The Netflix Black Mirror episode, “Nosedive”

1. View John Shafer’s Video Introduction to Topic 1.
2. Read the following Wikipedia Articles:
   a. “Mass Communication” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_communication
   b. “Mass Media” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_media
   c. “Concentration of Media Ownership”
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership
3. Read Chapter 1 - “Mass Communication” from MEDIA & CULTURE: MASS
   COMMUNICATION IN A DIGITAL AGE available under “Course Content.”
4. Review the following PowerPoint-PDF’s (available in “Course Content”):
   a. “Mass Comm Intro”
   b. “Media Economics”
5. View the Netflix Black Mirror episode, “Nosedive” (Season 3, Episode 1 on Netflix).
   If you don’t have Netflix, you can setup a one-month trial for free: www.netflix.com
   Assignment Questions / Tasks:
   Briefly answer the following questions; indicate your source with the number-letter above:
6. What makes “Mass Communication” different from other forms of communication (make
   sure you identify some other forms of communication besides mass comm)?
7. Identify the major types of “Mass Communication” (mass media) and indicate approximately
   when they became influential.
8. What are some of the major theories of mass communication?
9. What is “Media Convergence” and how has it impacted culture and society?”
10. Why should we engage in “media literacy” and a critical perspective of media?
11. Currently, what are the largest media companies?
12. What are some of the issues involved with the concentration of media ownership?
13. Briefly describe how the scenario of the Black Mirror episode, “Nosedive,” relates to our
    current use of social media and ranking systems.

Sample Solution