Mass Media and Communication - Assignment Example

Mass Media and Communication Question 2 Oligopoly and monopoly are economic market conditions. Oligopoly is an economic situation where there are many sellers in the market while monopoly is whereby there is only one seller in the market. In a market where there is a monopoly, the prices are higher. This is because there is no competition and the dominating seller will choose the price to sell the products. In an oligopoly market, the prices are fair or moderate due to stiff competition from the sellers. Each seller will adjust the prices such that he/she can get more customers leading to more sales. In a monopolistic market, consumers will have a limited number of choices. This is because they are limited to choosing from what they are supplied. On the other hand, a market with many sellers will give the consumer a variety of choices. This will make the consumer choose from his/her favorites and not limited to a few choices (Severin & Tankard 2010, p. 65). In the late 1980s, “czar” controlled all major media in United States. The media controlled includes; motion picture studio, magazine, book publishing house, broadcasting station and daily newspaper. Currently, there are 25000 media outlets in United States. Only 29 corporations control all these media outlets. This indicates that monopoly is high in United States as per communication and media. This is because the 29 corporations control all the 25000 media outlets. The corporations can decide to raise or reduce the costs incurred on using different media outlets to suit their interest. They are free to do anything, as they are the only once dominating in the market. The dominant media corporations in United States include; CBS, Knight-Ridder, Macmillan, Time, Inc, Universal-MCA, Hearst Corp, and many others. The solution to this monopolistic communication in United States is a democracy. This will encourage accountability to the public as a result of great power. For accountability to be achieved, the government should devise regulation measures to prevent monopoly. In addition, the government should create; chances where other corporations will get a chance to participate in public media and communication. Question 8 Pornography refers to material, which deals with sex designed to arouse its viewers or readers. The writings, videos, pictures, and others are displayed primarily with the intention of arousing sexual desire. There are two types of pornography, which are not protected by the First Amendment. These are child pornography and obscenity. The first Amendment is protecting pornographies, which does not fall in one of these categories. The protected pornographies are for only the adult viewers. Some of the materials in the media are indicated or classified as “harmful to minors” but the adults can access them. This proves that the First Amendment protects the pornographies viewed by the adults. Obscenity means something, which deals with matters in an offensive way. First amendment doesn’t deter the occurrence of obscenity and that is why it cannot be aired at any time. There is no clear definition of obscenity (Severin & Tankard 2010, p. 190). This has posed many difficulties when trying to convict different people in courts. This is because there should be materials, which depicts that there is a patently offensive and hard-core sexual conduct. This shows that many materials, which deal with sex as books, movies, and pornographic magazines do not qualify as legally obscene and they cannot be displayed in public. Many cases have been taken to court by individuals seeking to determine whether the children should be allowed to access obscene or pornographic contents accessed by the adults. It has been ruled that children should be restricted from accessing certain kinds of sexual material contents even if the adults access them. On the other hand, the challenge of the internet has been difficult on how to restrict from the access of children. This has made it difficult to differentiate whether a person accessing the internet is a child or an adult. Now days, anyone can access to the internet and view what he/she is capable of viewing. Internet has been introduced as one of the curriculum subjects even in lower primary schools. This has enabled young children to be well trained on how to communicate and access various sites on the internet and they can get access to it on their own. Question 10 Advertising is a mode of communication, which is relayed from companies and organizations to persuade the audiences to purchase their goods and services. This communication is usually done through different forms of paid media. Advertising in a democratic society works well because there are no restrictions. Every media outlet has a freedom to advertise the products from their clients. In some countries, there are restrictions where media houses are not allowed to advertise products from different companies. In these situations, some senior officials have their own companies that they would like to be the only suppliers in the market. This makes them introduce some measure where products from other companies are restricted. In addition, they can decide to increase the payments made for one to be allowed to advertise. Higher payments will discourage other companies making them the only suppliers (Severin & Tankard 2010, p. 92). In a democratic society, the companies, or organization are free to advertise all their products in all places all over the world. This is because there are no restrictions in the media outlets. The companies are free to advertise so long as the advertised products are legal as per the rules of the country. In a democratic society, products will be of high quality. This is because there is high competition in the markets as everyone is free to advertise his/her products. Democracy should be practiced in all nations. This will help the consumers to buy at a lower price and get products of better quality. Question 12 Powerful effect theory is described as how the audience responds and the impacts of media outlets. The researchers have believed that the media outlets like television and radio has direct and immediate impacts on their audience. This is because when any information is broadcasted to the public or audiences, they respond immediately. For example, when it is advertised that there will be a political rally in a certain venue, the public will respond in large numbers. This shows that there are immediate impacts of media outlets on the public. Harold Lasswell conducted a study about the propaganda of World War II. From the study, he concluded that media could change the behavior of different people. For example, the media could convince soldiers on how they could perform on their duties, improve the morale of the newly recruited soldiers, and even the wives can change the food habits. According to the minimalist theory, it indicates that people are more influenced by acquaintances and friends than by the media. This shows that nowadays people are relying on what they are told by friends than what is broadcast on the media outlets (Severin & Tankard 2010, p. 220). This made many people move from the facts of powerful effects theory to the facts on minimalist effects theory. Paul Lazarsfeld conducted two powerful researches about the opinion and behavior of a voter during the election. From the researches, he concluded that media has a very little direct influence on voters than the influence from acquaintances and friends. In addition, from the studies it was discovered that the audiences are insulate and stubborn against any contradictory messages from the media. The media do not tell people what they can think; instead, they tell what they can think about. Question 13 Equal time rule is the closest thing in broadcasting content, which is a regulation to the golden rule. The equal time or equal opportunity is a provision of Communications Act. The act requires television, radio stations, and cable systems, which originated from their own programming to treat legally qualified political candidates equally when giving or selling away airtime. This means that, for example, a station selling or giving one minute to one candidate should give the same time to other individuals with the same audience for a particular office. The candidates who cannot afford time will not be given free minutes unless the others are given free minutes. Today the same rule is used where the political candidates are given the same time to reach an audience through the radio and television. The candidates are treated equally as they are fighting for the same positions and they are trying to reach the same audiences for the same reasons. It will be unfair for the owners of the media outlets to discriminate the political candidates by giving others many minutes while others are given few minutes. This can create enmity between the candidates themselves and even between candidates and media houses. Fairness doctrine imposes affirmative responsibilities on any broadcaster such that they can provide coverage issues of public importance in a fairly and adequate reflects on different viewpoints (Severin & Tankard 2010, p. 104). For the fairness doctrine obligations to be fulfilled, a broadcaster should provide free time for the presentations from the opposing sides if the sponsor who had paid for the presentation is not available to initiate the program. This will be fair because the broadcaster cannot stay waiting for a sponsor who had paid for the services yet others are waiting. Currently, the doctrine is working well and it is very important. This is because some political candidates book for the time to present their issues to the public that they might fail to avail themselves in the media houses. The broadcaster should not continue waiting for a candidate, but to give the time to others who want to be served with same services. Reference Severin, W. J., & Tankard, J. W. (2010). Communication theories: Origins, methods, and uses in the mass media. Longman. Read More