Aspects of Communication PDF

Aspects of communication An introduction October 2024 Rev Dr Joseph Borg Questions before the introduction ◦After the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia photos with her body parts were posted on the social media. Was that ethical? ◦Why were these photos not carried by newspapers or TV?...

Aspects of communication An introduction October 2024 Rev Dr Joseph Borg Questions before the introduction ◦After the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia photos with her body parts were posted on the social media. Was that ethical? ◦Why were these photos not carried by newspapers or TV? ◦When your parents were your age, did they take selfies? ◦Does it make sense for people to converse with their virtual friends while they are with their physical friends? ◦Can you live without your Smart Phone? Do media products exist for audiences? Is it true that Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok are free? Does Google give us what there is on the web or what we would like to read? Why … do young people follow more the new media that more traditional media? Are the media organisations in Malta the same like media organisations overseas? Are you influenced by the media? Is it right to name and show photos of persons accused in Court? Introduction ◦ Media, culture and society: ◦ Media as technologies, ◦ structures and ◦ content ◦ Media in Maltese Society ◦ Their role in our society ◦ Ethics and the Media: ◦ More than journalistic ethics ◦ Doing what is right not what is convenient Media as technologies ◦ What happens if the Internet and social media disappear? ◦ What happens if TV disappears? Then radio disappears? ◦ What happens if print technology disappears? ◦ A day without technology image and likeness of For Innis the things our smart phones? that words are written on are more important than the Imagine Moses words themselves. on Mt Sinai with a laptop not stone tablets. A day without technology https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IvgbthJBQN4 https://www.youtube.com/ watch? v=p6Za9CWumhk&t=393s Media as technologies ◦“The Global Village” ◦Is it really a village? ◦“The medium is the m(e)assage.” ◦– McLuhan Digitalisation and Changes convergence linked to new media Increased interactivity and network connectivity Mobility and delocation of sending and receiving Adaptation of publication and audience roles Norms and Conventions on New Media ◦Norms on the Internet, new media, new organizations ◦More informal mechanisms ◦New languages ◦Emoticons ◦Different platforms with different characteristics and audiences ◦System open to abuse e.g. Cambridge Analytica Croteau and Hoynes: Media/ Society, 5th Edition © 2015 SAGE Publications, Inc. Many as structures ◦Media are one structure out of many Mass media And new media ECONOMY POLITICS Education and culture Society influences the media ◦Society influences the development of the media through its: ◦ Political system ◦ Economy and industry ◦ Religion and culture ◦ Laws and education MEDIA SYSTEM: USA vs N KOREA Globalised society influences media … in Malta or in your country? Imported programmes ◦Copied genres ◦“foreign” world views and value systems Media as businesses ◦Who owns or finances? ◦ Commercial ◦ Opinion oriented or private non-profit ◦ Public service ◦ State owned media Media are a business but … they should not be like any other business Special responsibilities of the media Influence values symbolic universe Essential in a democracy ‘those who finance the media’ ◦ Second law of journalism: the contents of the media always reflect the interests of those who finance them (Altschull, 1984) Media content ◦ News ◦ Opinion ◦ Entertainment ◦ Advertising ◦ Advocacy News worthiness an objective characteristic of events or is it a construction depending on journalistic conventions and organisational needs? Newsworthinesss more than an inherent characteristic of events is typically constructed each day by professional journalists and news organisations – p. 127. Croteau et al Emphasis on events at the expense of processes Not the way it is. The manufacture of news “If we are to understand what news really is, we need to understand how journalists form their judgements and construct their accounts.” (p125) Fishman (1980) and Tuchman (1978) say that the routine practices of journalism – processes of news gathering and reporting – determine news. Newsworthiness is socially constructed. It is not totally a property inherent in events but is instead something that is attached to happenings by journalists. Journalism of attachment against ‘objective’ journalism Market driven journalism vs normative journalism. Citizens should beware. Are people interested in: Hard news? Soft news/lifestyle? Fake news? Dogs and lamp-posts ◦“A broadcaster’s attitude towards politicians should display the same degree of respect which the dog reserves for lamp-posts” ◦ Jeremy Paxman, BBC journalist/ producer to The Guardian Advertising and Consumer Culture ◦Celebrates and takes for granted the consumer– capitalist organization of society ◦Normalizes middle or upper-middle-class lifestyle ◦Promotes a worldview that stresses the individual and the realm of private life, ignoring collective values Croteau and Hoynes: Media/ Society, 5th Edition © 2015 SAGE Publications, Inc. The media do not usually try to reflect the real world. And should they? ◦In fact the gap media/reality is essential for the existence of several genres. ◦Even “fantasy” products hold the potential of teaching us about society. ◦stereotyping. Media influence audiences ◦ Is there an effect on audiences? ◦ Are audiences servants or bosses? ◦ Are they active or passive? ◦Long history, varied debate in media studies What is an effect? ◦ An effect implies change. It could be, for example, that from “supporting England ” you “support Italy” or ◦ For example, from “loving Trump” you become “love Trump more” Different kind of change: Information Attitudes Behaviour Effects depend on … ◦The strength or weakness of media effects can depends, among other things, on: ◦The pervasiveness and credibility of the media. ◦How wide is media coverage and how consonant it is with other media coverage ◦The amount of contrary public opinion against it or for it. ◦The ability of the audience to be critical readers ◦How ingrained is a particular position in society Different theories on effects ◦There are theories similar to snooker ◦. E.g. Two step flow ◦ ◦Theories that show that we see what we want to see. ◦E.g. Selective exposure. Different theories on effects ◦The media are very powerful. ◦E.g. Hypodermic Model ◦Power to the people. ◦E.g. Uses and gratifications. ◦Reception theories Diffusion of innovations ◦Mass media are generally strong: ◦at the level of information diffusion; ◦Other levels when diffusion is not so difficult to adopt and is propagated by a credible medium. Diffusion of innovations ◦Interpersonal communication are generally strong: ◦Persuasion stage ◦Decision stage ◦Implementation stage ◦Confirmation stage Agenda setting ◦Combs and Shaw (1976) ◦audiences learn about public issues and other matters through the media, ◦they also learn how much importance to attach to an issue or topic from the emphasis the mass media place upon it.  THE SPIRAL OF SILENCE ◦NOELLE-NEUMANN (1991) ◦in order to avoid isolation on important public issues, many people look to the environment for clues about what the dominant opinion is and what views are gaining strength or are in decline. ◦ If one believes one’s own personal views are amongst those in decline, one is less inclined to express them openly. Cultivation theory ◦George Gerbner ◦The media cultivate attitudes and values in a culture. ◦E.g. audiences can be cultivated into accepting certain kinds of violence while refusing others. Reception theory ◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KswrmnEMVGc  MEDIA AND ETHICS HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=EUTMLHX2Z7E Media ethics ◦Ethics are not a restriction of freedom but a guarantee of media quality. ◦Ethics are not subjective. ◦Ethical decisions are reasoned decisions. ◦Ethical media enhance human dignity. ◦Ethical media give a voice to the voiceless ◦ Media ethics ◦Ethical media serve humans not capital. ◦Ethical media promote international solidarity. ◦Ethical media serve the common good not sectorial goods. ◦Ethical media serve the right of information while protecting privacy Ethical media ◦are accurate and truthful not sensational. ◦do not propagate stereotypes. ◦depend on journalists and producers,audiences. During the course ◦Different ethical theories ◦A holistic approach: ◦A method: Potter’s Box ◦The relationship between law and media ethics ◦We also discuss issues concerning content: ◦ Truth and accuracy ◦ Deceit and entrapment ◦ Privacy ◦ Editorial and advertising ◦ Entertainment ◦ Audience ethics Media in Malta ◦Some features of media in Malta ◦Media owned by political parties and other institutions ◦Facebook and social media very widespread ◦Success of commercial radio stations failure of commercial TV ◦Presence of foreign media Many radio and TV stations There are 13 Seven TV stations Large number national FM radio on GIO platform community radio stations. Others on and teleshopping stations digital platform stations. Media usage Malta 2022 ◦Read printed newspapers: 8% ◦72% read a news website; ◦7% read magazines ◦radio is listened to by 50% ◦TV is watched by 69% on TV; 31% via Internet ◦ (MISCO, 2022).  ▪ 95% use Internet and 85% FB at least once a day; Media ▪ 71% Facebook, several times a day usage Malta ▪ You Tube 51% 2022 ▪ 87% use Smart Phones ▪ (MISCO, 2022).  ▪ Links news portals post on FB 72.4% Preferred source of news ▪ Television: 58.2%; Radio 30% 2021 ▪ Newspapers Online: 41.6% Printed 3.2% (Source:Marmara,V.L-Istattan-Nazzjon,2021) ▪ Friend’s pages on FB: 17.6% ▪ Other people: 13.2% Regulators Main features: The Broadcasting Authority regulates the content of the broadcasting sector. The Malta Communications Authority regulates the networks and services of the broadcasting and web based media.