User:Stevesuny/sandbox/507-spring2024/MassCulture

Introduction to Electronic Culture: Phase 2

 * Overview of Electronic Culture: Transition from early communications (telegraph, telephone) to mass media (radio, broadcasting). Example: Radio brought entertainment from concert halls to living rooms. History of Radio
 * Defining Characteristics of Phase 2: Broader audience reach and the beginning of electronic home entertainment. Example: Families gathering to listen to radio shows nightly. Broadcasting

Radio and Broadcasting

 * Radio as a Cultural Phenomenon: Made news and music widely accessible, changing leisure patterns. Example: FDR’s "Fireside Chats" connected the President to American homes. Fireside Chats
 * Impact on Cognition: Fostered a new listening culture and auditory learning. Example: Enhanced multitasking, as people listened to the radio while doing other activities. Educational Radio
 * Social and Political Implications: Used for propaganda and fostering national unity. Example: Radio broadcasts played a key role in WWII propaganda efforts. Radio Propaganda

Cablecasting and VCR

 * Cablecasting: Offered diverse content, breaking network TV's monopoly. Example: MTV's launch in 1981 revolutionized music consumption and promotion. Cable Television
 * VCR: Enabled control over media consumption. Example: Families could watch movies together at home, on their schedule. Videocassette Recorder
 * Cultural and Economic Shifts: Birth of home video market. Example: Blockbuster Video became a household name, changing how people rented and watched films. Home Video

Remote Control

 * Transformation of Viewing Habits: Facilitated channel surfing, affecting audience attention. Example: Viewers could avoid commercials, altering advertising strategies. Remote Control
 * Shifts in Media Production: Need for attention-grabbing content increased. Example: The rise of reality TV aimed to retain viewer interest amid channel surfing. Reality Television

The Rise of Mass Culture

 * Contrast with Print Culture and Oral Tradition: Mass media transcended the limitations of print's distribution and oral tradition's reach, democratizing information and entertainment. Example: Radio and TV broadcasts reached audiences far beyond those accessible to books and oral storytelling. Mass Media
 * Catalyst for Mass Culture: Radio's accessibility and broadcasting's reach transformed public life, creating a shared national culture. Example: Popular radio shows of the 1930s and 40s, like "The Shadow," became part of the collective consciousness. Broadcasting
 * Fragmentation and Control: The remote control symbolized the viewer's newfound power over mass media, allowing individuals to navigate the vast landscape of content. Example: Increased control led to more selective viewing habits, yet within the context of mass culture's broad offerings. Remote Control
 * Mass Culture's Impact on Cognition: The shift from print to electronic media influenced cognitive styles, moving from the linear, deep focus of reading to the multitasking and scanning habits encouraged by electronic media. Example: Television and radio commercials fostered shorter attention spans and heightened receptivity to visual and auditory stimuli. Visual Learning
 * Enduring Legacy of Mass Culture: Electronic media's role in shaping a collective identity and culture remains, even as new technologies emerge. Example: Social media platforms have taken the baton from traditional mass media, further democratizing content creation and consumption but continuing the trend of shaping a mass culture. Streaming Television

Broadcasting Era: 1910-1985

 * Key Technologies: Radio and television introduction marks mass communication era.
 * Affordance Theory: Design influences user actions through broadcasting technologies.
 * Practice Theory: User actions and societal practices shape the broadcasting landscape.

Audience Transformation

 * Large, heterogeneous, and anonymous audiences characterize the broadcasting era.
 * Broadcast content is designed for broad appeal across diverse demographics.

Cognitive Shifts with Radio and Television

 * Transition from reading to listening and watching.
 * Radio enhances auditory processing; television adds visual dimension, impacting information processing.

Impact on Content Creation and Distribution

 * Centralized production due to high costs, leading to network emergence.
 * Networks standardize content for mass appeal and advertising needs.

Introduction to Social Practice Theory

 * Alternative to Affordance Theory: Focuses on how daily activities, routines, and cultural norms are shaped by and shape media consumption.

Interplay Between Media and Social Practices

 * Highlights the co-constitutive relationship between media technologies and the social practices of their audiences. Practices evolve with media innovations, influencing and being influenced by them.

Evolution of Media-Related Practices

 * From family gatherings around the radio to communal TV watching and engaging with content on social media platforms. These practices reflect the changing landscape of media consumption.

Media's Role in Shaping Social Norms and Routines

 * Mass media not only provides content for consumption but also molds the social fabric by influencing how people organize their leisure time, interact with family, and engage in community activities.

Cultural Impact of Social Practices on Mass Media

 * These practices contribute to the broader culture of media consumption, affecting content creation, distribution strategies, and the overall media landscape.

Feedback Loop Between Media and Audience Practices

 * The dynamic interaction between media and social practices creates a feedback loop, where media influences practices and, in turn, these practices influence media development and content.

Years from Step to Step (Radio)

 * 10% to 25%: 2 years
 * 25% to 50%: 6 years
 * 50% to 75%: 7 years
 * 75% to 90%: 5 years

Years from Step to Step (Television)

 * 10% to 25%: 4 years
 * 25% to 50%: 3 years
 * 50% to 75%: 4 years
 * 75% to 90%: 5 years

= Resources =

radio television broadcast mass culture and audience