Which forms of media are important agents of socialization in today’s society? What are their positive and negative impacts? What are some examples of practices and policies that ensure their positive benefits, and what should change?
Which forms of media are important agents of socialization in today’s society? What are their positive and negative impacts? What are some examples of practices and policies that ensure their positive benefits, and what should change?
This week, you’ll do some ethnographic field research by observing and taking notes. Spend one day documenting your media consumption, from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep.
Keep track of:
What forms of media do you consume: TV, radio, print media, Internet, video games
What types of media: mass media, social media
How long do you spend?
What is the general content? News, entertainment, homework platforms, online shopping, etc.
In your notes, document the “media messages” you receive in the course of the day. By “media message”, I mean each separate instance of media consumption or each time you shift your media focus. For instance, if you’re watching the news on TV, you might consider a half-hour news program two kinds of messages: “news” and “commercials.” If you’re online checking different social media sites, that could all count as one.