1. After studying the assigned reading The Handbook of Communication Science, Second Edition: Chapter 15: Mass Media Effects, considering one of the five categories of media effect theories mentioned in the article (learning, socialization, selective exposure, selective presentation, and perceived effects—remember, these are the categories, not the names of the theories themselves) identify one of the theories listed in the article and answer the following questions or prompts.
A) Does media directly influence individuals? Explain your answer
B) Which of the mass communication theories do you feel most accurately portrays your media experiences? Why? Be sure to provide an example that supports your opinion.
C) How involved should the government be in protecting us from media effects? Where do you draw the line between free speech and indecency? Is censorship ever warranted?
The response should be in 12pt type, at least 1-1.5 pages in length, double-spaced. I suggest that you make sure that you have information on the second page to be safe and avoid loss of points.
Support your responses with research from the Learning Resources. Use APA in-text citations where necessary, and cite any outside sources that you use. Class reading resources should be a primary source, but you are welcome to use outside resources too. Create an APA Bibliography/ Reference Sheet at the end of your document. 5 pages
2. After studying the assigned reading 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook: Chapter 65: The Changing Nature of “News” considering the concepts of timeliness, proximity, unusualness, prominence, impact, conflict and human interest, provide a current example of a compelling news story. Answer the following questions or prompts:
A) Why is it compelling? Which of the concepts does it exemplify?
B) In general, how have these concepts been challenged by the advent of immediacy in news release?
The response should be in 12pt type, at least 1-1.5 pages in length, double-spaced. I suggest that you make sure that you have information on the second page to be safe and avoid loss of points.
Support your responses with research from the Learning Resources. Use APA in-text citations where necessary, and cite any outside sources that you use. 5 pages
3. After studying the assigned reading The Handbook of Communication Science, Second Edition: Chapter 20: Media Entertainment, considering the topic of parasocial relationships, answer the following questions or prompts.
A) Identify a character in a show with whom you have developed (in the past or present) a parasocial relationship. Remember, this personal can be “real” or a character role. Explain why this character/person is compelling to you.
B) How do you “know” or view this character outside of their role on the show? Have they influenced you in any way besides the aspect of entertainment?
C) Explain any emotional attachment to the character or person. Have they disappointed you? Motivated you? How and why? 5 pages
4. After studying the assigned reading 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook: Chapter 54: Traditional and New Media, and then reading “The Impact of New Media on Inter cultural Communication in Global Context” complete the following assignment by synthesizing the readings. Considering the statement “technologies are simply tools” write a short essay that incorporates answers to the following prompts:
A) Explain how that statement relates to the key words describing new media: “manipulate, converge, and instant.”
B) How does the concept of intercultural impact of new media increase the complexity of the statement? You should especially consider the new experiences, for human beings that the convergences of new media and globalization bring about. 5 pages
5. Search online and find a website for an organization which has a campaign promoting a core issue that interests you (For example: The Red Cross and need for blood donations–You may not use this example).
Start your essay with a short overview of the organization and the issue (just a few lines) and then consider the topics we have covered in this week’s readings and discuss how they are reflected in what you see on this website.
What clear messages do you see?
What audiences is the institution trying to reach?
How has technology affected the way this organization presents itself?
Consider issues of Media Ethics and how they are represented or manifested in the website. Draw on examples offered on that website to support your observations. Specifically consider the content of 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook: Chapter 77: Theories and Effects of Public Relations, under the section “Assumptions and Lay Theories.” Which of these theories does the content of your chosen site most closely align with? Why? Explain your answer. 5 pages
6. After studying the assigned reading, Sociology: The Social Construction of Gender, considering the concept of “gender as socially constructed,” answer the following questions and prompts.
A) How does media create meanings about gender?
B) Provide examples of how this is manifested in our everyday lives.
C) Provide a link to a commercial/ad that stereotypes gender. Even though it is natural to find humor in some of these portrayals, in what ways is this problematic.
Also, consider that sex is a system of classification based on biology and physiology, while gender reflects the cultural meaning that is ascribed to a person’s sex, thus resulting in labels of “masculinity and femininity.” Furthermore, our biology is not distinctively male or female and a significant number of people are born “intersex” with variations in chromosomes or sexual organs. Most biological researchers agree on the estimation that intersex people are about as common as encountering someone with green eyes. It is important to understand that masculinity and femininity are not oppositional, although it seems to be portrayed so in media. In Western society (such as in the U.S. and Western Europe) we typically adhere to certain ideas and values that define masculinity and femininity as we perform the roles. What if the list was different? All of us, in honesty, could reveal that we interchange among the qualities. Take a look at the list and answer the following questions:
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Masculinity |
Femininity |
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Provide answers to the following questions or prompts in your assignment submission.
D) How is the list being currently challenged?
E) What traits do you have that are typically considered “on the list” of the other sex?
F) What examples do you see in your daily life of people challenging the historic list?
G) What about examples in media of characters or people challenging the list?
H) Finally, do you agree or disagree that gender is socially constructed? Provide evidence that backs your opinion.
7. After studying both of the assigned readings, Chapter 55: Media Portrayals and Representations and 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook: Chapter 57: Agenda Setting and Framing, answer the following questions and prompts regarding your favorite program or other chosen media content.
1. What device do you most often use for your favorite program watching or other chosen media? Do you agree that you favor the device that gives you access to the information and programming that most meets your needs? (add support from the class readings/outside resources)
2. How does the program meet your specific needs and goals? Who else do you know that also seeks out this programming (movie, tv, radio show, game) and do they do so for the same reasons as you? Why are their uses of this programming similar or different from your own? (add support from the class readings/outside resources)
3. What does this program or other media tell you about your place in the world in relationship to how much access you have to things you want in the “real” world? When you are stressed out, do you turn to this programming more or less? Why? (add support from the class readings/outside resources)
4. What does this programming tell you about people who are different from you in terms of race, age, sexual orientation, political beliefs, socio-economic status, gender, religion or nationality? Are they portrayed in a positive or negative light? What kinds of power do they have? (add support from the class readings/outside resources)6 pages
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