STUDY GUIDE

HBES 3203

Introduction to Media and Culture

Weekly Study Guide

Week 1
Topic 1: Introduction
Focus
Media are so much a part of our daily lives that it is hard to imagine living without them wherever we may be or whatever we may be doing. A mobile phone, for instance, accompanies us even when we go to bed, and the television or magazine is something we readily turn to when we wonder what to do with some time on our hands. As media are an important presence in the way we live, they must also have a significant impact on our culture and society. This topic begins by examining (a) what media, culture and society refer to, (b) how they are connected through the way media portray culture and society, and (c) how different communication models influence the way we interpret the connection. It also suggests that the four elements of media technologies, content, industry and users provide a more comprehensive basis to understanding media in socio-cultural contexts. These four elements will be examined in the subsequent topics.

Reading Material
x Hodkinson, Paul. (2011). Media, Culture and Society: An Introduction. London: Sage. Chapter 1.

Study Questions
1. Explain briefly, in your own words, the three terms media, culture and society as they are used in this textbook in Chapter 1. What do you understand by social structures and human agency? Why are they important notions in the study of media, culture and society? (See p.3 of the textbook.)

2.

STUDY GUIDE

HBES 3203

Introduction to Media and Culture

3.

The two main approaches to the relationship between media and society are (a) media shapes society, and (b) media mirrors society. Point out the difference between them. Now think about your own experiences and draw on them to name one example for each of these approaches. Do these examples help you to see limitations, if any, in these two views? Consider now a third approach where media are seen as representations. How is this different from the earlier two views? Is it more accurate? Describe the model of communication developed by Shannon and Weaver (see p.7 of the textbook). How does it help you to understand the connection between technology and content in media? Compare Shannon and Weavers model with Lasswells model. What are their limitations? To help you answer this question, refer to Figure 1.6 for how the textbook proposes to compensate for the shortcomings of the Shannon and Weaver as well as the Lasswell models. Briefly restate the importance of each of the four elements of media as given in the introductory chapter of the textbook.

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Exercises
1. Study an advertisement which has caught your attention and interest and ask yourself why. Is one reason concerned with the way you relate to society? Do you think the advertisement you are drawn to will have an impact on your society? Refer to the models of communication in Chapter 1 of the textbook and design your own model that represents the connection between media communication and socio-cultural environment.

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