Citizens’ media is a term used by communication and media scholars to refer to electronic media (i.e., radio, television, video) and information and communication technologies (i.e., text messaging, cellular telephony, Internet) that are controlled and used by citizens and collectives to meet their own information and communication needs. As an academic term, citizens’ media belongs
The concept of community media is understood as referring to small media institutions, often specifically to radio stations established in the so-called developing countries. These media have become ever more popular in recent years. However, the history of the concept is considerably older and more complicated. The objective of community media is to create local
Few would deny media’s increasingly central role in the everyday lives of most individuals, particularly in first and second world countries. And increasingly, few would deny media’s rhetorical influence in how people come to understand themselves and those around them. News media shape the way individuals see their communities as well as those on the
The term media refers broadly to the range of tools that humans have used throughout history to communicate with each other about a shared reality. The most common reference is to the set of modern technologies – from the printing press to the Internet – which facilitate communication across space, time, and social collectives. History
Media literacy has been defined as “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages across a variety of contexts” (Christ & Potter 1998, 7). This definition is widely accepted, although many alternative and competing conceptions also exist. As the subject of academic research, educational initiatives and communication policy (Potter 2004), research reflects enduring tensions
Pornography or “porn,” is a socially defined class of sexual communication, which may or may not be protected under national laws. The term may be distinguishable from legal definitions of obscenity or indecency. Pornography is generally considered the depiction of graphic sexual behavior usually designed to promote sexual arousal. Pornographic material may be either legal
Media policy involves policymaking – and the associated policy research – directed at a wide range of substantive issues and technological contexts, and employing a diverse array of theoretical and methodological perspectives. It is important to note, however, that in the communications field there are a large number of somewhat indistinct policy arenas that overlap
Access to the media encompasses the efforts and rights of individuals and groups to represent their views through the pages or airtime of established media entities – private or public. It should not be confused with access to information or even the related question of open-access television. The access-to-media question typically arises when a political
Perceptions of reality, or social reality, can be conceptualized as an individual’s conception of the world (Hawkins & Pingree 1982). What intrigues many social scientists is the exploration of the specifics of these perceptions and the ways in which they are developed. Social perception has been considered from both individual- and social-level perspectives. The individual-level
This article explores the intricate relationship between media influence and legal ethics within the context of the United States criminal justice system. The introduction establishes the significance of understanding this dynamic interplay, emphasizing the article’s focus on media portrayal of crimes and suspects, public perception’s impact on legal proceedings, and the role of social media