Media Use Assignment 1 Part 3

Journalism 12 – Media Use Survey Analysis

How Much?

1. Add up the totals for each day at the bottom of each column.
2. Now, add the day totals together. Record that number here: __________. That represents the total time with the media during your three days.
3. Next, divide your total time number above by 48. Record your answer here _______. That represents the average percentage of waking hours you spend with the media every day.

What Kind?

As you read last week, the media send, for the most parts, three kinds of messages: news, entertainment and persuasion.

Using the notes portion of your survey, do your best to determine how many hours of news you consumed and how many hours of entertainment.

To determine the difference, use the following guidelines, which are in no way absolute:

News – factual information you want or need to know

Stories that:

·      are based on public interest

·      contain information people need

·      relate to or impact daily life, health and human safety, public policy, economics, self-governance, education, shared humanity or some other important aspect of American life.

·      are timely

·      have real impact in people’s lives

·      contain fact-based research

Entertainment – diversionary information geared toward satisfying wants

Stories that:

·      are based more on marketing, promotion, sales, consumption or PR than on facts and information

·      take you out of the daily grind of daily life and provide a form of escape

·      are geared more toward informational wants rather than informational needs

·      appeal to our emotions or desires or fantasies

·      are filled with how-to’s, lists, off-beat items and gossip

·      are entertainment- or celebrity-centric

·      are interesting but essentially unnecessary to daily life