Media Studies: The Top 115

The following list consists of 115 terms, concepts, and agents that I consider critically important to an informed understanding of media and media studies. Please note this list does not include everything that you need to know. The list is simply a guide; it is not a substitute for a complete, thorough reading of our textbook, note taking on this reading, attendance at our lectures, participation, and note taking during these lectures.

  1. Media
  2. Convergence
  3. Offshoring
  4. Preagricultural Society
  5. Agricultural Society
  6. Industrial Society
  7. Information Society
  8. SMCR Model
  9. Intrapersonal Communication
  10. Interpersonal Communication
  11. Mass Communication
  12. Production/Distribution/Exhibition
  13. Monopoly
  14. Oligopoly
  15. Conglomerate
  16. Horizontal Integration
  17. Vertical Integration
  18. Cross-Ownership
  19. Market Segmentation
  20. Media Economics
  21. Economies of Scale
  22. Political Economy
  23. Hegemony
  24. Feminist Studies
  25. Ethnic Studies
  26. Media Criticism
  27. Technological Determinism
  28. Social Determinism
  29. Agenda Setting
  30. Gate Keeping
  31. Framing
  32. Media Effects
  33. Societal Impacts
  34. Content Analysis
  35. Experimental Research
  36. Survey Research
  37. Ethnographic Research
  38. Uses and Gratifications
  39. Media Literacy
  40. Policy
  41. Freedom of Speech
  42. Freedom of the Press
  43. Watchdog role
  44. Universal Service
  45. Copyright
  46. Fair Use
  47. Censorship
  48. Intellectual Property
  49. Libel
  50. Ethical Thinking
  51. Codes of Ethics
  52. Society of Professional Journalists
  53. Regionalization
  54. Cultural Proximity
  55. Telecommunication Infrastructure
  56. Johannes Gutenberg
  57. Muckraking
  58. Desktop Publishing
  59. Trade Books
  60. Penny Press
  61. Telegraph
  62. Wire Service
  63. Associated Press
  64. Yellow Journalism
  65. Tabloid
  66. Victrola
  67. Acoustic
  68. Formats
  69. Genres
  70. Payola
  71. MP3
  72. Analog vs. Digital
  73. iTunes
  74. Universal Music Group
  75. Sampling
  76. Clear Channel
  77. Guglielmo Marconi
  78. Wireless Telegraph
  79. Broadcast License
  80. Common Carrier
  81. 1996 Telecommunications Act
  82. Satellite Broadcasting
  83. Syndication
  84. MSO
  85. Television's "Big Five"
  86. Network
  87. Network Affiliate
  88. O&O
  89. Public Broadcasting
  90. ARPANET
  91. Hypertext Markup Language
  92. Google
  93. Cookies
  94. Encryption
  95. Public Relations
  96. Spin
  97. Lobbying
  98. News Release
  99. Click-through Rates
  100. Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
  101. Viral Marketing
  102. Database Marketing
  103. Product Placement
  104. Brand
  105. Copy Testing
  106. AT&T
  107. Natural Monopoly
  108. Packet vs. Channel Switching
  109. WiFi
  110. Cellular Network
  111. Long Tail
  112. "Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse"
  113. Dominant/Hegemonic Code
  114. Resistant Code
  115. Negotiated Code