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Examines the relationship of social movements to the mass media, contending that there has been a shift toward spectacle. Social movements have generally held an instrumental attitude toward the media in that their goal has been to use the media to communicate & convince. Increasingly, however, this goal is secondary to an identity-politics approach that seeks to generate feelings of solidarity & dramatize communal vision. This is evident in spectacular performances that use elements of magic & ritual (eg, broadcast music extravaganzas). In these events, the actual social message is less important than collective emotional participation, which is often egoistic. Media voyeurism takes precedence over discourse. Such performances are interpreted as a reaction against increasing social individualization & isolation. Adapted from the source document.

An overview of the relevant secondary literature is used to explore the connection between mass media selectivity & violent protest. Because a key determinant of media coverage is violence, many activists see violence as a tool to attract coverage. Examples of such collective violence include terrorist activities, race riots, & violent demonstrations. Although the media are drawn to cover collective violence, they tend to disregard the motives for the violence in their coverage. Thus, what is reported is the violence itself & not the precipitating issues & events. As a result, involved activists are denied their objectives & are distanced from public sympathy through a process of social polarization. 76 References. Adapted from the source document.

Development of print and broadcast media in post-communist Bulgaria.