MASS MEDIA & PUBLIC OPINION

DOES THE MEDIA REFLECT SOCIETY OR DOES SOCIETY REFLECT THE MEDIA

By Angela AmosNorth Fort Myers HighAICE Media Studies

FOCUS QUESTION:DOES THE MEDIA REFLECT SOCIETY OR DOES SOCIETY REFLECT THE MEDIA?

•WHAT DOES THIS QUESTION MEAN?• DOES IT “HOLD A MIRROR UP” AND REFLECT OUR OWN CULTURE AND

BELIEFS? • DO WE “SEE OURSELVES” WHEN WE CONSUME MEDIA OR ARE WE

FORCED TO VIEW BEYOND OUR FAMILIAR BUBBLE?• ARE WE CHANGED BY WHAT WE SEE IN MEDIA?• DOES IT SHAPE THE WAY WE THINK?

PUBLIC OPINION•DEFINITION: IDEAS AND ATTITUDES SHARED BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE•INFLUENCING FACTORS: FAMILY, SCHOOLS, PEERS, RELIGION, MEDIA (TELEVISION, RADIO, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPER, INTERNET)

•THINK ABOUT THIS- WHICH HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE AT 6, 16, 26, 36…

PUBLIC OPINION: FAMILIAL INFLUENCE•WE MIMIC WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR IN THE HOME•WE LOOK UP TO OUR PARENTS AND WANT TO PLEASE THEM

PUBLIC OPINION: SCHOOL INFLUENCE•WE LEARN ABOUT THE INTRICACIES OF GOVERNMENT IN CIVICS, US HISTORY•WE ARE TAUGHT PATRIOTISM AND PRIDE IN A MUCH MORE REGIMENTED WAY•WE ANALYZE HISTORIC EVENTS AND HOW THEY SHAPE OUR WORLD

PUBLIC OPINION: PEER INFLUENCE•WE LEARN HOW TO FIT IN•HAIR, CLOTHES, MAKEUP, WHAT

WE LISTEN TO…

•WE FIND OUT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE SHUNNED•WE DRESS TO REFLECT OUR GROUP• JOCK, PREP, EMO, NERD…

PUBLIC OPINION: RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE

•WE LEARN WHAT TO VALUE IN OTHER•WE FIND COMMONALITY•WE ESTABLISH OUR MORALS

PUBLIC OPINION• FAR LEFT- RADICAL• FAVORS EXTREME CHANGE TO CREATE AN ALTERED OR ENTIRELY NEW SOCIAL SYSTEM

• LIBERAL• BELIEVES THAT GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND

IDEOLOGICAL POLICIES BELIEVED TO BE UNFAIR

• CENTRAL- MODERATE• HOLDS BELIEFS THAT FALL BETWEEN LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE VIEWS

• CONSERVATIVE• SEEKS TO KEEP IN PLACE THE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND SOCIETAL STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY

• FAR RIGHT- REACTIONARY• FAVORS EXTREME CHANGE TO RESTORE SOCIETY TO AN EARLIER, MORE CONSERVATIVE STATE

SO HOW DOES THE MEDIA AFFECT OUR OPINION?

•CONSTANT, DAILY EXPOSURE HAS LASTING IMPACT ON OUR LIVES•CAN OVERRIDE FAMILY, PEERS, RELIGION•OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE “MIRRORS” AS WELL AS THE “MOLDERS” OF OPINION•COMES IN A VARIETY OF MEDIUM- MEANS OF COMMUNICATION• TV, NEWSPAPER, RADIO, MAGAZINES

CONSIDER THIS: IMAGES AFFECT ATTITUDE

How would these images evoke different reactions? Is this the media influencing our opinion?

CONSIDER THIS: IMAGES AFFECT ATTITUDE

During the presidential debates of 1960, JFK had the calm presence of a seasoned television personality while Nixon kept wiping sweat off his face, making him appear as the stereotypical “bad guy” we’d see in a movie.

Is this the media influencing our opinion? Radio listeners polled more favorable to NixonTV viewers polled more favorable to Kennedy

CONSIDER THIS:• HOW HAS OUR OPINION OF SOCIAL ISSUES CHANGED IN THE PAST 30 YEARS?

family

CONSIDER THIS:• HOW HAS OUR OPINION OF SOCIAL ISSUES CHANGED IN THE PAST 30 YEARS?

race

CONSIDER THIS:• HOW HAS OUR OPINION OF SOCIAL ISSUES CHANGED IN THE PAST 30 YEARS?

sexuality

YOU TURNCONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION: DOES THE MEDIA REFLECT SOCIETY OR DOES

SOCIETY REFLECT THE MEDIA

CONSIDER BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE. ARE WE CHANGED BY OUR EXPOSURE TO THE MEDIA OR DOES THE MEDIA CHANGE BECAUSE WE AS A SOCIETY CHANGE? Post your analysis to your

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