990's, since the late 1990's household internet access has grown

The relationship of the media to crime and deviance

Deviancy amplification is the process by which the media hype up problems to make them appear worse than they are

The media creates moral panics which is a media fuelled public outcry about a particular social group or issues