What have I learned in this class?

This class has taught me about how the media is a part of every aspect of our lives even if it is not blatantly obvious. The topics that we covered vary but are all tied with the central theme that the mass media is growing in size and power. First we learned that media literacy is a persons ability to notice the media that they come into contact with and realize the effects it has on them. We moved on to cover mass media technology which taught us all the different types of media they are and how the newest form, the Internet, is vast and almost anonymous which is why it is popular across the globe. Next we covered media economics which determined how economics drives most media companies. Ink on paper allowed us to ponder the question of whether or not the print industry will survive with the ever changing media landscape and digitization of media. Then we proceeded to talk about sound media and deregulation of the radio and recording industry. The other subjects included motion media, the new media landscape, news, entertainment, public relations, advertising, mass audience, mass media effects, media and democracy, mass media globalization, media law, and lastly ethics. All of these subjects captured the expanse of mass media and its influence on our lives. This course was extremely beneficial to me because before entering school I came in undecided with no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Now I know that I want to major in communications with a focus in public relations, one of the subjects we covered in class. I appreciated the knowledge I acquired over the semester because it was beneficial in making me decide that media is the career path I want to take.

What Have I Learned in This Class?

I for one was graced with a lot of information that I would never have thought would have been interesting to me. In coming into this class I will honestly say I had my doubts as I thought the class focused around film media but was thrown into the vast world of all mass media. I was introduced to journalism, public relations, music, movies, games, television, and any other form of media that reaches out to the masses. I became overwhelmed with the multitude of new information I was learning. While overwhelming, I started to become more interested especially in the film "Breaking the News." I almost wanted to change my major to journalism so I could be an investigative journalist. The class brought a lot of work for an introductory class and I felt as though if I did not do most of these assignments I would not have gotten as much information as I did. I could go on and on giving specific details on the actual material that I learned in the class but the biggest thing I learned is not necessarily from the content. I was exposed to different fields and I needed to become open to all fields of work and when I did I suddenly became more interested. I believe this will help me as a global communications major because I will need to have a clear and open mind. I am very pleased in the way that this class was run and will favor all the information I learned.

What have I learned in this class?

Intro to Mass Media really has taught me a lot. In the future, I want to be a journalist and this class definitely seemed like the first step to reaching my goal. As a communications major, I came in to my freshman year of school thinking I knew all about communications and that this class was just going to be so repetitive. However, I was wrong and I have learned a great deal. One of the major topics that I have learned about in this class would be that I have learned all about various media pioneers and different people that have shaped our mass media. Obviously I knew about the different forms of mass media, print, television, movies, etc. But I never really knew who were the people behind these ideas that changed our world forever.
Being a communications major I understand that you have to be up to date on the most current news and happenings around the globe. This class has taught me that in order to be successful in the field that you have to always be changing just like our mass media. You have to be constantly adapting to the ever changing cycle. As technology develops we have to work with it and develop as well. Intro to Mass Media really has been an enjoyable class and I have taken so much away from it that I will never forget.

How does mass media shape the public's agenda of issues?

Mass media plays a key role in shaping the publics agenda of issues. Depending on what stories a news program talks about most, those stories will be wider known by the public and therefore they will be more likely to take action on those rather than the issues that are briefly mentioned or not at all. The way the mass media portrays a topic may also affect the way the public takes initiative on it. If the program, or even a print source, movie etc. makes a certain topic sound urgent, then the public will obviously take note on that and realize that something has to be done.
The publics agenda of issues is also shaped by the types of media that they perceive. For instance, if you watch more news programs such as the NBC Nightly News or MSNBC then you will probably be more keen on the stories surrounding politics and our government because those are the topics the cover the most. But if you watch a program such as the Sunday Morning News, then you will have a much wider variety and a broader knowledge on topics that may range from politics to sports. Depending on what types of programs you watch or what form of mass media you view plays a key role in distinguishing the publics agenda on issues.

What have I learned in this class?

I have learned many things in this class that I know I’ll take with me for the rest of my life. Although I know I will not follow through to be a communications major, I know it will help me with my studies to be a psychologist through the influence that mass media has on a person to person basis and how it affects their thinking. I’ve learned that the media really is powerful and has branches into, literally, everything. I enjoyed learning about the printing press and all of the media pioneers that we have in history that we’ve seemed to overlook in history class throughout my public school education and I also especially enjoyed learning the effects it has on people and how it could affect their behavior, lifestyle, ect. I find it interesting that the media sets out standards for people to follow and how it creates almost a negative connotation for those who don’t follow it. I know that I’ve greatly enjoyed this course and I’d love to further my communications and media knowledgebase through more classes in upcoming semesters.

What are some mass media effects and their impact on society?

Mass media has been proven to be very important in this word to the people especially. Mass media has many branches in television, magazines, books, radio, music, ect. ect. Our population is growing with technology and with these technological advances comes more branches and with time each branch begins to grow even more and more. Nowadays, we have become so reliant on these advances for our education and entertainment purposes that it is almost impossible to live without them. Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann created the cumulative effects theory that states that the media is so prominent and engrained in our everyday lives that it is almost impossible to live without it for at least a day. There is also the Bullet Theory that believes that media can move people and affect them powerfully and directly. Even if you don not expose yourself to media, you still can be introduced to it through acquaintances and friends. This is called the Minimalist Effects Theory. Mass media aso have living pattern effects, attitude effects, behavioral effects, and cultural effects.

How does mass media shape the public's agenda of issues?

The mass media can be overwhelming sometimes because it is, after all, the representing factor of the people. If ‘the people’ are saying one thing, it could be hard to voice out against them and say otherwise. The mass media as well has adopted a code of ethics, which basically defines acceptable/unacceptable behavior for taking a course of action towards certain issues or plans. These include respect for private property, commitment to timeliness and being fair. Each is very important to the people because they need to stay reliable and honest and, for lack of another word, fair. The media also controls what the people they represent see, so they air what they find to be the most important issues and draw more attention to that than other things that some people might find important as well.