Grand narratives

Large-scale theories that attempt to explain the totality of human experience.

Participatory culture

A culture in which media consumers are able to annotate, comment on, remix, and otherwise respond to culture.

Mass communication

Communication transmitted to large segments of the population.

Mass Media

Those means of transmission that are designed to reach a wide audience; some examples are radio, newspapers, magazines, books, and video games, as well as internet media such as blogs, podcasts, and video sharing.

Modernism

An artistic movement of late-19th and early-20th centuries that arose out of the widespread changes that swept the world during that period, and that questioned the limitations of “traditional” forms of art and culture.

Watchdog journalism

Independent scrutiny by the press of the activities of government, business, and other public institutions to document, question, and investigate those activities to provide the public and officials with timely information on issues of public concern.

Freedom of the press

John Milton’s 1644 treatise that criticized the British Parliament’s regulation of texts, which paved the way for the freedom of the press and was considered by the writers of the U.S. Constitution.

Copyright law

The U.S. Constitution granted Congress the power “to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries

Public domain

Works not covered by intellectual property law or for which copyright protection has expired. Works in the public domain are essentially public property.

Fair use

An aspect of copyright law that specifies the ways in which a work (or parts of a work) under copyright can legally be used by someone other than the copyright holder.

Propaganda

The organized spreading of information to assist or weaken a cause.

Depth interview

A research method in which researchers conduct lengthy interviews with test subjects.

Tastemaker

People or organizations who exert a strong influence on current trends, styles, and other aspects of popular culture.

Gatekeeper

people who help determine which stories make it to the public, including reporters who decide what sources to use, and editors who pick what gets reported on, and which stories make it to the front page or to television.

Obscenity

any material with a possible immoral influence

Crowd-sourcing

The act of taking tasks traditionally performed by an individual and delegating them to a (usually unpaid) crowd.

Free speech

The first amendmant free to say whatever.

Media literacy

The skill of being able to decode and process the messages and symbols transmitted via media.

Media convergence

The process by which previously distinct technologies come to share content, tasks, and resources.

News magazine

a magazine about the current events or real time events.

Picture magazine

A journal that specializes in photography and typically features large spreads of photos with short captions and few articles.

Agenda-setting

A theory stating that the mass media determine the issues the public considers important.

Stereotyping

An image or character that generalizes and oversimplifies a particular group of people.

Focus group

A group interview in which participants respond to questions posed about a certain subject.

The uses and gratifications theory

A theory stating that individuals use media to satisfy specific needs or desires.

Cultivation analysis theory

a sociological and communications framework that examines the long-term effects of media consumption

Beat generation

The name given to a group of American writers who came to prominence in the 1950s and who were known for literary experimentation and nonconformity

Zenger trial in New York

charges of seditious libel under the British colonial government became a symbol of the American commitment to the freedom of the press

Yellow journalism

Made famous by Pulitzer and Hearst, this style of journalism uses sensationalism, misleading stories, and distorted images to boost sales.

Yellow Kid

Richard Felton Outcault (1863-1928) created Hogan's Alley, which is considered the first commercially successful newspaper comic strip.

Inverted pyramid style

A journalistic style in which the most important information is placed in the lead paragraph, with additional information appearing in order of importance.

Telegraph

Early communication technology that used wires to transmit messages through a series of clicks.

Niche magazine

magazines that cater to trades, political and religious groups, scholars, and hobbyists in such diverse fields as sports, crafts, music, and even pets.

Vaudeville

A popular form of variety entertainment in the early 20th century that included singing acts, magicians, comedians, and acrobats.

copy right Act of 1911

imposed a royalty on all records of copyrighted musical works to compensate composers and authors

Mississippi Delta

Region in northwest Mississippi, home of the Delta blues style of music.

Merseybeat

Term used to describe the music of bands originating in the Mersey area of England during the 1960s, e.g. the Beatles.

Oligopoly

A market condition in which a few firms dominate an industry’s production and distribution.

The direct-to-fan business model

a marketing strategy that allows artists to sell directly to their fans without relying on a distributor or retailer.

The inverted pyramid

journalistic style in which the most important information is placed in the lead paragraph, with additional information appearing in order of importance.

Ragtime

A jazzy style of piano music characterized by a syncopated melody that was influenced by offbeat dance music and music.

Tin Pan Alley

A term used to refer to the area in Manhattan in which singer-songwriter and publisher teams worked in the early 20th century.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain most famously used humor in his many works of journalism, travel writing, and fiction.

Woodblock printing

The earliest known printed books were made with

Printing press

A newspaper format popular in the 1830s, printed on small paper sizes with a fast printing press and sold for one penny

Print-on-demand

A printing technology in which new copies of a book are not created until an order is received.