This document provides an introduction to mass media. It defines mass media as communication that reaches a large audience, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Mass media serves several functions such as connecting people, socializing society, and providing entertainment. While it has benefits like information sharing, mass media can also reinforce consumerism and the status quo. It discusses the impact of mass media on social perceptions and interactions as well as examples of media hype.

1. Introduction
to Mass Media
Aiden Yeh, PhD
Asst Professor
Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages

2. What is Mass Media?
 refers to every medium or source which
is used to connect and communicate
with a large number of people at once.
Image Source: http://www.deliberation.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mass-media.jpg

3. Mass Media
 Mass media is communication—whether
written, broadcast, or spoken—that reaches
a large audience. This includes television,
radio, advertising, movies, the Internet,
newspapers, magazines, and so forth.
Image Source: http://operadewa.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/mass-communication.jpg

4. What forms Media?
Image source: http://artofcyberdribble.blogspot.tw/2012/06/mass-medias-influence-on-our-social.html

5.  Close to 40% of one’s day is taken up by
consuming media
Image source: http://imo.thejakartapost.com/jaesarahman/files/2012/03/cartoonmediabrainwashdaviddees.jpg

6.  “The mass media are becoming
more and more pervasive and
significant in terms of our social
perceptions and interactions with
our surroundings” (Lev, Emi 2006,
p. 1).

7.  Give examples of Mass Media’s
significance in peoples’ lives

8.  Advantages vs Disadvantages
 Functions of Mass media
 Social impact / change

9. Functions
 - Media help to correlate or co-ordinate various parts of the
social system by gathering and disseminating valuable
information
 - Media acts as powerful agents of socialization by
transmitting society’s cultural heritage and its basic system of
norms and values; media msgs are primarily about
reinforcing shared ideals such as justice, individualism,
democracy and respect for the law; also provide advice –
tele-advising
 - Media function as social control agents; by gathering
information, the media engage in surveillance of the social
environment
 - Media provide pleasure and entertainment – tension
management process
Source: http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~evanderveen/wvdv/mass_media/theories.htm

10. Manifest Functions
(intended consequences)
 - Selling a product
 - Making a profit
 - Maintain demand for goods and services
essential to the continued growth of the
capitalist economy
 - Something for everyone
 - Serve as collective memory of nation,
selectively remembering, forgetting and
reconstructing the past

11. Hidden & Unintended
Functions
 - How do mass communication support the status quo?
 - What ideology, values and behaviours are reinforced –
reinforces those associated with materialism & consumerism
 - What groups are coopted and which are excluded –
homogenized the culture, muting differences between regions
and social classes
 - How does mass media enhance or inhibit creativity?
 - How do conditions under which information and entertainment
are produced affect the product
 - Gatekeeping function or agenda setting – the topics that
come to the forefront of public attention: media executives
decide what to cover, for how long, and in what context,
appreciates an active role of the consumer

12. Media Ethics
Image:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/05/15/Rebekah-Brooks-faces-phone-hacking-charges/UPI-23471

13. Image: http://mediamagazine.in/sites/default/files/journalismforSale.jpg

14. Pros and Cons of Mass
Media
Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-mass-media.html

15. Cons

16. Image: https://usu.instructure.com/courses/23678/files/726809/preview

17. Social Impact of Mass Media
Image: http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0749379704000467-gr1.gif

18. Media Hype
Image:
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FpyJphhz14FXhrNy0cqjqQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://mit.zenfs.com/101/2
012/02/linsanity-covers.jpg

19. Give other examples of
media hypes in Taiwan

20. Source: http://www.chowrangi.com/pakistani-journalists-on-payroll-of-us-state-department.html

21. References
 What is Mass Media? http://whatismassmedia.com/
 The Role and Influence of Mass Media
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/The-Role-and-Influence-of-Mass-Media.topicArticleId-26957,articleI
 Mass media influence on our perceptions,
http://artofcyberdribble.blogspot.tw/2012/06/mass-medias-influence-on-our-social.html
 The Influence of the media,
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/lesson-plans/media-studies/the-influence-of-the-mass-media/
 Media culture in Taiwan, http://asaa.asn.au/ASAA2010/reviewed_papers/Kao-Shi_Chi.pdf
 Pros and Cons of Mass Media,
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-mass-media.html
 Theories of Mass Media,
http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~evanderveen/wvdv/mass_media/theories.htm
 Taiwanese distrust media,
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/10/26/2003333435
 Editorial: The media has lost the public trust,
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2006/10/26/2003333468
 TVBS Scandal, http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/267249/1/.html
 Media Linsanity Excessive,
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2012/02/21/2003525978