Book,
The communication of ideas: a series of addresses
(1948)includes: Mass communication, popular taste and organized social action..
Abstract
Social concern with the effects of mass media stems from 3 primary sources. First there is fear of the ubiquity and power of the media. This fear is that of an abstract bogey man and reflects an insecurity in social position and values. Secondly, there is the fear that the assault of media will lead to the unconditional surrender of critical faculties and conformism. Finally there is the fear of deteriorating esthetic tastes and popular culture. Since organized business is the main media power broker, direct exploitation has become a subtle form of psychological exploitation. About 70 million Americans attend movies every week; about 46 million receive the daily newspaper; and, about 34 million homes have radios. The average American listens to the radio about 3 hours a day. Mass media bestows prestige and enhances the authority of individuals and groups by legitimizing their status. When attempts are made to upgrade popular taste, by substituting classical music for a soap opera, for example, people stop listening. The conditions for effective social propaganda are as follows: 1) monopolization; 2) canalization rather than change of basic values; and, 3) supplementary face to face contact. These conditions operate toward the maintenance of the going social and cultural structure rather than toward its change.
