Detailed Contents. Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi. PART 1 Introduction Media Literacy Approach Living in the Message- Saturated World 3

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1 Detailed Contents Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi PART 1 Introduction 1 1. Living in the Message- Saturated World 3 Message Saturation 4 High Degree of Exposure 5 The Information Problem 6 The Challenge of Selection 7 Automatic Routines 7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Automatic Processing 8 The Big Question 9 Media Literacy 10 Summary 11 Further Reading 11 Keeping Up to Date Media Literacy Approach 13 What Is Media Literacy? 14 The Three Building Blocks of Media Literacy 15 Personal Locus 15 Knowledge Structures 16 Skills 18 The Definition of Media Literacy 22 Media Literacy Is Multidimensional 23 Media Literacy Is a Continuum, Not a Category 24 The Development of Media Literacy 25 Advantages of Developing a Higher Degree of Media Literacy 27 Appetite for Wider Variety of Media Messages 28 More Self-Programming of Mental Codes 29 More Control Over Media 29 Summary 29 Further Reading 30

2 PART 2 Audience Individual Perspective 35 Information-Processing Tasks 36 Filtering 37 Meaning Matching 38 Meaning Construction 38 Analyzing the Idea of Exposure to Media Messages 39 Exposure and Attention 40 Exposure States 42 The Media Literacy Approach 44 Summary 46 Further Reading 46 Identifying Niches 51 Geographic Segmentation 52 Demographic Segmentation 52 Social Class Segmentation 53 Geodemographic Segmentation 53 Psychographic Segmentation 54 Attracting Audiences 55 Appeal to Existing Needs and Interests 55 Cross-Media and Cross-Vehicle Promotion 56 Conditioning Audiences 57 Summary 58 Further Reading 59 Exercises Industry Perspective on Audience 47 Shift From Mass to Niche Perspective on Audience 49 What Is a Mass Audience? 49 Rejection of the Idea of Mass Audience 50 The Idea of Niche Audience Children as a Special Audience 63 Why Treat Children as a Special Audience? 65 Maturation 65 Experience 70 Special Treatment From Regulators 70 Protecting Children From Negative TV Content 70 Protecting Children From Unfair Advertising Practices 71 Special Treatment From Parents 71 Restrictive Mediation 71 Coviewing 72 Active Mediation 72

3 Use of Program Ratings 73 How Useful Are These Techniques? 73 Reexamining the Case for Special Treatment 74 Maturation 74 PART 3 Industry Development of the Mass Media Industries 85 Patterns of Development 86 Innovation Stage 87 Penetration Stage 87 Peak Stage 88 Decline Stage 89 Adaptation Stage 89 Comparisons Across Mass Media 89 Life Cycle Pattern 89 Indicators of Peak 90 Summary 92 Further Reading 93 Keeping Up to Date 94 Experience 75 Natural Abilities 76 Summary 81 Further Reading 81 Keeping Up to Date 82 Characteristics of the Game 102 Importance of Valuing Resources Well 102 Indirect as Well as Direct Support 103 Complex Interdependency Among Players 104 Nature of Competition 105 Advertising as the Engine 107 Media Industries Strategies 108 Maximizing Profits 108 Constructing Audiences 112 Reducing Risk 113 Consumers Strategies 114 Default Strategy 114 Media Literacy Strategy 115 Summary 115 Further Reading 116 Keeping Up to Date 117 Exercises The Economic Game 95 The Media Game of Economics 97 The Players 97 The Goal 100 The Rules The Current Picture 121 The Powerful Force of Convergence 122 Technological Convergence 122 Marketing Convergence 124 Psychological Convergence 126 Current Picture 126

4 Transformation of News 127 General Employment Trends 133 Demographic Patterns 135 Summary 137 Further Reading 137 Keeping Up to Date 138 PART 4 Content Mass Media Content and Reality 141 What Is Reality? 143 Magic Window 144 Multiple Dimensions of Reality 144 Differences Across Individuals 145 Organizing Principle: Next-Step Reality 148 Audience s Perspective 148 Programmers Perspective 149 Reality Programming as a Genre 150 The Importance of Media Literacy 150 Summary 152 Further Reading 153 Keeping Up to Date 153 Exercise News 155 Traditional Issues About News 157 Is News a Reflection or a Construction? 157 Can Journalists Be Objective? 168 Emerging Issues About News 174 Who Qualifies as a Journalist? 174 What Qualifies as News? 175 What Should Be the Standard of Quality? 176 Becoming Literate With News Content 177 Analyze the News Perspective 178 Search for Context 179 Develop Alternative Sources of Information 179 Be Skeptical About Public Opinion 180 Expose Yourself to More News, Not Less 180 Summary 181 Further Reading 182 Keeping Up to Date 183 Exercises 184

5 11. Entertainment 187 Entertainment Formula 189 General Story Formula 189 Genres 189 Constraints 191 Character Patterns 193 Demographic Patterns 194 Stereotypical Portrayals 194 Controversial Content Elements 199 Sex 199 Homosexuality 201 Violence 202 Language 204 Health 204 Deceptive Health Patterns 204 Responsible Health Patterns 205 Values 206 Content Analysis Method 208 Becoming Media Literate With Entertainment Messages 208 Further Reading 211 Keeping Up to Date 212 Exercises 212 Advertising Is Deceptive 221 Companies Manipulate Us Through Subliminal Advertising 222 Advertising Is Excessive 224 Advertising Perpetuates Stereotypes 225 Social Responsibility Versus Economic Responsibility 225 Becoming More Literate 227 What Are Ads Really Selling? 228 What Is the Intended Effect of the Ad? 229 What Are Your Needs? 229 Summary 230 Further Reading 231 Keeping Up to Date 231 Exercises Advertising 215 Advertising Is Pervasive 217 Popular Surface Criticisms 220 Advertising Manipulates Us Into Buying Things We Don t Need 220 Advertising Makes Us Too Materialistic Interactive Media 237 Development of Interactive Media 238 Convergence 238 Creative Commons 239 Need for Social Networking 240 Attraction of Advertising Support 240 Electronic Games 241 History of Electronic Games 241 Business of Electronic Games 243 Experience of Playing Electronic Games 245 Social Networking 246 Social Contact 247 Acquiring 249 Competition 251

6 Media Literacy 254 Summary 255 Further Reading 255 Keeping Up to Date 256 PART 5 Effects Proactive Perspective on Media Effects 259 Media Effects Are Constantly Occurring 261 Manifested Effects and Process Effects 261 Baseline Effects and Fluctuation Effects 261 Factors Influencing Media Effects 263 Baseline Factors 264 Fluctuation Factors 268 Media Literacy and Blame 271 Media Literacy: Controlling the Media Effects Process 271 Summary 272 Further Reading 273 Exercises 274 PART 6 Confronting the Issues Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects 277 Timing of Effects 279 Type of Effects 280 Cognitive-Type Effect 280 Attitudinal-Type Effect 281 Emotional-Type Effect 281 Physiological-Type Effect 282 Behavioral-Type Effect 282 Macro-Type Effects 282 Valence of Effects 284 Intentionality of Effects 285 Summary 286 Further Reading 288 Keeping Up to Date 288 Exercises Who Owns and Controls the Mass Media? 295 Two Competing Values 297 Localism 297 Efficiency 299 Cross-Ownership and Control 300 Types of Concentration 300 Megamergers 301

7 International Perspective 303 Concentration Among Advertising Agencies 304 Concentration Among Advertisers 304 Issues of Concern 305 Deregulation 305 Change in Content 306 Lack of Access 310 Internet 311 Summary 312 Further Reading 313 Keeping Up to Date 314 Exercise Privacy 317 Defining Privacy 318 Invasions of Your Privacy 319 Spamming 319 Commercial Mining 322 Theft of Private Information 327 Maliciousness 331 Public Opinion and Regulations 333 Public Opinion 333 Regulations 334 What Can We Do to Protect Our Privacy? 335 Summary 338 Further Reading 339 Keeping Up to Date 339 Exercise Piracy 341 What Is Piracy? 343 Copyright 344 Some History 345 How Big Is the Problem? 346 Film 347 Print 348 Crackdown on Piracy 348 Antipiracy Technology 348 New Legislation 349 Legal Action 349 Summary 351 Further Reading 351 Keeping Up to Date 351 Exercises Violence 355 Effects 356 Narrow Perspective 357 The Overlooked Effect 358 Conception of Violence 362 Public s Definition 362 Ironies 363

8 Developing a Broader Sensitivity 364 Summary 365 Further Reading 366 Exercises Sports 371 The Money Cycle 372 Players 373 Owners and Leagues 376 Television Networks 378 Advertisers 380 Public 380 Olympics 382 The Big Picture 385 Summary 385 Further Reading 386 Keeping Up to Date 387 Exercises 388 PART 7 The Springboard Personal Strategy for Increasing Media Literacy 395 Twelve Guidelines Strengthen Your Personal Locus Focus on Usefulness as a Goal Develop an Accurate Awareness of Your Exposure Acquire a Broad Base of Useful Knowledge Think About the Reality-Fantasy Continuum Examine Your Mental Codes Examine Your Opinions Change Behaviors Make Cross-Channel Comparisons Become More Skilled at Designing Messages Do Not Take Privacy for Granted Take Personal Responsibility 401 Illustrations of Milestones 401 Learning Ladders 402 Examples of Levels of Literacy 404 Summary 405 Keeping Up to Date 405 Exercise 406

9 Societal Techniques 420 Summary 421 Keeping Up to Date 422 Exercise Helping Others Increase Media Literacy 409 Interpersonal Techniques 410 What the Research Says 410 What Can You Do? 414 Public Education 416 Current Situation 416 Barriers 417 What You Can Do 419 Appendix A. Profiles of the Mass Media Industries A1 Appendix B. Examples of Mass Media Effects A31 Appendix C. Contacts A45 Glossary G1 References R1 Index I1 About the Author