1. Mass Media and Society
Chapter 16: The Future
Of Mass Media
April 14, 2014

2. Chapter 16: Future
of Mass Media
• Changes in mass media
• Delivery methods
• Current trends
• New technology and the
public
• Mobile and wearable
technology

3. Traditional vs. new
• Traditional media: Pre-
Internet, includes print,
broadcast (TV, radio), film.
• New media: electronic
games and entertainment,
Internet, social media
• New media advantages:
speed, cost, reach

4. Delivery methods
• Most people use multiple
sources for news
• Pew State of the News
Media 2014: Digital native
sites competitive with
traditional news
(Buzzfeed nearly equals
Washington Post;
HuffPost, Yahoo 1-2
among news sites)

5. Pew report
• 82% of Americans said
they got news on a
desktop/laptop; 54% on a
mobile device
• Traditional news
organizations are cutting
jobs; digital organizations
(Buzzfeed, Gawker,
Yahoo, new startups) are
adding jobs in news

6. Advantages of
modern delivery
• Speed
• Plenty of content available
• Cheaper than traditional
media
• More voices and outlets

7. Disadvantages of
modern delivery
• Misrepresentation and
misinformation online
• Unreliable sources
(Wikipedia), Partisanship
• Digital Divide
• Many of these
disadvantages exist in
traditional media

8. Current trends
• Increasing focus on
mobile, mobile apps
• 1 billion-plus app
downloads from Apple
App Store
• Wearable tech: Google
Glass
• Online deals and location-
based services

9. Google Glass
• Head-mounted device
that allows user to take
photos, surf the web,
record video, and perform
other tasks
• Voice command
• Limited availability
($1,500)
• Usability, privacy worries

10. New technology
and the public
• Innovators: first to acquire
new tech, before early
adopters
• Early and late majority
acquire new tech when it
becomes popular
• Laggards are resistant

11. New frontiers
• Open-source citizenry?
(Clay Shirky)
• WWE offers Internet-
exclusive TV channel;
more disruption for TV?
• What will be the next new
thing, and what will be the
next big flop?