Media Today Chapter 1

Audience Segmentation

the process of dividing audience members into segments based on background and lifestyle in order to send them messages targeted to their specific characteristics

Mass Production Process

the industrial process that creates the potential for reaching millions, even billions, of diverse, anonymous people at around the same time

Industrial Nature

the aspect of industrialized—or mass production—processes involved in creating the message material that distinguishes mass communication from other forms of communication. This industrial process creates the potential for reaching billions of diverse, anonymous people simultaneously.

Communication

refers to people interacting in ways that at least one of the parties involved understands as messages

Messages

collections of symbols (words, signs) that appear purposely organized (meaningful) to those sending or receiving them

Interpersonal Communication

A form of communication that involves two/three individuals signaling to each other using their voices, facial and hand gestures, and other signs (even clothes) to convey meaning

Mediated Interpersonal Communication

A specialized type of interpersonal communication that is assisted by a device, such as a pen or pencil, computer, or phone

Medium

Part of a technical system that helps in the transmission, distribution, or reception of messages

Source

The originator of the message

Encoding

When the source organizes and prepares to send the message

Transmitter

Performs the physical activity of sending the message

Channel

Pathway through which the transmitter sends the message

Receiver

The person/organization that gets the message

Decoding

The process by which the receiver makes sense of the message

Feedback

A response to the message

Noises

A sound in the communication situation that interferes with the delivery of the message

Mass Media

The technological vehicles through which mass communication takes place

Mass Media Outlets

Companies that send out message via mass media

Analog

Electronic transmission accomplished by adding signals of varying frequency of amplitude to carrier waves of a given frequency of alternating electromagnetic current

Digital

Electronic technology that generates, stores, processes, and transmits data in the form of strings of 0s and 1s; each of these digits is referred to as a bit

Convergence

The ability of different media to easily interact with each other because they all deal with information in the same digital form

Social Currency

Media content used as coins of exchange in everyday interpersonal discussions

Parasocial Interaction

The psychological connections that some media users establish with celebrities whom they learn about through mass media

Surveillance

Using the media to learn about what is happening in the world around us

Interpretation

Using the media to find out why things are happening--who or what is the cause--and what to do about them

Interactivity

The ability to track and respond to any actions triggered by the end user, in order to cultivate a rapport

Culture

Ways of life that are passed on to members of a society through time and that keep the society together

Political Ideologies

Beliefs about who should hold the greatest power within a culture

Media Literacy

The ability to apply critical thinking skills to the mass media, thereby becoming a more aware and responsible citizen--parent, voter, workers--in our media-driven society