MASS COMMUNICATIONS EXERCISE

Communications 101Gary A. Daniel

YOU ARE A “MASS MEDIA CONSUMER” Sometimes voluntarily Sometimes involuntarily Either way you should consume

CRITICALLY

WHY DO PEOPLE BLOG?

To correct… Or Fill voids…

Of traditional mainstream media

CRITICAL THINKING…

…is the ability to analyze, hypothesize, synthesize, and criticize

ANALYZING A MASS COMMUNICATION MESSAGE

being able to break it down into its surface text or meanings and its underlying subtexts

ANALYZING

Facts are informational claims that are verifiable and are likely to achieve relatively widespread consensus on their validity

Inferences are general conclusions intended to represent some set of specific examples, facts, observations, or experiences

HYPOTHESIZING

is the ability to draw message out to their implications and engage in what-if scenarios

SYNTHESIZING

is the ability to reassemble mass communication messages into a coherent whole after they have been analyzed

CRITICIZING

is the ability to apply standards of evaluation to a message to determine its value

SKEPTICISM

is a healthy tendency to delay forming an opinion until you can complete a more thorough processing of the message

COUNTER ARGUING

is the ability to identify and construct persuasive discourse against the text and subtexts of media message

PARADIGM SHIFT FROM MASS TO SOCIALMEDIA

Clay Shirky believes that new technologies enabling loose collaboration — and taking advantage of “spare” brainpower — will change the way society works.

WHO CREATED THIS MESSAGE?

All messages are 'constructed.'

WHAT CREATIVE TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION?

Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

HOW MIGHT DIFFERENT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS MESSAGE DIFFERENTLY FROM ME?

Different people experience the same media message differently.

WHAT LIFESTYLES, VALUES AND POINTS OF VIEW ARE REPRESENTED IN, OR OMITTED FROM, THIS MESSAGE?

Media have embedded values and points of view.

WHY IS THIS MESSAGE BEING SENT? Media messages are organized to

gain profit and/or power.