Meyrowitz's

"Medium Theory"

Ø "Medium Theory"

s Marshall McLuhan: "the medium is the message"

s Erving Goffman: "situationism" -- focusing on"backstage" and "front stage" social roles

- Backstage/frontstage information?

- Backstage/frontstage \ True/false

» "Professional" behavior

» The "real" me (e.g., talk shows)

Ø Power and authority

s Changes in dominant media upset power relations (e.g., the printing press, popes, and kings)

s Television's influence: "a relative broadening of experience for most people"

Ø The blurring of "public" and "private"

Ø Three cases (children/adults, women/men, citizens/leaders):

s Children and adults

s Women and men

s Citizens and political leaders

Ø The Internet -- further blurring?