Glossary

à la carte pricing charging cable subscribers by the channel, not for tiers

absolutist position regarding the First Amendment, the idea that no law means no law

acquisitions editor the person in charge of determining which books a publisher will publish

Acta Diurna written on a tablet, account of the deliberations of the Roman senate; an early “newspaper”

actual malice the standard for libel in coverage of public figures consisting of “knowledge of its falsity” or “reckless disregard” for whether it is true or not

ad hoc balancing of interests in individual First Amendment cases, several factors should be weighed in determining how much freedom the press is granted

addressable advertising very specific messages for very specific brands and products delivered to audiences of one

addressable technology technology enabling a program provider to switch access to pay services on and off at the hub

administrative research studies of the immediate, practical influence of mass communication

advergames videogames produced expressly to serve as brand commercials

advertorials ads in magazines and newspapers that take on the appearance of genuine editorial content

advocacy games Primarily online games supporting an idea rather than a product

affiliate a broadcasting station that aligns itself with a network

agenda setting the theory that media may not tell us what to think but do tell us what to think about

aggressive cues model of media violence; media portrayals can indicate that certain classes of people are acceptable targets for real-world aggression

AIDA approach the idea that to persuade consumers advertising must attract attention, create interest, stimulate desire, and promote action

Alien and Sedition Acts series of four laws passed by 1798 U.S. Congress making illegal the writing, publishing, or printing of “any false scandalous and malicious writing” about the president, the Congress, or the U.S. government

aliteracy possessing the ability to read but being unwilling to do so

all-channel legislation 1962 law requiring all television sets imported into or manufactured in the United States to be equipped with both VHF and UHF receivers

alternative press typically weekly, free papers emphasizing events listings, local arts advertising, and “eccentric” personal classified ads

ambient advertising advertising content appearing in nontraditional venues

AM/FM combo two stations, one AM and one FM, simultaneously broadcasting identical content

applied ethics the application of metaethics and normative ethics to very specific situations

ascertainment requires broadcasters to ascertain or actively and affirmatively determine, the nature of their audiences' interest, convenience, and necessity; no longer enforced

attitude change theory theory that explains how people's attitudes are formed, shaped, and changed and how those attitudes influence behavior

audience fragmentation audiences for specific media content becoming smaller and increasingly homogeneous

audimeter device for recording when the television set is turned on, the channel to which it is tuned, and the time of day; used in compiling ratings

audion tube vacuum tube developed by DeForest that became the basic invention for all radio and television

authoritarian/communism system a national media system characterized by authoritarian control

average quarter-hour how many people are listening to a broadcast station in each 15-minute day part

awareness tests ad research technique that measures the cumulative effect of a campaign in terms of a product's “consumer consciousness”

B-movie the second, typically less expensive, movie in a double feature

bandwidth a communication channel's information carrying capacity

banners online advertising messages akin to billboards

basic cable television channels provided automatically by virtue of subscription to a cable provider

Bill of Rights the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution

billings total sale of broadcast airtime

Biltmore Agreement settled the press war between newspapers, which had refused their services to their electronic competitors, and radio

binary code information transformed into a series of digits 1 and 0 for storage and manipulation in computers

bitcasters “radio stations” that can be accessed only over the World Wide Web

blink ads television commercials lasting one second

block booking the practice of requiring exhibitors to rent groups of movies (often inferior) to secure a better one

blockbuster mentality filmmaking characterized by reduced risk taking and more formulaic movies; business concerns are said to dominate artistic considerations

blogs Web journals that comment on the news with links to stories that back up the commentary with evidence

BOC regional Bell operating company

bounded cultures (co-cultures) groups with specific but not dominant cultures

brand awareness an advertising goal when a number of essentially similar brands populate a given product category

brand magazine a consumer magazine published by a retail business for readers having demographic characteristics similar to those consumers with whom it typically does business

British cultural theory theory of elites' domination over culture and its influence on bounded cultures

broadband a channel with broad information-carrying capacity

broadsides (sometimes broadsheets ) early colonial newspapers imported from England, single-sheet announcements or accounts of events

browsers software programs loaded on personal computers and used to download and view Web files

bundling delivering television, VOD, audio, high-speed Internet access, long-distance and local phone service, multiple phone lines, and fax via cable

cable modem modem connecting a computer to the Internet via a specified Internet service provider

calotype early system of photography using translucent paper from which multiple prints could be made

catalogue albums in record retailing, albums more than 3 years old

catharsis theory that watching mediated violence reduces people's inclination to behave aggressively

cease-and-desist order demand made by a regulatory agency that a given illegal practice be stopped

censorware unflattering name given to Web content–filtering software by its opponents

chained Bibles Bibles attached to church furniture or walls by early European church leaders

channel surfing traveling through the television channels focusing neither on specific programs nor on the commercials they house

churn in cable, turnover in subscribership, whereby new subscriptions are offset by cancellations

cinematographe Lumière brothers' device that both photographed and projected action

circulation the number of issues of a magazine or newspaper that are sold

civic journalism modern practice of newspapers actively engaging the community in their reporting of important civic issues

clandestine stations illegal or unlicensed broadcast operations frequently operated by revolutionary groups or intelligence agencies for political purposes

clear time when local affiliates carry a network's program

click stream the series of choices made by a user on the Web

clutter in television, when many individual commercials share one commercial break

coaxial cable copper-clad aluminum wire encased in plastic foam insulation, covered by an aluminum outer conductor, and then sheathed in plastic

collateral materials printing, research, and photographs that PR firms handle for clients, charging as much as 17.65% for this service

commissions in advertising, placement of advertising in media is compensated, at typically 15% of the cost of the time or space, through commissions

common carrier a telecommunications company required to carry others' messages with no power to restrict them—for example, a phone company

communication the process of creating shared meaning

community antenna television (CATV) outmoded name for early cable television

community publishing Web pages built by local schools, clubs, and nonprofit groups carried on online newspaper Web sites

commuter papers free dailies designed for younger commuters

comparative analysis the study of different countries' mass media systems

comparative studies see comparative analysis

compensation network payments to affiliates for clearing content

complementary copy newspaper and magazine content that reinforces the advertiser's message, or at least does not negate it

concentration of ownership ownership of different and numerous media companies concentrated in fewer and fewer hands

concept films movies that can be described in one line

confidentiality the ability of media professionals to keep secret the names of people who provide them with information

conglomeration the increase in the ownership of media outlets by non-media companies

consumer culture a culture in which personal worth and identity reside not in the people themselves but in the products with which they surround themselves

consumer juries ad research technique in which people considered representative of a target market review a number of approaches or variations of a campaign or ad

contextual advertising in online advertising, ads that automatically intrude into users' Web sessions whether wanted or not

controlled circulation a magazine is provided at no cost to readers who meet some specific set of advertiser attractive criteria

conventions in media content, certain distinctive, standardized style elements of individual genres

convergence the erosion of traditional distinctions among media due to concentration of ownership, globalization, hyper commercialism, and increased audience fragmentation

copy testing measuring the effectiveness of advertising messages by showing them to consumers; used for all forms of advertising

copyright identifying and granting ownership of a given piece of expression to protect the creators' financial interest in it

corantos one-page news sheets on specific events, printed in English but published in Holland and imported into England by British booksellers; an early “newspaper”

corrective advertising a new set of ads required by a regulatory body and produced by the offender that correct the original misleading effort

cost per thousand (CPM) in advertising, the cost of reaching 1,000 audience members, computed by the cost of an ad's placement divided by the number of thousands of consumers it reaches

cottage industry an industry characterized by small operations closely identified with their personnel

cover rerecording of one artist's music by another

critical cultural theory idea that media operate primarily to justify and support the status quo at the expense of ordinary people

critical research studies of media's contribution to the larger issues of what kind of nation we are building, what kind of people we are becoming

cruising see channel surfing

cultivation analysis idea that television “cultivates” or constructs a reality of the world that, although possibly inaccurate, becomes the accepted reality simply because we as a culture believe it to be the reality

cultural definition of communication communication is a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed; from James Carey

cultural imperialism the invasion of an indigenous people's culture, through mass media, by outside, powerful countries

cultural theory the idea that meaning and therefore effects are negotiated by media and audiences as they interact in the culture

culture the world made meaningful; socially constructed and maintained through communication, it limits as well as liberates us, differentiates as well as unites us, defines our realities and thereby shapes the ways we think, feel, and act

cume the cumulative audience, the number of people who listen to a radio station for at least 5 minutes in any one day

cyberadvertising placement of commercials on various online sites

d-book a book that is downloaded in electronic form from the Internet to a computer or handheld device

D-notice in Great Britain, an officially issued notice of prior restraint

daguerreotype process of recording images on polished metal plates, usually copper, covered with a thin layer of silver iodide emulsion

dataveillance the massive electronic collection and distillation of consumer data

decoding interpreting sign/symbol systems

democracy government by the people

demographic segmentation advertisers' appeal to audiences composed of varying personal and social characteristics such as race, gender, and economic level

density number of households per mile of cable

dependency theory idea that media's power is a function of audience members' dependency on the media and their content

deregulation relaxation of ownership and other rules for radio and television

desensitization the idea that viewers become more accepting of real-world violence because of its constant presence in television fare

desktop publishing small-scale print content design, layout, and production made possible by inexpensive computer hardware and software

development concept of media systems; government and media work in partnership to ensure that media assist in the planned, beneficial development of the country

digital audio radio service (DARS) direct home or automobile delivery of audio by satellite

digital cable television delivery of digital video images and other information to subscribers' homes

digital compression "squeezing" of digital signals to permit multiple signals to be carried over one channel

digital computer a computer that processes data reduced to a binary code

digital delivery daily the online distribution of entire versions of printed newspapers

digital divide the lack of technological access among people of color, the poor, the disabled, and those in rural communities

digital epistolary novel (DEN) novel that unfolds serially through e-mails, instant messaging, and Web sites

digital must-carry rules in cable television, rules requiring that cable systems carry the signal of every television station, both analog and digital, within a specified radius

digital recording recording based on conversion of sound into 1s and 0s logged in millisecond intervals in a computerized translation process

digital rights management (DRM) protection of digitally distributed intellectual property

digital video recorder (DVR) video recording device attached to a television, that gives viewers significant control over content

dime novels inexpensive late 19th- and early 20th- century books that concentrated on frontier and adventure stories; sometimes called pulp novels

disinhibitory effects in social cognitive theory, seeing a model rewarded for prohibited or threatening behavior increases the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior

dissident press free, alternative weeklies with a local and political orientation

dissonance theory argues that people, when confronted by new information, experience a kind of mental discomfort, a dissonance; as a result, they consciously and subconsciously work to limit or reduce that discomfort through the selective processes

diurnals daily accounts of local news printed in 1620s England; forerunners of our daily newspaper

DMX (Digital Music Express) home delivery of audio by cable

domain name on the World Wide Web, an identifying name, rather than a site's formal URL, that gives some indication of the nature of a site's content or owner

dominant culture (mainstream culture) the culture that seems to hold sway with the large majority of people; that which is normative

double feature two films on the same bill

drop cable cable television line that runs from the feeder to people's homes

duopoly single ownership and management of multiple radio stations in one market

e-book digital book having the appearance of traditional books but with content that is digitally stored and accessed

e-mail (electronic mail) function of Internet allowing communication via computer with anyone else online, anyplace in the world, with no long-distance fees

e-publishing the publication and distribution of books initially or exclusively online

early window the idea that media give children a window on the world before they have the critical and intellectual ability to judge what they see

economies of scale concept that relative cost declines as the size of the endeavor grows

editorial policy newspapers' and magazines' positions on certain specific issues

embedded journalists war correspondents who exchange control of their output for access to the front

encoding transforming ideas into an understandable sign/symbol system

encryption electronic coding or masking or information on the Web that can be deciphered only by a recipient with the decrypting key

environmental incentives in social learning theory, the notion that real-world incentives can lead observers to ignore negative vicarious reinforcement

ethics rules of behavior or moral principles that guide actions in given situations

ethnic press papers, often in a foreign language, aimed at minority, immigrant, and non-English readers

Euro English official language of the European Union

exogenous stations clandestine broadcast operations functioning from outside the regions to which they transmit

expanded basic cable in cable television a second, somewhat more expensive level of subscription

external service in international broadcasting, a service designed by one country to counter enemy propaganda and disseminate information about itself

extramercials in cyber advertising, columns of ad content that slide down over a Web page's content

factory studios the first film production companies

fair use in copyright law, instances in which material may be used without permission or payment

Fairness Doctrine requires broadcasters to cover issues of public importance and to be fair in that coverage; abolished in 1987

feature syndicates clearinghouses for the work of columnists, cartoonists, and other creative individuals, providing their work to newspapers and other media outlets

feedback the response to a given communication

feeder cables television cable that runs from the trunk cable into individual neighborhoods or areas

fiber optics signals carried by light beams over glass fibers

Financial Interest and Syndication Rules FCC rules delineating the amount of ownership the television networks are allowed in the programming they air

Fin-Syn see Financial Interest and Syndication Rules

First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

first-person perspective game videogame in which all action is through the eyes of the player

first-run syndication original programming produced specifically for the syndicated television market

fixed-fee arrangement when a PR firm performs a specific set of services for a client for a specific and prearranged fee

flack a derogatory name sometimes applied to public relations professionals

flash mobs (sometimes smart mobs ) large, geographically dispersed groups connected only by communications technology, quickly drawn together to perform collective action

floating ads see shoshkeles

focus groups small groups of people who are interviewed, typically to provide advertising or public relations professionals with detailed information

forced exposure ad research technique used primarily for television commercials, requiring advertisers to bring consumers to a theater or other facility where they see a television program, complete with the new ads

format a radio station's particular sound or programming content

franchise films movies produced with full intention of producing several sequels

Frankfurt School media theory, centered in neo-Marxism, that valued serious art, viewing its consumption as a means to elevate all people toward a better life; typical media fare was seen as pacifying ordinary people while repressing them

functional displacement when the functions of an existing medium are performed better or more efficiently by a newer medium

genre a form of media content with a standardized, distinctive style and conventions

global village a McLuhan concept; new communication technologies permit people to become increasingly involved in one another's lives

globalization ownership of media companies by multinational corporations

grand theory a theory designed to describe and explain all aspects of a given phenomenon

grazing watching several television programs simultaneously

green light process the process of deciding to make a movie

greenwashing public relations practice of countering the public relations efforts aimed at clients by environmentalists

griots the “talking chiefs” in orally based African tribes

hard news news stories that help readers make intelligent decisions and keep up with important issues

headend place or equipment necessary for cable television to receive and process a signal

home page entryway into a Web site, containing information and hyperlinks to other material

hosts computers linking individual personal computer users to the Internet

hub cable system operation itself, in which signals are processed and boosted for distribution

hypercommercialism increasing the amount of advertising and mixing commercial and noncommercial media content

hyperlink connection, embedded in Internet or Web site, allowing instant access to other material in that site as well as to material in other sites

hypodermic needle theory idea that media are a dangerous drug that can directly enter a person's system

iconoscope tube first practical television camera tube, developed in 1923

identification in social cognitive theory, a special form of imitation by which observers do not exactly copy what they have seen but make a more generalized but related response

ideogrammatic alphabet a symbol- or picture-based alphabet

imitation in social cognitive theory, the direct replication of an observed behavior

importation of distant signals delivery of distant television signals by cable television for the purpose of improving reception

in-band-on-channel (IBOC) digital radio technology that uses digital compression to “shrink” digital and analog signals, allowing both to occupy the same frequency

indecency in broadcasting, language or material that depicts sexual or excretory activities in a way offensive to contemporary community standards

indigenous stations clandestine broadcast operations functioning from inside the regions to which they transmit

inferential feedback in the mass communication process, feedback is typically indirect rather than direct; that is, it is inferential

information gap the widening disparity in amounts and types of information available to information haves and have-nots

inhibitory effects in social cognitive theory, seeing a model punished for a behavior reduces the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior

instant books books published very soon after some well publicized public event

instant messaging (IM) real-time e-mail, allowing two or more people to communicate instantaneously and in immediate response to one another

integrated marketing communications (IMC) combining public relations, marketing, advertising, and promotion into a seamless communication campaign

interactive cable ability of subscribers to talk back to cable system operators on the same wire used by operators to deliver content

interdiction technology technology that descrambles pay channel cable television signals outside the home

interlaced scanning television format in which electron beams sweep the picture tube twice, creating half the image's lines on the first pass and then filling in the gaps in the second

intermercials attractive, lively commercials that run while people are waiting for Web pages to download

Internet a global network of interconnected computers that communicate freely and share and exchange information

Internet service provider see ISP

interpersonal communication communication between one or a few people

interstitial ads in cyberadvertising, images that seem to appear and disappear mysteriously on the screen as users click from one page to the next

island in children's television commercials, the product is shown simply, in actual size against a neutral background

ISP (Internet service provider) company that offers Internet connections at monthly rates depending on the kind and amount of access needed

joint operating agreement (JOA) permits a failing paper to merge most aspects of its business with a successful local competitor, as long as editorial and reporting operations remain separate

kinescope improved picture tube developed by Zworykin for RCA

kinetograph William Dickson's early motion picture camera

kinetoscope peep show devices for the exhibition of kinetographs

LAN (local area network) network connecting two or more computers, usually within the same building

large rectangles in online advertising, oversized ads that appear in the center of the page, over existing text

LCD (liquid crystal display) display surface in which electric currents of varying voltage are passed through liquid crystal, altering the passage of light through that crystal

LED (light-emitting diode) light-emitting semiconductor manipulated under a display screen

libel the false and malicious publication of material that damages a person's reputation (typically applied to print media)

libertarianism philosophy of the press that asserts that good and rational people can tell right from wrong if presented with full and free access to information; therefore censorship is unnecessary

limited effects theory media's influence is limited by people's individual differences, social categories, and personal relationships

linotype technology that allowed the mechanical rather than manual setting of print type

liquid barretter first audio device permitting the reception of wireless voices; developed by Fessenden

literacy the ability to effectively and efficiently comprehend and utilize a given form of communication

literate culture a culture that employs a written language

lobbying in public relations, directly interacting with elected officials or government regulators and agents

local carriage rules rules requiring cable systems to carry specific sets of television signals

macro-level effects media's wide-scale social and cultural impact

magalogue a designer catalogue produced to look like a consumer magazine

magic bullet theory the idea from mass society theory that media are a powerful “killing force” that directly penetrates a person's system

mainframe computer a large central computer to which users are connected by terminals

mainstreaming in cultivation analysis, television's ability to move people toward a common understanding of how things are

mass communication the process of creating shared meaning between the mass media and their audiences

mass communication theories explanations and predictions of social phenomena relating mass communication to various aspects of our personal and cultural lives or social systems

mass medium (pl. mass media ) a medium that carries messages to a large number of people

mass society theory the idea that media are corrupting influences; they undermine the social order, and “average” people are defenseless against their influence

massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) interactive online game where characters and actions are controlled by other players, not the computer

master antenna television (MATV) connecting multiple sets in a single location or building to a single, master antenna

media councils panels of people from both the media and the public who investigate complaints against the media and publish their findings

media literacy the ability to effectively and efficiently comprehend and utilize mass communication

medium (pl. media) vehicle by which messages are conveyed

metaethics examination of a culture's understanding of its fundamental values

microcomputer a very small computer that uses a microprocessor to handle information (also called a personal computer or PC)

microcinema filmmaking using digital video cameras and desktop digital editing machines

micro-level effects effects of media on individuals

microwave multidistribution systems (MMDS) video distribution system employing a home microwave receiver to collect signals and pipe them through a house via internal wiring

microwave relay audio and video transmitting system in which super-high-frequency signals are sent from land based point to land-based point

middle-range theories ideas that explain or predict only limited aspects of the mass communication process

minicomputer a relatively large central computer to which users are connected by terminals; not as large as a mainframe computer

MNA reports multinetwork area television ratings based on the 70 largest markets

modeling in social cognitive theory, learning through imitation and identification

modem a device that translates digital computer information into an analog form so it can be transmitted through telephone lines

montage tying together two separate but related shots in such a way that they take on a new, unified meaning

moral agent in an ethical dilemma, the person making the decision

MP3 file compression software that permits streaming of digital audio and video data

muckraking a form of crusading journalism that primarily used magazines to agitate for change

MUD (multi-user dimension) online text-based interactive game

multichannel service fee-based provider (such as cable and DBS) of video content

multimedia advanced sound and image capabilities for microcomputers

multiple points of access ability of a literate media consumer to access or approach media content from a variety of personally satisfying directions

multiple system operator (MSO) a company owning several different cable television operations

multiplexing the practice of using one channel to transmit multiple forms of content; in television and cable, through signal compression

music licensing company an organization that collects fees based on recorded music users' gross receipts and distributes the money to songwriters and artists

narrowcasting aiming broadcast programming at smaller, more demographically homogeneous audiences

neo-Marxist theory the theory that people are oppressed by those who control the culture, the superstructure, as opposed to the base

network centralized production, distribution, decision making organization that links affiliates for the purpose of delivering their viewers to advertisers

news production research the study of how economic and other influences on the way news is produced distort and bias news coverage toward those in power

news staging re-creation on television news of some event that is believed to have happened or which could have happened

newsbook early weekly British publications that carried ads

newspaper chains businesses that own two or more newspapers

niche marketing aiming media content or consumer products at smaller, more demographically homogeneous audiences

nickelodeons the first movie houses; admission was one nickel

Nipkow disc first workable device for generating electrical signals suitable for the transmission of a scene

noise anything that interferes with successful communication

nonduplication rule mid-1960s FCC ruling that AM and FM license holders in the same market must broadcast different content at least 50% of the time

normative ethics generalized theories, rules, and principles of ethical or moral behavior

normative theory an idea that explains how media should ideally operate in a given system of social values

O&O a broadcasting station that is owned and operated by a network

obscenity unprotected expression determined by (a) whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest, (b) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and (c) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

observational learning in social cognitive theory, observers can acquire (learn) new behaviors simply by seeing those behaviors performed

off-network broadcast industry term for syndicated content that originally aired on a network

offset lithography late 19th-century advance making possible printing from photographic plates rather than from metal casts

oligopoly a media system whose operation is dominated by a few large companies

ombudsman internal arbiter of performance for media organizations

open source software freely downloaded software

operating policy spells out standards for everyday operations for newspapers and magazines

operating system the software that tells the computer how to work

opinion followers people who receive opinion leaders' interpretations of media content; from two-step flow theory

opinion leaders people who initially consume media content, interpret it in light of their own values and beliefs, and then pass it on to opinion followers; from two-stepflow theory

opt-in/opt-out consumers giving permission to companies to sell personal data or consumers requesting that companies do not sell personal data

oral (or preliterate ) culture a culture without a written language

overnights television ratings data gathered from homes connected by phone lines to Nielsen computers

P2P person-to-person software that permits direct Internet-based communication or collaboration between two or more personal computers while bypassing centralized servers

papyrus early form of paper composed of pressed strips of sliced reed

paradigm a theory that summarizes and is consistent with all known facts

paradigm shift fundamental, even radical rethinking of what people believe to be true for a given body of knowledge

parchment writing material made from prepared animal skins

parity products products generally perceived as alike by consumers no matter who makes them

pass-along readership measurement of publication readers who neither subscribe nor buy single copies but who borrow a copy or read one in a doctor's office or library

pass-by rate number of homes passed by or with the potential to take cable

pay cable cable television channels delivered to those viewers who pay a fee over and above their basic service charge

payola payment made by recording companies to DJs to air their records

pay-per-view cable television viewers pay a set fee for delivery of a specific piece of content

penetration number of homes passed by cable that actually subscribe

penny press newspapers in the 1830s selling for one penny

peoplemeter remote control keypad device for recording television viewing for taking ratings

performance-based advertising Web advertising where the site is paid only when the consumer takes some specific action

persistence of vision images our eyes gather are retained by our brains for about 1/24 of a second, producing the appearance of constant motion

personal computer (PC) see microcomputer

personal peoplemeter ratings technology; a special remote control with personalized buttons for each viewer in the household

personal video recorder see digital video recorder

piggybacking in television advertising, a single sponsor presents two products in the same commercial

pilot a sample episode of a proposed television program

piracy the illegal recording and sale of copyrighted material

pirate broadcasters unlicensed or otherwise illegally operated broadcast stations

pixel the smallest picture element in an electronic imaging system such as a television or computer screen

platform rollout opening a movie on only a few screens in the hope that favorable reviews and word-of-mouth publicity will boost interest

playlist predetermined sequence of selected records to be played by a disc jockey

pocketpieces television ratings based on a national sample, computed and reported every 2 weeks

policy book delineates standards of operation for local broadcasters

pop-outs in cyberadvertising, ads that appear in a smaller window at the border of the Web page being read

pornography expression calculated solely to supply sexual excitement

preliterate culture see oral culture

print on demand publishing method whereby publishers store books digitally for instant printing, binding, and delivery once ordered

prior restraint power of the government to prevent publication or broadcast of expression

product positioning the practice in advertising of assigning meaning to a product based on who buys the product rather than on the product itself

production values media content's internal language and grammar; its style and quality

progressive scanning digital television format compatible with personal computers in which the entire picture is built line by line in one scan of the television's electronic beam

prosumer proactive Web consumer

protocols common communication rules and languages for computers linked to the Internet

pseudo-event event that has no real informational or issue meaning; it exists merely to attract media attention

psychographic segmentation advertisers' appeal to consumer groups of varying lifestyles, attitudes, values, and behavior patterns

public in PR, any group of people with a stake in an organization, issue, or idea

public access channel cable channel reserved on a first come, first-served, nondiscriminatory basis for use by groups or individuals who maintain editorial control of their programming

public domain in copyright law, the use of material without permission once the copyright expires

public journalism see civic journalism

public service remit limits on advertising and other public service requirements imposed on Britain's commercial broadcasters in exchange for the right to broadcast

puffery the little lie or exaggeration that makes advertising more entertaining than it might otherwise be

pulp novels see dime novels

put agreement between a television producer and network that guarantees that the network will order at least a pilot or pay a penalty

radio frequency identification chip (RFIC) grain-of sand–sized microchip and antenna embedded in consumer products that transmit a radio signal

rating percentage of a market's total population that is reached by a piece of broadcast programming

recall testing ad research technique in which consumers are asked to identify which ads are most easily remembered

recent catalogue albums in record retailing, albums out for 15 months to 3 years

recognition tests ad research technique in which people who have seen a given publication are asked whether they remember seeing a given ad

reinforcement theory Joseph Klapper's idea that if media have any impact at all it is in the direction of reinforcement

remainders unsold copies of books returned to the publisher by bookstores to be sold at great discount

retainer in advertising, an agreed-upon amount of money a client pays an ad agency for a specific series of services

revolutionary concept normative theory describing a system where media are used in the service of revolution

ride-alongs the practice of allowing television reporters to accompany police in the conduct of their duty

ritual perspective the view of media as central to the representation of shared beliefs and culture

ROI (return on investment) an accountability-based measure of advertising success

safe harbor times of the broadcast day (typically 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) when children are not likely to be in the listening or viewing audience

satellite-delivered media tour spokespeople can be simultaneously interviewed by a worldwide audience hooked to the interviewee by telephone

satellite master antenna (SMATV) video distribution system in which signals are captured by a satellite dish and then distributed throughout a structure

search engines (sometimes called spiders, or Web

crawlers ) Web- or Net-search software providing on-screen menus

secondary service a radio station's second, or non-primary, format

selective attention see selective exposure

selective exposure the idea that people expose themselves or attend to those messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs

selective perception the idea that people interpret messages in a manner consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs

selective processes people expose themselves to, remember best and longest, and reinterpret messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs

selective retention assumes that people remember best and longest those messages that are consistent with their existing attitudes and beliefs

self-righting principle John Milton's articulation of libertarianism

sender pays charging “postage” for e-mail

share the percentage of people listening to radio or of homes using television tuned in to a given piece of programming

shield laws legislation that expressly protects reporters' rights to maintain sources' confidentiality in courts of law

shopbills attractive, artful business cards used by early British tradespeople to promote themselves

short ordering network practice of ordering only one or two episodes of a new television series

shortwave radio radio signals transmitted at high frequencies that can travel great distances by skipping off the ionosphere

shoshkeles in online advertising, animated objects, such as a car or Homer Simpson, that run across the screen; sometimes called floating ads

signs in social construction of reality, things that have subjective meaning

siquis pinup want ads common in Europe before and in early days of newspapers

skip ability of radio waves to reflect off the ionosphere

skyscrapers online billboards placed down the side of a Web page

sky waves radio waves that are skipped off the ionosphere

slander oral or spoken defamation of a person's character (typically applied to broadcasting)

smart mobs see flash mobs

social cognitive theory idea that people learn through observation

social construction of reality theory for explaining how cultures construct and maintain their realities using signs and symbols; argues that people learn to behave in their social world through interaction with it

social responsibility theory (or model ) normative theory or model asserting that media must remain free of government control but, in exchange, must serve the public

soft news sensational stories that do not serve the democratic function of journalism

spam unsolicited commercial e-mail

spectrum scarcity broadcast spectrum space is limited, so not everyone who wants to broadcast can; those who are granted licenses must accept regulation

spiders see search engines

spin in PR, outright lying to hide what really happened

split runs special versions of a given issue of a magazine in which editorial content and ads vary according to some specific demographic or regional grouping

spot commercial sales in broadcasting, selling individual advertising spots on a given program to a wide variety of advertisers

Standards and Practices Department the internal content review operation of a television network

stereotyping application of a standardized image or conception applied to members of certain groups, usually based on limited information

sticky an attribute of a Web site; indicates its ability to hold the attention of a user

stimulation model of media violence; viewing mediated violence can increase the likelihood of subsequent aggressive behavior

streaming the simultaneous downloading and accessing (playing) of digital audio or video data

stripping broadcasting a syndicated television show at the same time five nights a week

subscription TV early experiments with over-the-air pay television

subsidiary rights the sale of a book, its contents, even its characters to outside interests, such as filmmakers

super trunk cable television cable that leads from the headend to the hub

surrogate service in international broadcasting, an operation established by one country to substitute for another's own domestic service

surround sessions in online advertising, users are served a steady stream of ads from one sponsor during their entire visit to a site

sweeps periods special television ratings times in February, May, July, and November in which diaries are distributed to thousands of sample households in selected markets

syllable alphabet a phonetically based alphabet employing sequences of vowels and consonants, that is, words

symbolic interaction the idea that people give meaning to symbols and then those symbols control people's behavior in their presence

symbols in social construction of reality, things that have objective meaning

syndication sale of radio or television content to stations on a market-by-market basis

synergy the use by media conglomerates of as many channels of delivery as possible for similar content

targeted keyword buys in cyber advertising, a sponsor buys the right from an Internet service provider to have its ads pop up on the screen every time a user types in the sponsor's name

targeting aiming media content or consumer products at smaller, more specific audiences

taste publics groups of people or audiences bound by little more than their interest in a given form of media content

technological determinism the idea that machines and their development drive economic and cultural change

technology gap the widening disparity between communication technology haves and have-nots

telcos phone companies

tentpole an expensive blockbuster around which a studio plans its other releases

terminals user workstations that are connected to larger centralized computers

text ad in online advertising, ads that appear alongside search results that somehow relate to the search

theatrical films movies produced primarily for initial exhibition on theater screens

third-party publishers companies that create videogames for existing systems

third person effect the common attitude that others are influenced by media messages, but we are not

tier groupings of channels made available by a cable or satellite provider to subscribers at varying prices

time-shifting taping a show on a VCR for later viewing

trade books hard- or soft cover books including fiction and most nonfiction and cookbooks, biographies, art books, coffee-table books, and how-to books

traffic cop analogy in broadcast regulation, the idea that the FCC, as a traffic cop, has the right to control not only the flow of broadcast traffic but its composition

transmissional perspective the view of media as senders of information for the purpose of control

trunk cable television cable that leads from the head end into the community

trustee model in broadcast regulation, the idea that broadcasters serve as the public's trustees or fiduciaries

two-step flow theory the idea that media's influence on people's behavior is limited by opinion leaders—people who initially consume media content, interpret it in light of their own values and beliefs, and then pass it on to opinion followers, who have less frequent contact with media

typification schemes in social construction of reality, collections of meanings people have assigned to some phenomenon or situation

unique selling proposition (USP) the aspect of an advertised product that sets it apart from other brands in the same product category

URL (uniform resource locator) the designation of each file or directory on the host computer connected to the Internet

Usenet also known as network news, an internationally distributed Internet bulletin board system

uses and gratifications approach the idea that media don't do things to people; people do things with media

VALS advertisers' psychographic segmentation strategy that classifies consumers according to values and lifestyles

vast wasteland expression coined by FCC Chair Newton Minow in 1961 to describe television content

vertical integration a system in which studios produced their own films, distributed them through their own outlets, and exhibited them in their own theaters

vicarious reinforcement in social cognitive theory, the observation of reinforcement operates in the same manner as actual reinforcement

videogame a game involving action taking place interactively on-screen

video-on-demand (VOD) service allowing television viewers to access pay-per-view movies and other content that can be watched whenever they want

video news release preproduced report about a client or its product that is distributed on videocassette free of charge to television stations

viral marketing PR strategy that relies on targeting specific Internet users with a given communication and relying on them to spread the word

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone calls transferred in digital packets over the Internet rather than on circuit switched telephone wires

WAN (wide area network) network that connects several LANs in different locations

Web crawlers see search engines

Web radio the delivery of “radio” over the Internet directly to individual listeners

WebTV online delivery of high-definition television to special home receivers

Webzines online magazines

Wi-Fi wireless Internet

willing suspension of disbelief audience practice of willingly accepting the content before them as real

wire services news-gathering organizations that provide content to members

wired radio employed in remote areas of many developing countries; centrally located loudspeakers that deliver radio broadcasts

World Wide Web a tool that serves as a means of accessing files on computers connected via the Internet

yellow journalism early-20th-century journalism emphasizing sensational sex, crime, and disaster news

zapping using the remote control to switch to other content when a commercial appears

zipping fast-forwarding through taped commercials on a VCR

zoned editions suburban or regional versions of metropolitan newspapers

zoopraxiscope early machine for projecting slides onto a distant surface