The Future of Mass Media

Paper Summary:

This paper provides a critical look at mass media throughout history. It begins with the first significant use of the printing press and the impact it had on information dissemination to the common public. It also focuses on the influences of contemporary mass media, through television and Internet, on the masses. The paper is wary of the overweening influence the mass media exercises in contemporary society. The paper postures that media is driven solely by prospective commercial gain and it is entirely possible that content providers do everything in their power to guarantee passive and therefore loyal audiences. The paper concludes that one should constantly be aware of mass media's possible ulterior motives.

From the Paper:

"Mass media's portrayal in Orwell's disutopian masterpiece 1984 is still the most sinister I have ever read. The idea that a television set constantly monitored by the state is watching you watch it, registering your every response to a steady stream of propaganda, is chilling indeed. Almost as chilling in fact as my deepest fears about how the mass media may evolve in my lifetime."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abrahamson, D. (1998). "The visible hand: Money, markets, and media evolution." Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 75, 14-18.
• Benford, S., et al. "Collaborative Virtual Environments." Communications of the ACM 44.7 (2001): 79-85. Academic Search Premier. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com.
• Dunleavy, P. & Weir, S. "How to freshen up democracy." New Statesman, 11(1998): 571-572.
• Goodman, E. P. "Media Policy Out of the Box: Content Abundance, Attention Scarcity, and the Failures of Digital Markets." Berkeley Technology Law Journal 19.4 (2004): 1389-1472. Academic Search Premier. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com.
• Howard, H. "Television Station Ownership in the United States: A Comprehensive Study (1940-2005)." Journalism & Communication Monographs 8.1 (2006): 1-86. Academic Search Premier. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com.

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