1) Why is the map approach to culture better and more conclusive than the vertical approach? Define the steps of the critical process Campbell is suggesting in applying the map approach.  2) Discuss some of the concerns resulting from the increasing consolidation of the Internet? Do you think this is a disturbing trend? 3) Is objective journalism threatened by the increasing popularity of news blogs on the Internet? Is that a good or bad development? 4) How did television shape race relations since the 1950s? Refer to the video: Color Adjustments. 5) Are social networks like Myspace and YouTube likely to change the ways in which we relate to traditional media? Will they ever replace traditional media? 6) Why did it take so long for cable television to become a reality knowing the technology had been there years before? 7) Describe some of the factors that triggered the move toward magazine specialization? 8) If magazines through heavy corporate advertising identify readers as consumers first and citizens second, what kind of impact this might have on democracy?  9) Do non-profit radio and television in the US rely exclusively on public funding for their operations or do they accept private sponsorships as well? If they do, how can they be labeled public media? 10) Name and define the movie industry’s three basic economic divisions? How have these divisions evolved through the years?  11) What contributed to the decline of the ‘network era’? Have the television networks today been sidestepped by other channels? If not, how do they retain their competitive edge? 12) Has narrowcasting on television solved the problem of consolidation of ownership in that industry?  13) What is cultural imperialism? Is it still a valid theory given the distribution of media flows today? Discuss the flaws of this theory. 14) Should we be concerned about the consolidation of global media flows today? Can smaller countries produce and control their own media? 15) What do we mean by the information economy and how is that affecting poorer countries? Make sure you discuss the notion of digital divide. 16) What’s the difference between the cultural approach to media studies and media- effects studies? Has the cultural approach been more convincing in its findings? 17) Given the dominant role of the mass media in society today, do you think the theories produced by media studies have an impact on changing our media institutions? Or do you think they have no direct effect on the media and their workings? Essay questions: 18) Should the mass media be held responsible for the tragic incidents of what is called copycat behavior (i.e. more violence in society because of violence in the media)? At its worst, the media not only reflect tragedy but they also capitalize on it. If this is true about much of the media today, what does it tell us about the selective exposure model we raised at the beginning of the semester? 19)  Now that you know a lot about the ...

1. 1) Why is the map approach to culture better and more
conclusive than the vertical approach? Define the steps of the
critical process Campbell is suggesting in applying the map
approach.
2) Discuss some of the concerns resulting from the increasing
consolidation of the Internet? Do you think this is a disturbing
trend?
3) Is objective journalism threatened by the increasing
popularity of news blogs on the Internet? Is that a good or bad
development?
4) How did television shape race relations since the 1950s?
Refer to the video:
Color Adjustments.
5) Are social networks like Myspace and YouTube likely to
change the ways in which we relate to traditional media? Will
they ever replace traditional media?
6) Why did it take so long for cable television to become a
reality knowing the technology had been there years before?
7) Describe some of the factors that triggered the move toward
magazine specialization?
8) If magazines through heavy corporate advertising identify
readers as consumers first and citizens second, what kind of
impact this might have on democracy?
9) Do non-profit radio and television in the US rely exclusively
on public funding for their operations or do they accept private

2. sponsorships as well? If they do, how can they be labeled public
media?
10) Name and define the movie industry’s three basic economic
divisions? How have these divisions evolved through the years?
11) What contributed to the decline of the ‘network era’? Have
the television networks today been sidestepped by other
channels? If not, how do they retain their competitive edge?
12) Has narrowcasting on television solved the problem of
consolidation of ownership in that industry?
13) What is cultural imperialism? Is it still a valid theory given
the distribution of media flows today? Discuss the flaws of this
theory.
14) Should we be concerned about the consolidation of global
media flows today? Can smaller countries produce and control
their own media?
15) What do we mean by the information economy and how is
that affecting poorer countries? Make sure you discuss the
notion of digital divide.
16) What’s the difference between the cultural approach to
media studies and media- effects studies? Has the cultural
approach been more convincing in its findings?
17) Given the dominant role of the mass media in society today,
do you think the theories produced by media studies have an
impact on changing our media institutions? Or do you think they
have no direct effect on the media and their workings?
Essay questions:

3. 18) Should the mass media be held responsible for the tragic
incidents of what is called copycat behavior (i.e. more violence
in society because of violence in the media)? At its worst, the
media not only reflect tragedy but they also capitalize on it. If
this is true about much of the media today, what does it tell us
about the selective exposure model we raised at the beginning
of the semester?
19) Now that you know a lot about the workings of the mass
media and their degree of implication in the culture of any
given society, do you think they are failing us? Or do you
believe the mass media actually provide a forum for society to
expose and discuss its issues in the same light some early
philosophers like Plato and Socrates called for to save the oral
tradition of communication? Can you think of any examples
from today’s mass media to support your answer?
20) Do you think the fact that many of the mass media (radio,
television, the movies, advertising, PR, Internet, etc.) have been
developed in the US has an impact on how they are adapted by
other cultures? You can answer this question using cultural
imperialism theory and its argument that the sophisticated
American media both in form and content are saturating media
around the world causing major cultural changes. Talk about
how old peripheries are becoming vibrant media centers
globally.
21) Given their central place in our society, what exactly should
be the roles and responsibilities of the media? Media
institutions are getting bigger and richer, and media
technologies are faster and more accessible, but is content
getting better? In answering this question, talk about how this
course has helped you become a critical media consumer. DO
NOT simply say so, but explain how reading about the role of
the media in contemporary society is helping you understand

4. better their impact on culture. You can use the example of this
year’s presidential election as a case study.