Key Points Summary: Media and Contemporary Communication Technologies

Overview of Mass Media

• Definition: Mass media encompasses television, news broadcasting, radio, newspapers, magazines, and social media platforms.
• Influence: These forms of media significantly affect individual ideas, perceptions, and attitudes towards various global issues.

Impact of Technology on Communication

• Enhanced Communication: Advances in technology have improved our ability to communicate over long distances.
• Shifting Interactions: Media outlets are transforming how individuals perceive and interact with one another.

Social Media Consumption

• Statistics: As of 2020, the average Australian teenager spends approximately 1200 hours per year on social media.
• Content Exposure: This extensive time dedicated to social media influences their consumption of news and opinions.

Media's Role in Shaping Identity

• Selective Reporting: Media coverage can shape personal and social identities by emphasizing certain issues deemed important or newsworthy while underreporting others.

Case Study: Victorian Government’s Decisions

• Announcement of Lockdown Easing: In October 2020, the Victorian premier announced the easing of lockdown restrictions amid zero new COVID-19 cases, a decision widely celebrated by local media.
• Neglected Coverage: Concurrently, the government cut down culturally significant trees sacred to the Djab Wurrung people to develop a highway. While reported, this event received less emphasis compared to the positive news of lockdown easing.

Conclusion

• The duality of media coverage illustrates the complexity of how major events can influence public perception and identity, highlighting the need for a balanced approach in reporting that considers all significant issues equally.