Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
87 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Why is media ownership important?
|
Affects the hierarchy of the media organization
Affects the type of news that is available to the public |
|
|
Consolidated media ownership effects
|
–same media stories through different filters
–depoliticization of society generated by media discourages political coverage by journalists |
|
|
does the media encourage diversity?
|
governing bodies (FCC) do not encourage diversity within the media
–limited media ownership does not encourage diverse views –the way the media market system is set up curtails diversity |
|
|
First amendment
|
Most cited law for protecting journalists but actually only sets stage for legal action
|
|
|
What constitutes libel or slander?
|
–an injury to reputation
–words or visuals that expose a person to public hatred, shame, disgrace or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of someone |
|
|
Four points of libel
|
• statement was published (print or broadcast)
• plaintiff was identified or identifiable • there was actual injury in the form of loss of money, impairment of reputation, humiliation or mental anguish • the publisher of the statement was malicious or negligent |
|
|
Hustler magazine v. Falwell (1988)
|
-Court ruled that the ad parody could not be reasonably understood as making a factual assertion
-Parodies are protected under the First Amendment |
|
|
Defamation
|
–words that clearly hurt a person’s reputation
–murderer, rapist, prostitute –words that do not directly harm a person’s reputation can also be libelous –the defamatory statement must actually be published |
|
|
–New York Times vs. Sullivan
|
–set boundaries for a private vs. public figure
Private individuals have to prove negligence by the media –if journalists do their jobs well, it is difficult to prove negligence (knowingly printing something that is a lie) |
|
|
Defense of libel
|
–truth
–an absolute defense in every state –sources (one vs. three) |
|
|
Reporter Privilege
|
–reporters are allowed more latitude than ordinary citizens
–if press is afraid of punishment, it won’t report information that is important to society |
|
|
Estes v. Texas (1965)
|
Claimed that having cameras in the courtroom prevented the defendant from getting a fair trial
Court ruled that in this case that was true, but not in all cases Cameras in the courtroom is decided on a case-by-case basis |
|
|
Sheppard v. Maxwell (1966)
|
Prejudicial privacy
Trial cannot be tried via the media |
|
|
Defining a confidential source
Bruno and Stillman v. Globe Newspaper Co. (1980) |
Reporter can assert privilege only on a question-by-question basis
|
|
|
Disclosure of private facts
|
even if an embarrassing fact is true, a paper can be sued for disclosing that fact
–sexual orientation, body image |
|
|
Roth v. U.S. (1957)
|
Established guidelines for what is considered obscene
Obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment Material whose dominant theme taken as a whole appeals to the prurient interest to the average person, applying contemporary community standards |
|
|
Miller v. California (1973)
|
Aggressive sales actions had been used to thrust sexually suggestive material on an unwilling recipient
|
|
|
Richmond Newspapers v. Virginia (1980)
|
The press has a right to be present in a courtroom during a trial
The public has a right to access certain public documents, especially those that deal with public monies Freedom of information act |
|
|
Conflicting interests of media practitioners
|
-individual conscience
-object of the act—who will be affected -financial supporters -the institution itself—usually inspires loyalty -the profession—working to meet expectations of colleagues/boss -society—most volatile of conflicting interests in democratic society |
|
|
Five duties of mass media practitioners
|
-Duty to self—self preservation is a basic human instinct
Duty to audience • Duty to employer –puts employees in moral dilemma • Duty to profession |
|
|
Moral principles
|
• Avoid extremes and seek moderation
• Golden rule--do unto others |
|
|
• Kant’s categorical imperative
|
–an act itself must be good in order to do good
–do unto others as you would have done unto you |
|
|
Utilitarian ethics (John Stuart Mill)
|
greatest good for the greatest number
–heavily based on societal norms |
|
|
Pragmatic ethics (Dewey)
|
–virtue of moral decision is judged by its results
–Stealing a loaf of bread to feed family |
|
|
• Egalitarian ethics (John Rawls)
|
–choosing a right course of action requires blindness to social position or other discriminating factors
|
|
|
Social responsibility ethics
|
–media should make decisions that serve the society responsibly
– Exit polls |
|
|
Deontological ethics
|
–people act morally when they follow good rules
–But who makes the rules? |
|
|
Libertarian theory-
|
-most people will make the right decision provided they are given all the necessary information
|
|
|
Sole proprietorship
|
Least complex
Limited amount of employees, if any Pro: Owner reaps all profit Con: Owner assumes all debt/liability |
|
|
General Partnership
|
- partners share equal responsibility
- most risky |
|
|
Limited Partnership
|
- unequal distribution of risk/profit/work
- general partner: runs business - limited partner: investor |
|
|
Legal entity
|
- separate from owners/stockholders
- can act as a “person” |
|
|
Advantages
|
- works with any size business
- protection for owners - tax benefits - easier to raise capital |
|
|
Single-owner corp.
|
- small, private
- owner holds all the shares |
|
|
Closely held private corp.
|
- small or large
- ward off take-over - typically limited multiple holders - usually family-held biz |
|
|
Restrictive stock ownership corp
|
- ward off take-overs
- different stock types: ex. voting & nonvoting |
|
|
Publicly held corp.
|
- all stock available to public (Wall Street)
- what people often are talking about when they refer to corporate ownership |
|
|
Private foundations/trusts:
|
- profits used for altruistic purposes
- profits reinvested in the company |
|
|
Nonprofit groups:
|
- used to preserve integrity of publication
- used to promote particular viewpoint |
|
|
Corporate consequences
|
Consolidation
International expansion Devaluation of news content MBA decision making Audience fragmentation Profit maximization at any cost |
|
|
Corporate contributions
|
Capital to sustain media companies
Increased resources (consolidation) Shareholders check managerial power Professional goals drive local managers Employee benefits No worse than private owners |
|
|
What is decision making?
|
–allocation of scarce resources by individuals or groups to achieve goals under conditions of uncertainty and risk
–a choice between alternatives Resources –time, money |
|
|
Decision-making steps
|
Defining the problem
Specifying the goal Analyze the problem Developing solutions Selecting a solution Implementing the solution Monitoring the solution |
|
|
Three types of risk
|
• routine
–easily reversible, few resources involved • irreversible decision –serious harm possible • reactive/proactive –risk is great but one cannot afford not to take it |
|
|
Programmed
|
Routine
Usually already made in the past Satisfactory results from previous decision Low uncertainty, low risk |
|
|
Non-programmed
|
Unstructured, controversial
Proactive Reactive |
|
|
Hidden traps of decision-making
|
Overestimating, underestimating makes it difficult to foretell the effect of a decision
|
|
|
Heuristics
|
Learning through discovery, intuitive judgments
Mind can play tricks when using heuristics to make a decision |
|
|
Anchoring traps
|
Initial information tends to be viewed as the most accurate, important even if it is not
|
|
|
Status quo traps
|
Subconscious bias toward alternatives that perpetuate the status quo
Requires people to adopt change |
|
|
Confirming evidence trap
|
Seek affirming statements about our ideas from people we know will agree with us
Tend to ignore those statements that help us make an informed decision |
|
|
Sunk cost trap
|
Strong likelihood of making choices that justify past choices
Leads to time, money that are now irrecoverable |
|
|
Framing trap
|
If questions are not framed correctly, decisions will inevitably be bad
|
|
|
Forecasting traps
|
Characteristics that likely will lead to failure in decision-making
|
|
|
Advantages of group decision making
|
–faster decision process
–division of labor for complex task –larger amounts of information available |
|
|
Disadvantages of group decision making
|
–disagreement slows acceptance process
–political behavior of group can hinder decision process –group agreement does not necessarily ensure a good decision is made |
|
|
Individual decision making styles
|
decisive style
flexible style Hierarchical style integrative style systemic style |
|
|
decisive style
|
–tend to take first possible solution as the best
–people with strong personalities –opinion is difficult to change |
|
|
flexible style
|
act on limited solutions
–tend to be more adaptable |
|
|
Hierarchical style
|
–act slowly
–gather a large amount of data before making one decision –usually have a back-up strategy |
|
|
• integrative style
|
–act slowly
–consider more than one solution to the problem –pursue two or more courses of action simultaneously |
|
|
systemic style
|
–evaluate large amounts of information
–consider multiple solutions to a problem –solutions are then prioritized |
|
|
Types for group decisions
|
• decision by authority without input
• decision by default • Self-authorized decisions • decision by clique • Decision by expert • decision by opinion • decision by authority after group discussion • decision by majority/minority |
|
|
Time
|
–time is the most important factor in decision making
–the less time we have, the less informed the decision will be |
|
|
Management issues
|
blah
|
|
|
• threats to structure
|
–conversion costs to HDTV
–loss of revenue streams –direct delivery of video content –competition from digitally enabled print –audience fragmentation |
|
|
Radio
|
• threats to structure
–alternative forms of distribution –internet competition –fewer independent retailers –personal music technologies |
|
|
Newspapers
|
• threats to newspapers
–production costs –internet competition –declining readership |
|
|
Film
|
• Threats to films
–copyright –video-on-demand –fewer theatres |
|
|
Universal issues
|
consolidation
• competition • convergence • digital conversion • piracy • automation • conceptual definition of mass media • audience measurement • regulation |
|
|
Market structure
|
density dependence model
|
|
|
density dependence model
|
–examines entry and exit rates of organizations
–media entry/exit rates are difficult to track as larger corporations incorporate smaller media |
|
|
resource partitioning model
|
–decline and renewal of populations in an industry
|
|
|
Types of market analysis
|
• geographical
product investments Product substitutes • Consumer income Consumer tastes |
|
|
4 “Ps” of marketing
|
Product
Place Promotion Price |
|
|
Product
|
Media has dual product--one for advertisers, one for consumers
|
|
|
Price
|
setting price for media can be difficult because of its social responsibility role
|
|
|
Place
|
Sales or distribution channels
Increasingly harder to determine best place for product to have the greatest effect |
|
|
• Promotion
|
product design and packaging
|
|
|
Break-even analysis
|
Usually what newer companies shoot for when introducing a new or redesigned media product
Investment has to occur so it can take years to reach the break-even point |
|
|
Crossover analysis
|
Comparing two or more possible options for the same product
• Horizontal integration –a company owns a number of different business that might not be related media company also owns a utility |
|
|
Vertical integration
|
owns subsidiaries within its organization to handle more than one function
Media company also owns its distribution or marketing functions |
|
|
Total market coverage
|
Media product that reaches every household
Usually dependent upon getting the product free to at least some households |
|
|
Non-duplicating coverage
|
Media sent only to those that do not consume it
As people become dependent upon the product, they will be willing to pay for it |
|
|
Zoned coverage
|
Media directed to a certain community
Allows media to have a local effect |
|
|
Consumer characteristics
|
Geographic
Demographic Socioeconomic Cultural • Consumer responses Usage frequency Benefits from the product Attitudes, customer loyalty |
|
|
Competition categories
|
Perfect
There are many companies that offer roughly the same product Oligopoly There are a few companies that offer roughly the same product Monopoly There is one company that offers a unique product |
