An Introduction to the Uses and Diffusion of the News

What are the ways audiences use the mass media, and what are the gratifications they receive from that usage? What functions do soap operas provide for the audience? Theories and research dealing with these questions are presented in the first chapter of the text.

The second chapter concerns how knowledge of news is diffused throughout society, followed by how adoption of new innovations is spread. Research on the Knowledge Gap, as well as the diffusion of public opinion and the Spiral of Silence, is presented.

The final two chapters concern Cultivation Theory and how fear is cultivated in children and adults by both entertainment shows and the news. Strategies for reducing such fear are presented. Media also cultivate beliefs about society, such as perceptions of the amount of crime and risk in society, environmental concerns, marital expectations, and attitudes toward racism and homosexuality. A section on International Cultivation is included.