This lesson explores how the Internet changed the production, distribution, and experience of media. These changes matter because they affect what information people encounter and who can participate in public communication.
Print circulation and advertising revenue have declined, and television viewing has slowed, while online news and entertainment have grown. Online platforms are often free or inexpensive, easy to use, visual, and interactive. Established outlets such as the New York Times and CNN operate alongside organizations that began online, including BuzzFeed and TechCrunch.
All flashcards
What is media gatekeeping?
The process by which journalists, editors, producers, or other decision-makers select what gets published or broadcast.
What are barriers to entry in media production?
Costs or obstacles that make it difficult for newcomers to participate; accessible Internet tools can lower many of them.
What is Metcalfe’s law?
It states that a network’s value is proportional to the square of its number of connected users.
How do algorithms shape online feeds?
They apply rules to search, sort, and rank content, often predicting what an individual user may want to see.
What does asynchronous content mean?
Content that people can access or share at different times and places, rather than only during a scheduled broadcast.
Quiz questions
What role did editors and producers traditionally play in media?Answer: They selected which content would be published or broadcast.
What does Metcalfe’s law say about a network’s value?Answer: It is proportional to the square of the number of connected users.
Why might two people see different results for the same online search?Answer: Algorithms can personalize rankings using predictions informed by user activity and data such as cookies.
Which situation illustrates asynchronous online content?Answer: Someone watches an on-demand video at a time and place they choose.
How can social media help a political movement?Answer: It can help participants connect, share information, and coordinate action.
Based on Introduction to Political Science by Mark Carl Rom, Masaki Hidaka, Rachel Bzostek Walker (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.