Mass Communication Concepts and Theories - Assignment Example

The reporter ensures what information is sent, what has to be included in the news, and how it should be presented. Gatekeeping is categorized into two types, front-end and back-end gatekeeping. Agenda Setting is a theory that enables people to think about important issues. It helps them to ignore unwanted information. This assists people in differentiating between the required and unnecessary information. Framing is a concept that explains how the information is published. It concentrates on the way of presenting the news.

Presentation divides the details that have to be emphasized and those which do not require much attention. Media works to cultivate certain things in people’s minds. The ideas or views it cultivates depend on the value and type of information. Official sources the most rely on sources. Official sources include government and other well-known and established companies. Since the media strongly trusts and believes these sources, it is biased. Information from the political leaders may not be the best at all times.

Hence media is biased towards these reliable sources. The gatekeeping theory explains how limiting sources to officials might result in bias. Since the reporters and editors decide on what has to be published, the information from the unreliable source is not selected. The information from reliable sources is selected and presented in the media. This leads to a biased state where the media gives importance only to the news that comes from any reliable source. Truthiness is the capacity of a person to understand information either emotionally or through his instinct.

This person may rely on the information without examining it or even without proper proof. All presidential administrations seek to control the public debate, steering journalists in directions they want to be covered. The Bush Administration was known for its discipline in spreading “talking points” that support administration positions—from Bush people on morning talk shows to Fox commentators repeating (sometimes word-for-word) the administration talking points. What mass communication theory might best explain and evaluate how that worked in society, and why?

The interaction among the public and the journalists from the main part of the media. Coorientation explains the relationship between reporters and normal people. This communication between them will help in building a better administration. The government will be benefited since they can easily know the people’s expectations and opinions. Mean World Syndrome is an aspect that depicts violence and its contents in a more serious way. This creates an impression of a much dangerous world among the viewers.

It leads to a state where people expect more protection and a secured environment. Mean world syndrome portrays the world as the most terrifying place. Selective Perception explains that these are not effective. Each person may or may not like the way in which the advertisers or politicians get the messages. Since the selection ultimately depends on the individual, advertisers are not completely benefited. Revisit Friday’s WORD, which talks about how we know about historical “truth.

” History, it is said, is written by the winners. If this is true, what mass communication theories does this illustrate? How? Selective Perception and Cultivation illustrate that history is written by winners. Selective Perception explains that understanding or recognizing any information depends on the individual’s ability and other criteria. It is purely based on the people’s ideology of following and believing in things.  Media knowingly or unknowingly cultivates some ideas on people’s minds.

This eventually leads to a situation where people have faith in certain things irrespective of the information. The value of information decides how long it stays in their mind. Ray LaHood is the U.S Transportation Secretary. Recently he resolved an issue involving Toyota Cars. The cars manufactured by Toyota were reported to have a faulty design. In order to solve this issue, LaHood advised the Americans to stop driving the cars manufactured by Toyota.