1. Media and the Social
World
Chapter 1
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

2. Importance of Media
• Let’s look at how pervasive Media is in Contemporary
Society:
• How many radios in U.S. Homes? How Many TV’s?
• Radios in 99% and TVs in 96% of U.S. homes
• How much time do adults in the U.S. watch T.V. per day?
• Adults spend more than 5 hours a day watching TV
• How many people in the U.S. have Cell Phones?
• By 2013—91% had cell phones
• Broadband Internet access at home, 2013—65%
• How many hours does the youth of America spend?
• More than 7.5 hours of entertainment media use per day!
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

3. Rise of Mass Media
• Social Construction of Reality
• While reality exists, media users negotiate the
meaning of that reality.
• The same media product may mean very
different things to different people.
• Example: A music video may elicit different
responses from a 15-year-old fan of the band and
a parent concerned about stereotypically
inappropriate images that may be present in the
video.
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

4. Rise of Mass Media: Print
• Milestones in Print Media:
• Printing, was the FIRST mass media technology & began
in the 15th century
• Cast metal type, Korea, early 15th century
• Print was the only means of reaching wide audiences from
a distance for centuries
• Invention of the telegraph and telephone in the 19th
century allowed instantaneous communication over long
distances
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

5. The Rise of Mass Media: Sound and Film
• Milestones in Sound Recording and Film:
•
•
•
•
•
•
1877—Phonograph developed by Thomas Edison
1895—Cinematograph developed Lumiére brothers
1948—the first LP record launched by Columbia Records
1920s—Magnetic tape introduced
1960s—Personal cassette tapes become popular
1970s—VCRs become popular, allow movie purchase and
rental and home recording
• 1980s—CDs make music digital
• 1990s—MP3, DVD, and other digital formats emerge
• 1990s-present—Websites and streaming services emerge
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

6. Rise of Mass Media: Broadcast Media
• Milestones in Broadcast Media:
• Radio became the first broadcast medium in the early
1900’s
• For the first time in history:
 Communicators could cast a media message broadly.
 Producers did not have to make physical products.
 Audiences did not have to travel.
• First television sets introduced in the 1940s; TVs in 65% of
U.S. households by 1955
• 1998—Digital TV broadcast began
• Broadcasting fundamentally created the possibility of a
largely privatized and individualized media experience.
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

7. Media and Society
• Mass Media in Socialization
• “Socialization”—The process whereby we
learn and internalize the values, beliefs, and
norms of our culture and, in so doing, develop
a sense of self
• Today, mass media serves as a powerful
socializing agent. Can you think of an
example?
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

8. Media in Social Relations
• Mass-mediated politics
• Where do we get most of our political knowledge?
• Mass-mediated social interactions
• The “Electronic hearth” (what does that mean?)
• How do you interact most with other people on a daily basis?
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014

9. Discussion Questions
In groups of 2 to 5, answer the following questions:
1. How does the influence of mass media extend beyond
what we know to include how we relate to the social world?
Give examples.
2. How does the presence of media affect your life, and
how would things be different if you didn't have media?
3. What do you think is the most significant media
development in your lifetime, and why?
© SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014