Chapter 1

Question 1

Communication

Answer 1

the creation and use of symbol systems that convey information and meaning (ex. languages, Morse code, motion pictures, binary code)

Question 2

Culture

Answer 2

the symbols of expression that individuals, groups, and societies use to make sense of daily life and to articulate their values

Question 3

Mass media

Answer 3

the cultural industries - the channels of communication - that produce and distribute songs, novels, tv shows, newspapers, movies, video games, internet services, and other cultural products to large numbers of people

Question 4

mass communication

Answer 4

the process of designing cultural messages and stories and delivering them to large and diverse audiences through media channels as old and distinct as the printed book and as new and converged as the internet

Question 5

digital communication

Answer 5

images, texts, and sounds are converted into electronic signals (represented as varied combinations of binary numbers - 0s and 1s) that are then reassembled (decoded) as a precise reproduction of a TV picture, or magazine article, or telephone voice, etc.

Question 6

bloggers

Answer 6

people who post commentary on cultural, personal, and political-opinion based web sites

Question 7

senders

Answer 7

authors, producers, and organizations

Question 8

messages

Answer 8

programs, texts, images, sounds, and ads

Question 9

mass media channel

Answer 9

newspapers, books, magazines, radio, television, or the internet

Question 10

receivers

Answer 10

readers, viewers, and consumers

Question 11

gatekeepers

Answer 11

news editors, executive producers, and other media managers

Question 12

feedback

Answer 12

in which citizens and consumers, if they choose, return messages to senders or gatekeepers through letter-to-the-editor, phone calls, email, web postings, or talk shows

Question 13

selective exposure

Answer 13

people typically seek messages and produce meanings that correspond to their own cultural beliefs, values, and interests

Question 14

convergence

Answer 14

the technological merging of content across different media channels - magazine articles, radio programs, tv shows, video games, and movies now all available on the internet through laptops, tablets, and smartphones

Question 15

cross platform

Answer 15

a business model that involves consolidating various media holdings, such as cable connections, phone services, television transmission, and internet access under one corporate umbrella.

Question 16

narrative

Answer 16

storytelling

Question 17

high culture

Answer 17

ballet, symphony, art museums, and classic literature. Identified with good tastes, high education, and supported by wealthy patrons and corporate donors, associated with fine art that is primarily available at libraries, theaters, and museums

Question 18

low culture

Answer 18

icons, soap operas, rock music, radio shock jocks, and video games. Aligned with the questionable tastes of the masses, who enjoy commercial junk circulated by mass media, such as reality TV, celebrity gossip websites, and violent action films.

Question 19

modern period

Answer 19

beginning with the industrial revolution of the 1800s and ending in the 1950s

Question 20

Progressive Era

Answer 20

a period of social and political reform that lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s. Progressive era reformers supported women’s suffrage, prohibition, secret ballots, and the federal income tax

Question 21

postmodern period

Answer 21

1950s to today

Question 22

media literacy

Answer 22

an understanding of mass media and how they construct meaning

Question 23

critical process

Answer 23

description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement

Question 24

description

Answer 24

paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study

Question 25

analysis

Answer 25

discovering and focusing on specific patterns that emerge

Question 26

interpretation

Answer 26

asking and answering “what does that mean”, “so what” questions about one’s findings

Question 27

evaluation

Answer 27

arriving at a judgement about something that is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical bigger picture resulting from the first three stages

Question 28

engagement

Answer 28

taking some action that connects out critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment