AHSS*1060 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Canadian Cultural Protectionism, Mass Media
Mass Communication - AHSS 1060
Chapter 12: Mass Communication in the Digital Age
The Shifting Character of Media
-Technology is shaped by political, social, economic, and cultural forces. The
media reflects and animates our social lives.
-Does the media serve the interests of the public or the interests of the market?
-Communications technologies and media systems have become sites of social
struggle.
Communication and Democracy
-Governments and the public have always struggled for control of
communications technologies.
-Mass media is an agent of nation-building.
-“Fair flows” of information and socially-responsible media vs. “free flows” of
information and media dominance through market competition
-UNESCO attempted to uphold “fair flow” standards through NWICO, but
the US and UK pulled their support.
-Canadian media and communications policy has been structured to protect
Canadian culture; however, it is facing increasing pressure from global markets.
-As public participation through new media expands, the ownership of media is
becoming more concentrated.
-Media policy will be key in ensuring public participation and
representation.
The Social Dimensions of Media and Communication
Ownership
-Canadian ownership and content regulations have been used to prevent
Canadian media companies and markets from becoming simple
extensions of their American cousins.
-No media industry in Canada is governed exclusively by free-market
economics.
-Private ownership is the dominant ownership form within the media
system.
Professionalism
-Cultural producers are not formally trained or tied to a formal regulatory
authority, but they do hold to their own set of ethics, and they develop
practice-specific rules.
-Professionalism emphasizes the ideals of freedom of speech, press, and
expression, and the ability to question authority.
-Improved technologies mean that the same amount of work can be done
by less people and the bar is lowered for amateurs to become cultural
producers.
Foreign Ownership
-Former Conservative federal government and its allies argued that
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Document Summary
Chapter 12: mass communication in the digital age. Technology is shaped by political, social, economic, and cultural forces. The media reflects and animates our social lives. Communications technologies and media systems have become sites of social struggle. Governments and the public have always struggled for control of communications technologies. Mass media is an agent of nation-building. Fair flows of information and socially-responsible media vs. free flows of information and media dominance through market competition. Unesco attempted to uphold fair flow standards through nwico, but the us and uk pulled their support. Canadian media and communications policy has been structured to protect. Canadian culture; however, it is facing increasing pressure from global markets. As public participation through new media expands, the ownership of media is becoming more concentrated. Media policy will be key in ensuring public participation and representation. Canadian ownership and content regulations have been used to prevent.
