Definitions Media
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL A LEVEL SOCIOLOGY (9699)
PAPER 4 — MEDIA
COMPLETE DEFINITIONS NOTES
MEDIA
Media
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Institutions and technologies used to communicate information, ideas and entertainment to large audiences.
Mass Media
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Forms of communication reaching very large audiences simultaneously.
Examples:
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Television
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Newspapers
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Radio
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Internet
New Media
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Digital and interactive forms of communication using internet technology.
Examples:
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Social media
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Streaming platforms
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Blogs
Traditional Media
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Older forms of mass communication existing before digital technology.
Examples:
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Newspapers
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Radio
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Television
Media Ownership
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Control of media organisations by individuals or corporations.
Media Conglomerate
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Large corporation owning multiple media companies or platforms.
Concentration of Media Ownership
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Situation where a small number of corporations control most media outlets.
Global Media
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Media organisations operating internationally across many countries.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia (AYLOTI), World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 11 World Records and 7 Distinctions, Educate A Change.
MEDIA REPRESENTATION
Representation
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The way individuals or groups are portrayed in the media.
Stereotype
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Oversimplified and exaggerated representation of a group.
Gender Representation
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Portrayal of men and women in media content.
Ethnic Representation
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Portrayal of ethnic groups within media.
Age Representation
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Portrayal of different age groups in media.
Social Class Representation
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Media portrayal of different social classes.
Sexualisation
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Representation emphasising sexual attractiveness or sexuality.
Objectification
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Treating individuals as objects for visual or sexual pleasure.
Moral Panic
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Public fear or concern exaggerated by media coverage.
Folk Devils
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Groups blamed for causing social problems during moral panics.
MEDIA EFFECTS
Media Effects
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Influence media has on audience attitudes or behaviour.
Hypodermic Syringe Model
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Theory suggesting media messages are directly injected into passive audiences.
Cultivation Theory
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Theory that long-term media exposure shapes audience perceptions of reality.
Desensitisation
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Reduced emotional response to violence or shocking content due to repeated exposure.
Copycat Behaviour
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Imitation of behaviour seen in media.
Audience
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People consuming media content.
Passive Audience
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Audience accepting media messages without questioning.
Active Audience
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Audience interpreting and evaluating media messages independently.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia (AYLOTI), World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 11 World Records and 7 Distinctions, Educate A Change.
AUDIENCE THEORIES
Uses and Gratifications Theory
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Theory suggesting audiences actively choose media to satisfy personal needs.
Reception Theory
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Theory arguing audiences interpret media differently based on social background.
Dominant Reading
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Audience interpretation accepting intended media meaning.
Negotiated Reading
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Audience partly accepts and partly rejects media meaning.
Oppositional Reading
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Audience rejects intended media meaning.
Two-Step Flow Model
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Theory stating media influence passes through opinion leaders before reaching wider audiences.
Opinion Leaders
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Influential individuals shaping how others interpret media.
MARXIST MEDIA CONCEPTS
Ideology
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Set of ideas and beliefs supporting particular social interests.
Dominant Ideology
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Main beliefs and values benefiting powerful groups in society.
Hegemony
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Cultural dominance maintained through consent rather than force.
False Consciousness
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Situation where oppressed groups accept beliefs against their own interests.
Consumerism
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Culture encouraging continuous consumption of goods and services.
Cultural Imperialism
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Spread of one dominant culture over others through media and global influence.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia (AYLOTI), World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 11 World Records and 7 Distinctions, Educate A Change.
POSTMODERNIST MEDIA CONCEPTS
Hyperreality
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Situation where media representations become more influential than reality itself.
Simulation
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Artificial representation replacing real experience.
Fragmentation
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Breakdown of shared culture into diverse lifestyles and identities.
Identity
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Sense of who a person is socially and culturally.
Media Saturation
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Condition where media dominates everyday life.
Global Village
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Idea that technology connects people globally as one community.
DIGITAL MEDIA DEFINITIONS
Social Media
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Digital platforms allowing users to create and share content interactively.
User-Generated Content
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Content created by ordinary users rather than professional media producers.
Digital Divide
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Inequality in access to digital technology and internet resources.
Algorithm
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Automated system determining what content users see online.
Surveillance
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Monitoring individuals through technology and data collection.
Cyberbullying
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Bullying or harassment carried out through digital communication.
Fake News
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False or misleading information presented as genuine news.
Echo Chamber
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Environment where people encounter only opinions similar to their own.
Citizen Journalism
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News reporting carried out by ordinary individuals rather than professional journalists.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia (AYLOTI), World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 11 World Records and 7 Distinctions, Educate A Change.
MEDIA & GLOBALISATION DEFINITIONS
Globalisation
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Increasing interconnectedness between societies worldwide.
Media Globalisation
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International spread and influence of media content and organisations.
Hybridisation
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Mixing of local and global cultural influences.
McDonaldisation
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Spread of standardised and uniform global culture.
Network Society
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Society organised around digital communication networks.
Interactive Media
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Media allowing audiences to participate and respond actively.
Convergence
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Integration of multiple forms of media into one platform or device.
MEDIA INDUSTRY DEFINITIONS
Gatekeeping
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Process by which media organisations decide what information is published.
News Values
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Criteria determining which stories become news.
Sensationalism
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Exaggerated reporting designed to attract attention.
Commercialisation
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Process where media prioritises profit-making.
Public Service Broadcasting
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Media intended to serve public interests rather than profit.
Tabloid
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Newspaper focusing on sensational stories and entertainment.
Broadsheet
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Newspaper focusing on serious news and analysis.
Mainstream Media
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Large, widely accepted media organisations reaching mass audiences.
Alternative Media
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Media challenging mainstream perspectives and dominant ideologies.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia (AYLOTI), World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 11 World Records and 7 Distinctions, Educate A Change.
FEMINIST MEDIA DEFINITIONS
Patriarchy
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Social system where men hold dominant power.
Male Gaze
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Media presentation from a heterosexual male perspective objectifying women.
Symbolic Annihilation
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Underrepresentation or trivialisation of certain groups in media.
Post-Feminism
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Perspective claiming gender equality has largely been achieved.
FINAL GOLDEN RULE
MEDIA DEFINITIONS MUST:
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Be sociological
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Be concise
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Use proper terminology
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Avoid storytelling
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Directly fit examiner language